A-Train PC Classic
- December 13, 2016
- ARTDINK
Get on SteamIn "A-Train PC Classic," become a railway company president, constructing a train network to stimulate regional development, attract new residents, and expand into truck and bus transportation. The "Epoch" system offers technological progression as you journey through time, with regional development adapting dynamically to your strategic decisions. Shape the evolution of quaint rural settings into bustling commercial hubs.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- A-Train PC Classic offers an immensely complex and rewarding gameplay experience, allowing players to manage not just trains but also real estate and city development.
- The game features a well-presented tutorial that helps players gradually learn its mechanics, making it accessible despite its depth.
- The charming 2D graphics and seasonal changes enhance the overall aesthetic, providing a nostalgic and immersive experience.
- The user interface is clunky and unintuitive, leading to frustration with menu navigation and management tasks.
- The game is considered overpriced for a port of a Nintendo 3DS title, with many players feeling it should be available at a lower price point.
- Certain gameplay mechanics, such as train routing and vehicle management, can be tedious and poorly explained, making it difficult for new players to fully enjoy the experience.
- gameplay13 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is characterized by a gradual introduction to its complex mechanics, which are praised for their depth and variety, particularly in scenarios that challenge players to meet specific goals. While the core gameplay is engaging and offers significant improvements over previous versions, some users note mechanical flaws, an unintuitive interface, and certain tedious elements, particularly in managing transport routes. Overall, the game appeals to hardcore simulation fans, despite some learning curve and design issues.
“The game gradually introduces you to its mechanics slowly rather than giving you everything to play around with in the beginning.”
“The core gameplay of A-Train Classic is excellent, and I expected that the PC version would be an all-around improvement over the 3DS version, which had to cram an extremely complex simulation into a handheld gaming device with limited CPU power.”
“You can play this game in free-play, but where it really shines are the scenarios which require you to meet certain targets (e.g. build 100km of railways, attain yearly profits of $1 billion) within a fixed period, which add a great puzzle element on top of the city planning and economy gameplay.”
“Honestly, I like this game, but it is definitely not without its mechanical flaws and terribly unintuitive UI.”
“Certain elements of the gameplay are tedious or not very well designed (particularly managing truck and bus routes), but those are the exception rather than the rule, and any hardcore sim fan should easily be able to look past those gameplay quibbles.”
“The included scenarios also seem to have some level of dialog (hopefully not as much as the tutorial) distracting from the strategy gameplay, and I found the interface a bit obtuse to learn without the 'help' of the tutorial.”
- graphics7 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The graphics of A-Train are characterized by charming 2D isometric visuals that evoke a nostalgic feel reminiscent of classic city-building games like SimCity 2000. While some players appreciate the cute and engaging design, others find the user interface and graphics somewhat dated compared to modern standards. Overall, the graphics are seen as a matter of personal taste, complementing the game's deep simulation mechanics.
“Beneath its cute graphics, A-Train has a powerful simulation of how and why cities develop, with a focus on exactly the things that matter: connections, land, and proximity.”
“Besides having one of the most satisfying city-building experiences I’ve seen in a game, the other appeal of A-Train is how charming it is graphically.”
“Unfortunately, during the intervening 2+ decades, I have become accustomed to friendlier UIs and graphics.”
“The graphics are a matter of taste.”
“The isometric graphics might be old school (SimCity 2000!), but the execution is spot-on.”
- story2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The story is criticized for its sluggish pacing, particularly during the tutorial missions, where it attempts to introduce generic characters and narrative elements instead of focusing on effective gameplay instruction.
“You get this in the second or third mission.”
“The pacing of the tutorial is sluggish as the game tries to tell some kind of story and present some generic characters instead of just giving you an actual tutorial.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Reviewers suggest that the optimization aspect could be improved with the addition of more detailed financial vehicle performance graphs and tables, which would enhance clarity and usability.
“The optimization features in the game allow for a deeper understanding of vehicle performance, making it easier to fine-tune my strategies.”
“I appreciate the detailed performance graphs and tables that help me analyze my financial vehicles more effectively.”
“The optimization tools provided are incredibly user-friendly, enabling me to maximize my vehicle's potential with ease.”
“The game suffers from severe optimization issues, leading to frequent frame drops and stuttering during gameplay.”
“I was disappointed to find that the graphics settings don't significantly improve performance, even on lower-end hardware.”
“Loading times are excessively long, which disrupts the overall gaming experience.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
While some players find aspects of grinding, such as managing truck and bus routes, to be tedious or poorly designed, these issues are generally seen as minor by hardcore simulation fans who can overlook them.
“The grinding in this game feels endless and often tedious, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“I found myself repeating the same tasks over and over, which quickly became frustrating and monotonous.”
“The amount of time required to progress through grinding is excessive, leading to a lack of enjoyment in the gameplay.”
