Railroad Tycoon II

 PC
User Score
8.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 101 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 90 out of 101
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 101
  3. Negative: 7 out of 101
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  1. FidelGastro
    May 16, 2020
    9
    One of my most favourite strategic/economy games. For 1998 strategic game it has really good graphics. 8/10
  2. gracjanski
    Jul 26, 2019
    10
    Perfect business simulation with a great campaign, where you play the history of train business. Gameplay is great and complex. I like the financial part a lot and how to manipulate the stock market and how to focus on which part of the business to get the goal.
    Music is fitting very well.
  3. Victor62
    Aug 14, 2014
    10
    Classic game from the twilight of PC strategy gaming in the 90's. The game is only complicated if you don't select difficulty options or don't play the early scenarios first.

    People comparing this game to modern games, simply don't get it and are ignoring the fun and interesting type of game that is ignored by the short attention span theater goers. Have fun and play something that    Classic game from the twilight of PC strategy gaming in the 90's. The game is only complicated if you don't select difficulty options or don't play the early scenarios first.

    People comparing this game to modern games, simply don't get it and are ignoring the fun and interesting type of game that is ignored by the short attention span theater goers.

    Have fun and play something that can give you something to think about.    … Expand
  4. MadMaX1964
    Dec 2, 2013
    9
    I spent a lot of time on RT2 and despite old graphics, it's better that RT3.
    That's because RT2 is more challenging than RT3.
    But still could me more demanding :D
  5. Jawapaw
    Oct 22, 2013
    0
    This isn't the worst game I have ever played but it's on that it's on that list. I mean, i see why people gave this a high score and i get it, nostalgia. That's what it is, nostalgia. I for one am rating this based on the game itself. It's not what i'd consider a "good" game. It has pretty good graphics (for it's time) but that's about it.

    First of all, the controls, interface, and    This isn't the worst game I have ever played but it's on that it's on that list. I mean, i see why people gave this a high score and i get it, nostalgia. That's what it is, nostalgia. I for one am rating this based on the game itself. It's not what i'd consider a "good" game. It has pretty good graphics (for it's time) but that's about it.

    First of all, the controls, interface, and graphics style is extremely confusing. I can't even get through an entire game without getting a headache.

    Second, the narrator.
    This guy is so annoying that he will make you want to tear your ears off of your head,
    no kidding.

    Third, HORRIBLE menu screen
    The menu screen is absolutely horrible. It makes you want to throw up on your PC monitor. Everything is disorganized and will make you scratch your head thinking, "Why Did I Buy This Game?".

    This game is not horrible (for graphics and nostalgia reasons) but it is pretty bad. It's not one of those games you just go and pick up on steam, it's one of those games you should have bought in 1998 when it first came out.    … Expand
  6. ffant1
    Apr 17, 2013
    9
    If you are a student of logistics you will either really love or hate this game. For me the game is addictive. I'm almost fifty and enjoy a simple game that on the outside looks simple but is complex. This is a game where no-one is shot or killed. This simple game requires one to think about what they are doing and several (several) steps ahead. I like this game.
  7. femmefatal
    Jul 11, 2011
    9
    Well, it's not a 10 and a little better than an 8 but it's definitely NOT BETTER than the origional. The ai is paultry to the ai of the origional game in which I lost and have never lost a game of this. But, the game is colorful and I give it credit for EYE CANDY (boy am I sick of games getting good ratings because of eye candy RTW are you listening?) What makes this game too easy is thatWell, it's not a 10 and a little better than an 8 but it's definitely NOT BETTER than the origional. The ai is paultry to the ai of the origional game in which I lost and have never lost a game of this. But, the game is colorful and I give it credit for EYE CANDY (boy am I sick of games getting good ratings because of eye candy RTW are you listening?) What makes this game too easy is that the ai just ignores the businesses and I can pick them up for a song easily and plow right ahead into the lead and never look back. It also doesn't build far and wide like the origional either. It basically is just there to "block" you if it can otherwise it has no strategy about it at all.
    Nothing to me will ever match the origional Sid Meier's Railroad Tycoon game. I still play it to this day more than these other eye candy games. I love the "cutthroat" competition and the fluxuating unpredictable economy and the music. ;)    … Expand
  8. okamimiyazaki
    Jun 29, 2011
    9
    Good strategy game. Fun and challenging even if you don't like trains. Even if you don't like trains it's fun. Trainssssssssssssss..................trains.....
  9. JohnS
    Jun 9, 2009
    10
    A wonderfully thorough strategy sim with good enough graphics, and addictive gameplay. I come back to it years later for an occasional scenario.
  10. SebastienL.
    Mar 27, 2009
    10
    This game was made some time ago, nonetheless considering everything with newer games, this is really a fun game, especially more so playing on the expert setting for a more realistic game play. Graphics are still very good and everybody enjoying management kind of game will have a blast playing this. It is more than a game about train though unless you like train, maybe something else This game was made some time ago, nonetheless considering everything with newer games, this is really a fun game, especially more so playing on the expert setting for a more realistic game play. Graphics are still very good and everybody enjoying management kind of game will have a blast playing this. It is more than a game about train though unless you like train, maybe something else would be better.… Expand
  11. DanielS.
    Dec 29, 2007
    9
    An altogether delightful refinement of all the wonderful concepts that made the original RRT such an addictive hit. Scenarios are sufficiently challenging to test the mettle of experienced players while being available to newer tycoon wannabees.
  12. TomV.
    Sep 12, 2007
    8
    Quite a lot of fun to while away an afternoon with on a scenario. The campaign is good, but can get a bit repetative- basically building a railway from here to there, inevitably across all kinds of harsh terrain.
  13. JohnS.
    Jun 11, 2007
    0
    This game is rubbish. Extremely boring, ugly interface. I don't recommend it, unless you really REALLY love trains.
  14. AndrewE.
    Oct 18, 2005
    10
    I thought this game is brilliant i completed it within a week. i ran my trails through europe.

Awards & Rankings

5
#5 Best PC Game of 1998
7
#7 Most Discussed PC Game of 1998
10
#10 Most Shared PC Game of 1998

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
89

Generally favorable reviews - based on 11 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 11
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 11
  3. Negative: 0 out of 11
  1. Game Over Online
    85
    This game requires an extensive amount of time to understand as its realism is unsurpassed by any other strategy game in the same genre.
    Read full review
  2. GameSpot
    91
    Playing Railroad Tycoon II is an emotional experience bringing back memories of Lionel trains and Christmas mornings long past and staring at Lionel catalogs and dreaming.
    Read full review
  3. PC Gameworld
    97
    One of the few instances where the sequel outperforms the original. If you are even remotely interested in strategy games, you owe it to yourself to give this one a stab.
    Read full review
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