American Railroads: Summit River & Pine Valley
- April 20, 2018
- Stefan Kelnberger
- 2h median play time
Get on Steam"American Railroads: Summit River & Pine Valley" is a first-person railroad simulation set in the steam era, focusing on expanding your transportation business. The game features detailed and animated vehicles with interactive controls, realistic physics, and post-processing effects. Players can transport logs along a scenic route, build their own railroad tracks, and steer and maintain locomotives.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game has a lot of potential and offers an immersive experience with realistic steam locomotive mechanics.
- The graphics and sound design are praised for their quality, enhancing the overall gameplay experience.
- The community around the game is supportive and helpful, providing a positive environment for new players.
- The game has been abandoned by the developers, leading to a lack of updates and unresolved bugs, making it feel incomplete.
- Many players report severe control issues and bugs that render the game unplayable, including problems with camera movement and interactions.
- The game is criticized for its poor user interface and lack of essential features, such as key remapping and a comprehensive tutorial.
- graphics15 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are generally well-received, with noticeable adjustments available across various settings from low to epic, and the ability to play in 4K. While some users note that the graphics are not the best, especially considering it is an indie title built on the Unity engine, many appreciate the visual improvements and potential for future upgrades, particularly with a planned migration to Unreal Engine 4. Overall, the graphics are considered attractive, even on lower-end systems, and contribute positively to the game's immersive experience.
“The graphics settings actually adjust the graphics noticeably between low, medium, high, and epic.”
“The graphics are very nice, even with the most basic PCs, especially when the game eventually gets migrated from the Unity engine to Unreal Engine 4.”
“I like the models, I like the graphics, and I think this game has a ton of potential.”
“This game is the most broken game I have ever played, and even on the lowest graphic settings, it runs like garbage!”
“When I got this game, it felt a lot like a tech demo, having pretty shabby graphics, clunky controls, and only one locomotive with not really much to do.”
“I'm currently stuck using a practically antique laptop that struggles with the modern graphics in this game, so take my assessment with a pinch of salt.”
- stability7 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is heavily criticized, with users reporting numerous visual glitches, bugs, and frequent train derailments that significantly hinder gameplay. Many feel the game is incomplete and abandoned by developers, leading to frustration and a lack of recommendation until substantial updates are made. Overall, the consensus is that the game is currently unplayable due to its instability.
“Even trying to drive your locomotive at its max speed, you are then met with visual glitches and bugs that will launch your train into the stratosphere.”
“This game is far from ready and still very buggy.”
“This is a great game at first, I am still playing it but the glitches and bugs are getting very annoying. I would not recommend buying it until you see updates have been posted for random train derailments and explosions.”
- gameplay4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally perceived as limited and tedious, though some players find it rewarding once they grasp the mechanics. Initial impressions may be negative, but deeper engagement can reveal a more enjoyable experience.
“Quickly changing my review because it's better than I had originally thought when I wrote this with 2 hours of gameplay.”
“A little wonky but really fun when you understand the game mechanics.”
“It's very tedious, which is fine if the gameplay was actually rewarding.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and unfulfilling, expressing frustration that the effort required does not lead to satisfying rewards.
“Don't even get me started on how tedious the game is to play.”
“It's very tedious, which is fine if the gameplay was actually rewarding.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game features optimized graphics that allow for smooth gameplay at 4K resolution (2160p), enhancing the overall visual experience for players.
“The optimized graphics allow for stunning visuals, making the game truly shine in 4K resolution.”
“I love the ability to play in 4K/2160p; it enhances the overall experience and immersion.”
“The optimization of the game ensures smooth performance even at high resolutions, which is a huge plus.”
“The game struggles with optimization, making it difficult to enjoy even on high-end hardware.”
“Despite the promise of 4K graphics, the performance is inconsistent and often drops below acceptable levels.”
“The lack of proper optimization leads to frequent frame rate issues, which detracts from the overall experience.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express that the game evokes strong emotional responses, with one user highlighting it as a significant source of positivity in their life, contrasting it with a past negative experience.
“This game has provided me with the only emotional light since my 5th grade girlfriend kicked me in the nether regions.”
- music1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised, with users highlighting it as a standout feature that enhances the overall experience.
“Great game with a great soundtrack.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 200 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its authentic atmosphere, effectively capturing the essence of small steam operations that larger budget simulators often overlook. Players appreciate the attention to detail that enhances the immersive experience.
“The immersive sound design and detailed environments create a captivating atmosphere that draws you into the world.”
“Every element, from the lighting to the ambient sounds, contributes to a rich and engaging atmosphere that keeps you invested in the experience.”
“Being quite familiar with small steam operations like the one portrayed here, I can speak to the accuracy and atmosphere that this game provides, which big-budget simulators neglect.”
