Train Fever

 PC
User Score
6.9

Mixed or average reviews- based on 93 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 56 out of 93
  2. Mixed: 18 out of 93
  3. Negative: 19 out of 93

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  1. AlexanderN
    Dec 24, 2014
    9
    Even though this game still has some drawbacks, at the end the user gets a very nice transportation simulation!

    It should be noted, that as of December 2014 the Developers still work on this game and release patches periodically. There is even a free DLC planned for early 2015. Due to the constant work of the devs, while listening to consumer feedback, many of the stated bugs and    Even though this game still has some drawbacks, at the end the user gets a very nice transportation simulation!

    It should be noted, that as of December 2014 the Developers still work on this game and release patches periodically. There is even a free DLC planned for early 2015.
    Due to the constant work of the devs, while listening to consumer feedback, many of the stated bugs and drawbacks written in the older reviews are fixed by now!

    Negative points:
    - for beginners, building tracks may seem complicated - actually, the building tool is quite powerful but it misses an 'undo' or 'planing' function
    - as every single person on the map is completely simulated, performance gets an issue especially in the late game
    - without a tutorial, rhe simulation specifications are unknown to new players - they have to inform themselves in one of the thriving communities, maybe a tutorial or at least a help in finding external tutorials would be a good idea

    Positive points:
    + nice graphics, realistic vehicles!
    + modding support, I suggest everyone to have a look at the mods available for this game as they introduce loads of new vehicles, buildings, decorations, ... Even total conversions, industry conversions, and other advanced stuff is available!
    + periodic updates after release, direct contact to developers possible
    + long time fun as playing through the different epochs of transportation always offers new challenges, even without a campaign

    Of course it should be noted. That this game serves a very specific target group. If you have fun building a transportation empire or just love model railways, Train Fever is right for you.
    Although it is perfectly possible to mod the game in a way that money is not an issue in the game, I do not recommend TF for casual gamers, as they have to invest a bit of time to understand the simulation concepts of the game.

    When taking the target group into account I can give 9/10 points with clean conscience.    … Expand
  2. avnerse3
    Nov 2, 2014
    9
    An underrated gem of a game - one of the very few sims to have a real sandbox engine with little in the bells and whistles department and a lot in the game engine department.
    This game just works really well and gives a solid simulation of real world mechanics giving a gamer one hell of a challenge (especially late in the game) along the way.
    This game can be hard to play well - and    An underrated gem of a game - one of the very few sims to have a real sandbox engine with little in the bells and whistles department and a lot in the game engine department.
    This game just works really well and gives a solid simulation of real world mechanics giving a gamer one hell of a challenge (especially late in the game) along the way.

    This game can be hard to play well - and yest there are some minor bugs and annoyances in the initial release - the good news is that in spite of those issues - if you like this sort of game - TF is well worth your time and money.

    The game engine does a great job of simulating the running of trains but more importantly it does a great job of simulating the underling economics - to be really successful you have to combine your design, engineering and line connecting skills with the critical look of an investor or a bank loan manager.
    That's also where the real challenge comes from - making the lines not just run well but also be profitable.
    If you like answering question like where should a rail line go, how many trains should run on it and of which type - you should have lots of fun.

    Some reviewers here have really given this game far too little credit - probably because of some the annoyances - it's true tjat the line upgrading process is cumbersome for example - but if you do it right it becomes part of the challenge and the fun - how do I build lines with depots so that easy replacement can be achieved?
    Ultimately you need to break through the initial challenge and learning curve - especially if you have become accustomed to big money UI/UX driven games of the last few years - this game is more about the core engine driving the economy than about user interface (the latest simcity for example - while not as bad as some make it - falls under this category - too much bling not enough solid mechanics, I suspect the new Civ does too).
    Bottom line: If you like train and/or economy sims and enjoy a decent challenge - this is a true gem - a throwback to the old days of PC gaming when figuring out any game was a real learning experience and actually involved a good chunk of the fun.    … Expand
  3. Snag
    Oct 12, 2014
    10
    It is not a typical TTD clone, so many hardcore TTD fans would be disappointed.

    In many ways, the game goes further than TTD, especially in realism. It is hard to lay a new track, but that's it! In real life you too have to predict and plan when you want to build a new railroad track. Here it is similar, when you underestimate it, it wil be very costly, or it will end with LOAD button    It is not a typical TTD clone, so many hardcore TTD fans would be disappointed.

    In many ways, the game goes further than TTD, especially in realism. It is hard to lay a new track, but that's it! In real life you too have to predict and plan when you want to build a new railroad track. Here it is similar, when you underestimate it, it wil be very costly, or it will end with LOAD button :-) But after few hours you will become skilled in track building and every new track will make you proud of it when the first train/bus/tram appears on it.

    The graphics is detailed, the cities seems like living and sometimes you stop building/managing and you can only stare at everything moving, working, living. Only the terrain outside cities could be more detailed, more trees, different scenery etc, but i believe that will come later from the creators or community.

    There is great modding community, so you can have a new high detailed train/bus/tram/building model every few hours if you want, the adding of the content is very easy using the community made Mode manager.

    I you like complexity, challenge and trains, the game is for you!    … Expand
  4. Illanair
    Sep 5, 2014
    8
    What's this? A game that can actually claim to be a worthy successor to the Transport Tycoon subgenre of tycoon games? Why yes!

    While the game is definitely a bit rough around the edges (as of release date) and the transport mechanics are a bit of an initial uphill struggle, it's definitely worth the sweat and tears. Once you grasp the basics a very robust sandbox "Transport building"    What's this? A game that can actually claim to be a worthy successor to the Transport Tycoon subgenre of tycoon games? Why yes!

    While the game is definitely a bit rough around the edges (as of release date) and the transport mechanics are a bit of an initial uphill struggle, it's definitely worth the sweat and tears. Once you grasp the basics a very robust sandbox "Transport building" game awaits you at the peak.

    Living and breathing cities that change as the years go by not only in size but also in style and complexity - Lots of challenges along the way to supply the ever increasing demand for goods and commuters force you rethink old strategies and adapt to the turn of the century. From simple horse carriages and early steam engines to modern Electric trams and trains, you'll be spending far too many hours playing this - if you give it a chance and live with the few annoyances it current has.    … Expand
  5. tickterd
    Sep 5, 2014
    8
    This is a great transportation game, the best one I've played. It's still being developed and it has so much potential. If you're a fan of games like the Railroad Tycoon series and Locomotion (I’d call this game a 3D sequel to Locomotion) this game is a no brainer - buy it. If you're not, then perhaps this isn't your cup of tea.

    The game has flaws, but then again it has trains. If    This is a great transportation game, the best one I've played. It's still being developed and it has so much potential. If you're a fan of games like the Railroad Tycoon series and Locomotion (I’d call this game a 3D sequel to Locomotion) this game is a no brainer - buy it. If you're not, then perhaps this isn't your cup of tea.

    The game has flaws, but then again it has trains. If you're the not the type who thinks 3D trains more than overcome some annoyances and missing features, then I'd say skip this, or wait and see.

    So, the good: this is a game about building a transportation network for fun and profit. It heavily features trains, but there are road vehicles and trams too. You lay out your stations, tracks, roads (sort of) and routes. Then you purchase train locomotives & rolling stock or road vehicles and assign them to those routes. If you’ve designed well, people and cargo will use your transportation and you get money. It’s a real joy crafting a well designed network of tracks, switches and signals and then watching your steam locos chug along efficiently.

    It’s like playing with model trains, but there’s enough game here to make it more compelling than just a train simulator (I've played a few and found them boring after a few hours).

    The bad: laying down tracks and roads is complicated. When you try to build something the way you want it, the game often cites “collision”. It’s kind of picky as to what it lets you build. To me, it’s entirely forgivable and I look at it as a challenge, but not everyone may agree.

    And there’s no manual. Finding out information at this early stage of the game isn't as easy as you’d like. Again, with experience playing Locomotion, I found the game immediately familiar and I’m sure soon there will be much more concise info on the game from the community.

    Content at launch was a bit sparse – there were no North American trains. Sad face.

    But overall, I’d still recommend buying it if you’re into these sorts of games.    … Expand
  6. rawsl
    Sep 5, 2014
    8
    I think it's a good game.

    You can build passenger and cargo lines (with trains, bus, streetcars, trucks...) and connect the towns and industries to each other, which is fun. Cities grow when they are connected to other cities via your transportation network or get goods delivered. The simulation is very solid. Every inhabitant has a persistent home, work, a recreational area and a    I think it's a good game.

    You can build passenger and cargo lines (with trains, bus, streetcars, trucks...) and connect the towns and industries to each other, which is fun. Cities grow when they are connected to other cities via your transportation network or get goods delivered.

    The simulation is very solid. Every inhabitant has a persistent home, work, a recreational area and a preferred shop where he or she likes to go.

    The optical presentation is nice which makes it very satisfying to watch the networks come to life. The cities are very lovely done, except sometimes the surrounding lands feels a little bit monotonous. There aren't any premade maps, instead they are procedural generated.

    There are some rough edges at the moment (like the UI), but the biggest oversight is that the developers somehow missed to provide a user guide and the tutorial is lacking. It doesn't explain all important things. Some people are simply lost and rely on user generated guides or youtube videos at the moment, which understandably is frustrating for some.    … Expand
  7. Douglas
    Sep 4, 2014
    10
    The game is nicely done. The devs care about details. Of course for a small company there are things missing, but modding is very easy and the community already solved one of the flaws of the game (4 industry chains), you have now 12.

    - Graphics are great. - Gameplay is good. Laying tracks could be better, but as its complex I don't know how it could improve since it allows a lot of    The game is nicely done. The devs care about details. Of course for a small company there are things missing, but modding is very easy and the community already solved one of the flaws of the game (4 industry chains), you have now 12.

    - Graphics are great.
    - Gameplay is good. Laying tracks could be better, but as its complex I don't know how it could improve since it allows a lot of combinations.
    - UI is good to me. Some people complain of being small. There is already a mod with bigger icons. You can mod yourself, as change the UI icons is as simple as replace an image in the folder of the game. Font, music, everything, simple replace it.

    The game give a nice environment and atmosphere of the old Locomotion, TTD and RT2. Its worth it for those who like this kind of game.    … Expand
  8. JaxonHmmnd
    Sep 5, 2014
    8
    A satisfying blend of SidMeier's Railroads and Cities in Motion. The detail in this game is immense and the desire to keep playing is superb. A well priced game £17.99 on Steam and a modest download.
  9. gnurb
    Sep 8, 2014
    9
    At first I had trouble with the game, because the developers only included a very poorly designed tutorial and they forgot the user manual. But I watched some Let's plays, read some guides made by the community and now I am very satisfied. Once one understands how everything is working it offers a deep and engaging experience.

    Good: - modern graphics engine - detailed models - it's    At first I had trouble with the game, because the developers only included a very poorly designed tutorial and they forgot the user manual. But I watched some Let's plays, read some guides made by the community and now I am very satisfied. Once one understands how everything is working it offers a deep and engaging experience.

    Good:
    - modern graphics engine
    - detailed models
    - it's really fun
    - speed of trains is adjusted based on angle of curve, incline/decline and some other factors
    - tracks must follow the same rules as real world train tracks (eg. no steep hills, no sharp turns, 90 degree road crossings)
    - cities grow dynamically (depends on quality of your transportation network)
    - train signals are easy to manage, they work like path signals in openTTD.
    - maps are procedurally generated

    Neutral
    - steep learning curve
    - user interface is ok, but nothing special.

    Bad:
    - poor tutorial
    - no user manual
    - needs better performance optimization
    - at the moment it is not possible to choose on which platform a train will arrive. (as far as I know it will be patched)    … Expand
  10. RiccD
    Sep 5, 2014
    10
    Awesome game and nicely done. Makes fun so far, although I made some mistakes in my first games. Restarted and planned ahead. Will probably spend many hours with train fever. Hoping also for mods and updates though.

    No MP does not bother me personally, but might bother some other potential buyers.

Awards & Rankings

36
#36 Most Shared PC Game of 2014

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
67

Mixed or average reviews - based on 23 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 23
  2. Mixed: 16 out of 23
  3. Negative: 0 out of 23
  1. CGMagazine
    Mar 15, 2015
    60
    In the end, Train Fever has been designed to serve a very, VERY specific need; people that love to tinker with the infrastructure of public transportation.
    Read full review
  2. CD-Action
    Dec 13, 2014
    60
    I appreciate the effort put into this game, but OpenTTD is free and still unbeaten. [Dec 2014, p.73]
  3. PC Gamer
    Nov 10, 2014
    59
    This is not the modern Transport Tycoon I hoped it would be, but it will fill a few hours before your attention inevitably derails. [Holiday 2014, p.66]
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