Train Simulator 2014

Do you have a passion for rail-based transportation? Does the mere thought of getting behind the controls of a hulking metallic beast send shivers down your spine? Then the popular Train Simulator 2014 may be for you. As it stands, the game itself is well made but I must warn potential buyers that TS14 plays more like an expansion to the earlier Train Simulator 2013 rather than a fully-fledged sequel. Nonetheless, it still gives you a accurate idea of what it is like to be your own train conductor and see if you have what it takes (unlike those amateurs in Spain and Chicago).

The Features

While there have only been a few changes between Train Simulator 2013 and 2014 but one of the biggest, which happens to be a negative, is the complete exclusion of steam powered locomotives, sending a clear signal to the world of train enthusiasts that old school trains are no longer in vogue. On the upside, there are some new locomotives (non-steam powered of course) and some new routes to keep those who burned through 2013's routes interested. From scenic routes through Germany and Europe to the hallowed grounds of the Sierra Nevada's Donner Pass, there are quite a few new bits of eye candy, but I can't help but be disappointed that there is no cannibalism mini-game on the Donner Pass route. Maybe that's RailWorks' next project,Trains...With Zombies!

As was the case with previous Train Simulator's, the graphics and physics are above average, but there are moments where you think that the developer could have spend a little more time in beta and that perhaps this sequel was rushed through to publication.

Final Verdict

Pros

-Great new routes

-New locomotives

-Still one of the best simulators around

Cons

-No steam engines

-Not enough new content to justify sequel designation

-Glitchy physics

-Braindead AI

In conclusion, Train Simulator 2014 hopes to meet the needs of the most diehard armchair conductor, but in the process it forgot to streamline the experience and has left the game somewhat clunky. While 2013 was fantastic, I had bigger expectations for the sequel and would have been more receptive to the game if it had been labeled as an expansion or released as a downloadable content pack. In any case, if you loved TS2013, you should at least give 2014 a shot.