Gaming Signal: REVIEW: Sid Meier's Railroads! by Firaxis Games

REVIEW: Sid Meier's Railroads! by Firaxis Games

REVIEW SUMMARY: Brilliant production value and outstanding graphics can't overcome what has become lackluster gameplay.
MY RATING:

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: Build a railroad empire during the all ages of rail! Bridge the US or assist in the war effort in Europe, but make sure to build your company into a powerhouse of the iron horse.

MY REVIEW:
PROS: Outstanding graphics, great sound, easy to play, and overall top-notch production value.
CONS: This game seems exactly the same as the original from 1990.
BOTTOM LINE: If you were a fan of Railroad Tycoon 3, I think you'll be dissapointed with this one. The game has been simplified a little too much, and no longer offers much in the way of innovative gameplay.

I was so looking forward to this title because I've been an avid fan of all the previous games. Unfortunately, while the basic gameplay is there, this version offers little more than upgraded graphics. The game is certainly accessible to people who aren't interested in micromanaging the railroad, but I guess I always saw that as part of the charm. In the interest of simplicity, the game automatically builds tressles and tunnels - you just point and click and the game fills in the rail. Perhaps I'm a luddite, but I guess I enjoyed the fun of building the bridge where you want, the tunnel where you want, etc.

I played most of the historical scenarios, but only a couple to completion because I got bored before the end. There are 15 of these missions, and while decent in idea the gameplay made them pretty trivial. The AI opponents are overall quite poor - pretty much just spamming as much track on the landscape as they can.

Again, if you've never played one of these games and are looking for a start, this is a great start. But if you're a longtime fan, I think you're going to be left wanting.

I don't think the game is as bad as you make out - yes it's simpler to play than RRT3 and less but that makes for a more fast-paced game, one where you don't dwell on petty details and instead aim for the bigger picture: the industrial empire you're building around your railoads. But that is a bit different from the past RRT games and so I see your point that the longtime RRT fan isn't going to appreciate it as much.

Posted by GeoffUK on Wednesday November 01, 2006 at 10:37 AM

That's an interesting take Geoff, and one I think is very valid.

However, I found RRT3 to have the exact same empire mechanic - did I miss some key element? In fact, RRT3 had me having to do more there too - managing my debt specifically - than the new game does.

Posted by Scott on Thursday November 02, 2006 at 1:03 PM