Publisher: N3V Publishing
Developer: Auran Games
System requirements: Windows XP SP2 or Vista SP1, 2.2 ghz Intel Pentium IV or Athlon XP CPU, 64 mb graphics card supporting DirectX 9.0, 1 gb RAM, 2.55 gb hard-drive space, DirectX 9-compatible sound card, DVD-ROM drive, Internet connection
Genre: Simulation
Release date: Available Now

At some point in our lives we’ve all been to a function or a store that had a model train set on display. The insane amount of detail that goes into such a labor of love is always a mesmerizing sight, and even though we were essentially watching a toy circle the track over and over again, we still watched, completely enthralled, and perhaps even considered the thought of building our own H.O. scale haven at home. Yet, not all of us have the real estate to allow for a 200-square-foot re-creation of Gary, Ind. That’s where Trainz Simulator 2009 comes in.

Trainz 2009 offers sim fans, railroad buffs and hobbyists the sweet possibility of engine overload. There are three modes for players to try. Driver allows you to drive near-perfect representations of real-life steam, diesel and electric engines in a variety of scenarios. Railyard serves as a virtual display case for the engines and their respective cars and cabooses. Surveyor is an easy-to-use map editor that’s perhaps my favorite part of the lot.

In Surveyor mode, you can create your own train display. Edit the topography, paint it with texture brushes, then lay track and place elements such as buildings, cars and trees to your heart’s content. It’s not just a piddily little collection of models, either; thousands of items are at your disposal, and some even have variations that reflect the changing seasons. If that’s still not enough, Trainz has one of the more robust content communities I’ve seen in awhile. The download station gives you access to texture sets, new engines, cars and elements, and you can apply the upgrades without leaving the front end of the game. If you’re more creative, you can always use a modeling program such as 3d Studio Max to import your own ideas for others to grab.

Yet despite all of this content and community, the visuals suffer, primarily in the areas of environment and animation. Aside from the impressive modeling of the engines, the world textures and geometry look basic in a 2003 sort of way, and apart from a few cars cruising around, the game lacks ambience. The content community offers high-res textures and improved models, but the base game that I received leaves much to be desired in the visual department. But the audio in Trainz earns my praise; the sound effects are accurate down to the whistle, proximity is enabled (which adds immersion) and the effects come through brilliantly, even on my meager setup.

Another plus, and I’m not exactly sure if this was planned by developer Auran, is a particularly cool effect that pops up if you’re playing in windowed mode. If there’s a lightning storm on your route, your desktop icons and taskbar flash with each strike. It caught me off guard at first and had me thinking it was my video card’s death rattle, but when I noticed the synchronization with the on-screen weather I waited patiently to see it again. Not anything big, but something I’ve never seen before.

And Trainz Simulator 2009 is like nothing I’ve ever played before. Who knew that driving along a predetermined path could be so much fun? It’s not the belle of the ball, but it’s a solid entry into the sim category. Fans of the series should be able to pick it up and go, while novice conductors will feel welcome as long as they can get the engine out of the roundhouse.

Our Score:
Our Recommendation: