Train Sim World 5 Review

All aboard! It’s time to get your ticket and ride the rails, because Train Sim World is back with the fifth entry in the now seemingly yearly franchise. With new gameplay elements, improved visuals, and some brand-new routes, is Train Sim World 5 right on schedule? Or is it more of a catastrophic derailment? Let’s get right on track!

The Train Sim World series is one I’ve spent many hours playing (and a good chunk of cash on several DLCs) and will often return to if I just want to unwind with a relatively stress-free game. I don’t go trainspotting in my spare time or anything like that, but I genuinely enjoy being able to sit back on my sofa, put on some headphones, and take a trip along the rails without fear of a train cancellation or irritating passengers. But I can do this on Train Sim World 4, so did we really need a fifth iteration so soon after the previous entry?

Let’s start with which routes are available with the game then. The standard edition comes with three locations: Frankfurt - Fulda: Kinzigtalbahn, San Bernardino Line: Los Angeles - San Bernardino, and West Coast Main Line: London Euston - Milton Keynes. It’s the usual Germany, America, and United Kingdom line-up that we see included with the base game, and though I always appreciate being able to travel across routes I’ve personally ridden, it may be time for the series to think about expanding into other countries a bit more. Having said that, this is a strong selection of routes that are full of detailed environments, and perhaps are my personal favourites when compared to the ones included in the previous TSW games.

Journeying through any of these three shows just how far the franchise has come in terms of graphical power. Impressive lighting, weather effects, and improved rendering are all things I noticed to be a slight upgrade over TSW4. Watching the sun slowly set or grey clouds gather before unleashing a torrent of rain not only looks lovely, but also gives you a sense of progressing along the longer routes as the environments change. Like I said, it’s only a slight upgrade, but a pleasant one nonetheless, and I’ll never not be impressed by the incredibly detailed locomotives; the interior of the Class 50, a train I’m very familiar with, looks just as mundane as it does in real life. Right down to the shabby, faded seat cushions!

It’s not an entirely smooth ride though, with severe slowdown and frame drops cropping up as well as some issues with signal lights being stuck on red indefinitely, which can be incredibly frustrating when you’re 50 minutes into a route! These are issues that I’ve found in past games, so I’m not hopeful they’ll be fixed entirely, which is a bit disappointing.

It’s worth noting that if this is your first foray into the virtual train world, the game is very beginner-friendly and has a plethora of tutorials and helpful hints to keep you from becoming overwhelmed. It’s always worth jumping into the Training Centre whenever you’re driving a new loco for the first time, as they all function very differently. Don’t expect to be able to set off without issue in a sleek, electric-powered European locomotive after having just spent a few hours driving a hulking, diesel-powered behemoth in America!

For veteran players, everything featured in TSW4 (such as the Creators Club and being able to use previous games’ downloadable content) makes a return, alongside some nice new additions! First and foremost is the Conductor Mode, which allows you to take a step back from driving and take on the role of a conductor. The availability of this mode is quite lacking, as only specific trains on certain routes are available, but this will no doubt be remedied with the slew of DLC in the future. Checking tickets and opening the doors at stations is a pleasant alternative to sitting in the driver's seat, although I wish there was the inclusion of removing drunken passengers on their way to Birmingham for that extra level of authenticity.

There’s also the new “Route Hopping” mechanic, which lets you jump between certain routes that share a common location. This allows players with lots of downloadable content to be able to quickly hop into another route, rather than backing out to the main menu to continue their journey. For example, owning the Cajon Pass route allows you to switch from that to the San Bernardino line from a marker at the San Bernardino Depot Station featured in both routes.

If you’re a newcomer to the series and want to see what all the fuss is about, then Train Sim World 5 is the perfect starting point. Even without any previously purchased DLC, the sheer amount of timetables and scenarios included with the three routes will last you for a long time. Previous TSW4 players may not see that much of a difference with the new features and may see this as an unnecessary new entry, but the great new routes alone should make this a purchase worth considering.