Kalypso brings the top-rated railway management strategy game to the Nintendo Switch.

Railway Empire is certainly not the first game of its type, but it is the most recent addition to a genre that goes all the way back to 1990 with Sid Meier’s Railroad Tycoon.

Whilst there are plenty of other transport simulations out there, Railway Empirejust focuses on the construction and management of railway lines.Players must transport materials and people between cities to allow them to prosper.

Whether playing the campaign, with its set tasks and budget, or the freeplay mode, the game maps are configured essentially the same. Cities are dotted across the map separated by plains, mountains, hills and rivers. In between the cities are farms and resources.

Players must first connect the cities and farms by a railway line, as required. To do this, stations must be built at each location to be connected. The track route is planned, linking the stations, and when the player is happy, the track is built. As well as the track, the player should also construct a supply tower, a maintenance shed and, if running more than one train on a single track, sidings and signalling to ensure that they can pass.

Once the physical track is in place a train can be purchased and a line, specifying the stations that the train with stop at, can be put in place. Players familiar with other transport management games with immediately recognise this game mechanic.

Trains will always travel along the most direct route. To ensure the most efficient use of the rail network, signalling needs to be used, as I mention above. This is potentially the most complex part of the game. Signals can be used to specify track directions, the use of sidings and hold points. These along with dual tracks and multi-platform stations allows players to create incredible rail networks.

Each city has a different desire for raw materials based on its industries. Connecting the right materials with the right industries is very important. The early campaign hands players hands, directing the right goods to the right cities. Later on, and in freeplay, players must sort this out for themselves.

As the coffers increase, better stations, warehouses and new industries can also be constructed in cities. In the campaign players can buy farms and mines making it more important to connect these to the appropriate industries.

The point earnt each month can be spent on research to upgrade trains and facilities, as well as unlock other opportunities. Technologies can only be unlocked once past the date they came into existence.

The Nintendo Switch leaves nothing out, allowing players to build complex railway networks that include signalling, track design and financing considerations. The upside is a management situation as detailed and involved as its PC counterpart. The downside it that the developers have had to compromise the way the user interface works and the general controls.

Even on PC, using a mouse, Railway Empire is a bit fiddly. The Switch’s limited controls work, but require a bit more patience. But there is a chance that I’m a bit biased having used the PC controls.

To port such a complex game to the Switch, there are also some graphical compromises. The game looks fine on the Switch’s screen, but pretty awful on the TV. But it’s not a game whereby top end visuals are required to immerse players into the experience.

With simulation of this scope, much of the processing power is utilised “under the hood” as it were, working on all the routes and scheduling. The power of the Switch is better utilised in bringing this uncompromised, complex management simulation to a portable platform than be wasted on fancy eye candy.

Railway Empire is a two-year-old game. It would have been good to have seen the DLC included with the Switch as some sort of complete edition as opposed to being available separate purchases.

Train enthusiasts and fans of management simulations should have a lot of fun with Railway Empire on the Switch. It’s an engrossing, deep simulation experience that retains the mechanics of the PC original. The controls do take some getting used to and the visuals are a bit lacking, however, it’s a still a great game.

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Kalypso Media is excited to release the new ‘How to Play’ trailer (above) for upcoming tycoon simulation game Railway Empire, which is currently planned to launch in Q1 2018. In Railway Empire, you get the opportunity to go on a 100-year journey starting in 1830, with an entire nation’s terrain yours for the taking! Check out the insightful new trailer to get some hot tips on how to win the race to become the most dominant and powerful rail empire in North America.

In just a few minutes, the new trailer will give you a brief but detailed overview of Railway Empire, showing concepts like planning routes, hiring staff, researching over 300 new technologies and choosing between over 40 historically detailed trains. These first steps will get you on the way to taking on your competition, who you may eventually have to sabotage with a raid or some good old-fashioned industrial espionage. Lead an epic empire into the 20th Century and show your rivals who the real railway tycoon is!

United States, 1830: ‘The New World’ is in its ascendancy. Industry is booming, and the race is on to establish the most dominant and powerful rail empire in all of North America. It’s time to outthink and outmanoeuvre your competitors as you lead your company into the 20th century!

In Railway Empire, you will create an elaborate and wide-ranging rail network, purchase over 40 different trains modeled in extraordinary detail, and buy or build railway stations, maintenance buildings, factories and tourist attractions to keep your travel network ahead of the competition. You’ll also need to hire and manage your workforce if you want to ensure an efficient train service, whilst also develop over 300 technologies ranging from mechanical improvements to the trains themselves to workplace infrastructures and advanced amenities as you progress through five eras of technological innovations.

However, you can’t just build and research your way to the top – the competition never sleeps, and to keep your business on track you’ll have to survive against up to three rival enterprises; fighting with steam, fire and steel.  To get to the top you may have to resort to more cutthroat tactics as you attack and sabotage your opponents through raids and industrial espionage.

Railway Empire will release on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC.

The post BECOME THE ULTIMATE RAIL TYCOON! appeared first on Shane the Gamer.