For all you train enthusiasts out there Train Life – a railroad simulator might be what you’ve been waiting for. Simulation games are more of a PC market thing. This time around, console owners can enjoy a slice of train-centered simulation too. We got our hands on the Playstation 5 version but Xbox and Switch owners (including the previous-gen console owners) will have the opportunity to get on the hype train.
All across Europe
In Train Life – a railroad simulator you are a freshly graduated conductor on the path to becoming a railroad tycoon. Different from other train sims, this game not only focuses on handling the trains but also lets you manage your own railroad company. A smart choice in my opinion to differentiate in the oversaturated sim market. For those hardcore train sim players out there, train life might not be detailed enough on the locomotive engineer side. There are train sims out there where you basically take place in a virtual replica of the real deal. Train life has plenty of controls to master but feels easier to get into than most train sims. The fact that this game is also console-friendly tells a lot. The handling with a controller worked pretty well although I do think it’s a bit smoother with a keyboard and mouse. Train life evolved from just focusing on the German railroad network to including the whole of Europe which opens up a lot more variation.
Those craving for hours of menuing won’t get their fix from just handling the trains. Luckily, the management aspect of the game got you covered. Through the virtual tablet, you can set up new routes, acquire new contracts, buy or upgrade trains, hire new staff, and much more. Taking on contracts or completing certain “scenarios” will earn you money and experience. Money is needed because fuel, repairs, and new stuff are expensive. The experience earned lets you level up different parts of the game. Reaching certain levels opens up new possibilities or improves your company by different means. For instance, if one of your staff members earns enough experience and goes up in level, they start to need less fuel to reach their destination. All those small improvements add up to give your company the much-needed edge to reach tycoon status.
Training wheels
Train Life aims to interest the train sim dabbler. Those who just want to start the game and get going without much hassle. Don’t get me wrong, the controls are still more elaborate than most games but with a little practice, you can get from point A to point B without too much fuss. The company management part of the game is a bit more daunting in my opinion. Making sure everything runs smoothly and as efficiently as possible was hard. Luckily the game provides a bunch of sliders at the start of each game to adjust your gaming experience to your own liking. Don’t like the money aspect of the game, just give yourself unlimited money. Don’t like the fine system when speeding, just toggle it off. You can make it as hard or as easy as you want to give you the experience you like.
Great trains, boring surroundings
The different trains in Train Life are all modeled after real-life versions. They all look like you’d expect. With different real-life stations to go visit you can expect to see some recognizable places. The major downside is everything in between. The surroundings are so lifeless apart from the occasional deer on the tracks. A lot of scenery is plain generic and pops up all the time. It just lacks variation to distinguish the routes enough. Arriving at a station is the only thing exciting. Although I was often annoyed at the lack of visual aid to see where you should be going. For instance, some contracts ask to transport logs. These can be collected and delivered at a certain track indicated with an orange symbol. Sadly I often find myself reversing the train because I found myself on the wrong track because I couldn’t see which track change I should’ve taken to get there. Some visual problems were sadly still present in the game. Background not loading properly, button prompt with the wrong symbol to press, … To top it off the music in this game is abysmal but luckily can be turned off (before I went insane).
Conclusion
Train Life – a railroad simulator has an original premise with the combination of handling trains but also managing the company. It’s a less detailed version of your normal train sim but has still enough content for the real train enthusiasts. Sadly the game suffers from a few shortcomings that make the game less enjoyable than it should. From checking out the steam page, I found out the developers listen to feedback and try to upgrade their game accordingly. Maybe some things will get patched up in later revisions of the game. For now, I’m left in the cold.
