Train Sim World 3 Review

It was a little over a month ago that the unexpected announcement of Train Sim World 3 was unveiled. In a move almost unheard of nowadays in the gaming industry, the time between the announcement and full game release was surprisingly short. With Train Sim World 2 still receiving downloadable content as recently as two months ago, is this newest iteration worth the upgrade to first class seats, or is it a derailed disaster? Let’s find out!

Although I’m guilty of playing many simulator games, from the dopamine-inducing PowerWash Simulator, to living out my fantasy of owning my own property in House Flipper, I’ve never actually spent too much time in a Train Sim World game before. Thankfully I’ve spent numerous hours playing the series’ latest iteration — Train Sim World 3 — and despite some issues and bugs here and there, this is an incredibly detailed simulator title that is sure to please both fans and newcomers alike.

With this being a simulation game all about — you guessed it! — trains, the level of detail on each locomotive is impressive. The way each interior is modelled accurately from its real-life counterpart, down to every last button and air vent, is brilliant; there was something very relaxing about just hopping into a free roam route and exploring the train. Whilst the environments don’t have quite the same level of detail, there are a lot of impressive vistas that had me staring out of the side window instead of watching my speed (and oftentimes flying past a red light or station). Smaller details, such as dynamic weather and a new lighting system are a nice touch; coming out of a tunnel at 160 miles per hour and, once the camera has adjusted to the sudden burst of light, seeing rain clouds quickly forming overheard was something that genuinely impressed me. I ran into a few hiccups now and again, with slight pauses and stutters, but overall it was a smooth experience.

The sound design of the locomotives are also just as true to life as their in-game models, and train aficionados will be able to tell exactly what they’re driving by sound alone. Again, small details such as the roar of the engine getting louder if you open a window, or the echoing of the wheels grinding to a halt in a tunnel are just more evidence that this truly is a simulator made by a developer who has a passion for trains.

To start with, after a very lengthy initial loading screen, I jumped into the brand new training centre, which teaches players the fundamental systems for every train available (as well as any you’ve purchased as DLC). This was a great way to learn the basics, and it was nice to see it incorporated into the game in such a way that I could easily jump back onto the test tracks when I wanted to learn how to operate a different loco. Considering that each engine’s cockpit looks and plays differently (with variations of just how different they are depending on the type of train) it’s a feature you’ll be jumping in and out of a lot as you sample the different ones available.

Outside of the training centre, Train Sim World 3 offers three routes in the standard edition: the Southeastern High Speed for the UK, the absolutely gigantic Schnellfahrstrecke: Kassel - Würzburg for Germany, and the freight-focused Cajon Pass for the USA. Each one differs from the last, from the slow burning desert trek with a behemoth of a train in the USA, to the lightning-fast speed of travelling through the German countryside, and that’s before you factor in any additional routes you may already own from previous titles — as every route and loco from previous games are transferable to Train Sim World 3.

It feels like a genuine train journey as you travel across the variety of routes, whether you decide to just go from station to station following the lifelike timetables, or take on the scenarios, a series of mission-like challenges which can range anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour and a half! I would have liked the option to restart from a previous station, or the ability to save mid-scenarios (if you even slightly go over a red stop light, then it’s an instant fail) just due to the fact that the longer routes will need to be finished in one sitting.

It’s certainly a niche title, and I wouldn’t blame someone for passing this off as uninteresting at first glance. However, if you take the time to learn some of the relatively complex mechanics, this is arguably one of the most in-depth and engrossing simulator games to date, and certainly Dovetail’s best title so far.