Publisher: Rail Simulation
Developer: Rail Simulation
System requirements: XP/Vista/Windows7, Intel Pentium 4/AMD Athlon 2.0 GHz, 2 GB ram, 256MB DirectX 9.0c video card with Shader 3.0, 6 GB Hard-drive space.
Genre: Simulator
ESRB Rating: E
Release Date: Available now
Reviewed by: Ian Davis

I’ve heard it said that all girls go through a “horse phase” at some point. Likewise, most boys have, at some point, experienced the intoxicating thrill that iron horses bring. If you haven’t grown out of this state, then you’re not alone: neither have the talented developers at Rail Simulation, makers of the popular RailWorks series. They’ve poured their love of everything on two rails into Train Simulator 2012, and it shows in every billow of steam.

If you’re new to the rail scene, rest assured you’ll be getting the best train sim on the market. If you’ve been an armchair conductor in Rail Simulation’s previous RailWorks sims, then you’re getting TS 2012 as a free upgrade (and don’t worry, your DLC is coming too!). Train Simulator 2012 runs on an entirely new engine, and comes with lots of new graphical effects. Depth of view, rain drops on windshields, and an increased draw distance make your steel behemoths that much more welcoming. Train Simulator 2012 comes with eight routes and 15 locomotives, several of them new. It’s everything in RailWorks, plus more.

Don’t let lack of experience drive you away from seeing if the conducting life is for you. TS 2012’s smooth UI and clear HUD make driving a pleasure. Beginners can use a simplified control scheme that lets them easily grasp the concepts of driving and navigating, while experts can revel in twiddling every knob and lever with advanced controls. Every function is accessible by keyboard shortcuts, buttons on the floating HUD, and by manually yanking things in the 3D cockpit. Tutorials are available that walk you through every step.

Train Simulator 2012 excels at keeping you busy with activities and challenges, some more relaxing than others. After mastering your massive beast of burden, you can move onto scenario and career missions. Scenarios present you a series of tasks to perform, such as taking passengers from platform to platform or delivering loads of coal. As long as you complete the tasks, the game’s happy with you. If you want a true challenge (and an opportunity to develop an anxiety disorder), the career mode awaits you. Here, all your actions are judged, from your timeliness to your fuel efficiency. If you just can’t take the pressure, there’s also a Free Roam mode. Train Simulator 2012 is a Montessori program, offering you as much or as little structure as you want.

Simulators aren’t known for their flashy graphics, but Train Simulator 2012 knows that it gets boring out there without a beautiful landscape. While it’s not Crysis, there’s no denying its beauty. The engines steal the show, showing every smudge and scratch on their detailed textures, yet the system requirements aren’t burdensome. The occasional tarted-up sprite masquerades as a distant tree, but it does little to break the spell of immersion. The sway of the cabin, the click and clack of the tracks, and the chug of the engine all soothe you into a different world.

If nothing steams your boiler like an afternoon chugging through the Allegheny Mountains, then Train Simulator 2012 is the best you can buy. Even those who are starting for the first time need not fear the intimidation that the word “simulation” often entails. Train Simulator 2012 welcomes you with open arms! If you get hooked and find that what you have just isn’t enough, Rail Simulation has an impressive catalog of DLC. Don’t forget your pinstriped hat!

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