Derail Valley

96%
Game Brain Score Based on 3,910 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • story
Derail Valley Game Cover
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"Derail Valley" is a VR-only train simulation game set in a vast open world. Players operate trains, transport cargo, and navigate through challenging terrain and extreme weather conditions. The game features realistic train physics, detailed environments, and a variety of missions and activities to enjoy.

  • PC
  • Virtual Reality
  • Windows
  • Oculus VR
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

96%
Audience ScoreBased on 3,910 reviews
gameplay113 positive mentions
optimization33 negative mentions
  • Derail Valley offers a unique blend of realism and fun, allowing players to experience the challenges of train operation while enjoying a sandbox environment.
  • The game features a detailed simulation of various locomotives, with engaging mechanics that require players to manage speed, weight, and braking effectively.
  • The developers are actively engaged with the community, providing regular updates and a clear roadmap for future content, enhancing the overall experience.
  • The game can feel lonely and empty due to the lack of NPCs, AI trains, and dynamic traffic, which detracts from the immersive experience.
  • Some players have reported performance issues, particularly in VR mode, with lag and stuttering affecting gameplay.
  • The requirement to unlock trains and features in career mode before accessing them in sandbox mode can be frustrating for players looking for immediate exploration.
  • gameplay339 mentions

    The gameplay of this train simulator is highly praised for its realistic mechanics and immersive experience, offering a balance between complexity and accessibility. Players appreciate the variety of locomotives, engaging job mechanics, and the open-world environment that encourages exploration and strategic decision-making. While some find the gameplay can become repetitive over time, the overall consensus is that it provides a rewarding and enjoyable experience, especially for train enthusiasts.

    • “The simulation is very well accomplished and realistic, while still keeping gameplay fun and dynamic.”
    • “The gameplay mechanics are incredibly engaging, offering players a myriad of options to explore and experiment with.”
    • “The gameplay loop involves you going to station offices and picking from a selection of procedurally generated jobs which can be either hauling freight, empty cars, or shunting.”
    • “Though there are multiple different modes of play and even some emergent gameplay, the game can be a little repetitive at times unless you kind of go out of your way to avoid it.”
    • “At the end, this game could be a banger, but right now for 40 bucks in this state, I would not recommend it to everybody. I can understand the 40 bucks for the game, but not in a state when you encounter game-breaking bugs in 3 hours of gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay can get stale if you just pick the highest paying jobs.”
  • graphics332 mentions

    The graphics in the game are generally well-received, with many players praising their realism and immersive quality, particularly in the context of train simulation. However, some users report performance issues, including lag and graphical glitches, especially on lower-end systems, suggesting that while the visuals are appealing, they can be demanding on hardware. Overall, the game strikes a balance between good graphics and engaging gameplay, though there is room for improvement in optimization and detail in certain areas.

    • “The graphics are stunning, the controls are intuitive, and the gameplay is immersive.”
    • “Graphics are great, stable, nice progression, and great physics/immersion, and a great looking road map.”
    • “The graphics and physics of this game are truly astounding, the way the trains operate is very immersive, especially considering the fact that this game can be played in VR.”
    • “The graphics are bland, repetitive, low grade and broken, and though I've yet to experience an actual crash (of the game, not the trains), after an hour or so of play, the frame rate starts to drop and stutter, meaning you have to occasionally close down the program and restart.”
    • “The environment is beautiful but not without its mistakes, specifically, a few misplaced trees along the routes and some graphical mishaps like weird triangles and so on.”
    • “The graphics could use some improvement, particularly in the level of detail for the map.”
  • story143 mentions

    The game lacks a traditional narrative, focusing instead on realistic train operations and a variety of missions that are generated organically within an open-world environment. Players appreciate the freedom to choose and complete missions at their own pace, although some find the mission system can be frustrating due to bugs and the need for grinding to unlock content. Overall, while there is no overarching story, the engaging mechanics and mission variety provide a satisfying experience for train enthusiasts.

    • “One thing that surprised me is that missions, while randomly generated, are not meaningless like scripted missions in other games. Here, you take a mission for delivering a consist of cargo to city A, and when you turn that in, you see a shunting task for unloading said cargo appear. When you do that, you might see a task for hauling empty cars appear or to load them.”
    • “Instead of completing preset missions one after another, Derail Valley has a region with different industries and cities linked together by a chain of industry. The missions are easy to understand and they range from a brisk walk to quite challenging.”
    • “An actual open-world campaign with economy and missions to accomplish gives an unmatched feeling of freedom.”
    • “This game doesn't have the usual missions; it's a full-blown open world train sim/logistics game.”
    • “While Derail Valley isn't a narrative-driven game, its focus on authentic train operation doesn't leave much room for a traditional story.”
    • “There isn't a story, there isn't official multiplayer, there's no workshop support, and the gameplay loop can get a bit stale if you're just looking at the jobs with the highest payout.”
  • optimization106 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag, with many players noting good performance in non-VR mode but significant issues in VR, including stuttering and frame drops. While the developers have made strides in improving performance through regular updates, some users still experience heavy resource demands, particularly with vegetation, and express hope for further optimizations. The game shows promise, but its reliance on the Unity engine has led to inherent performance challenges, especially in open-world scenarios.

    • “Finally, it is very well polished for performance, bugs, UI, and tutorial!”
    • “Came back after waiting a few years since the very first release, and was astonished to find these magical devs have not only fixed the majority of the game-breaking bugs, but added: new locos, coupling, better driving experience (faster, more realistic speed), smoother hitboxes on all switches, beautifully reworked graphics, amazing graphical optimizations, tons of new cargo to haul, completely reworked map (both handheld, and the terrain and rails! insane amount of work!), easy modding and tons more! What an amazing gem of a sim game!”
    • “The patch has improved the performance, stability, and realism of the game, making it more enjoyable and immersive for the players.”
    • “The performance starts lacking after each hour of play.”
    • “The world and game don’t look nearly good enough to have performance this awful.”
    • “I would like to mention that the most annoying performance issues are gone since the last updates.”
  • stability73 mentions

    The game's stability is a mixed bag, with many users noting that while it runs well on various hardware, it is still plagued by numerous bugs and glitches typical of early access titles. Some players report minor technical issues and graphical glitches, but overall, many find it playable and enjoyable despite these shortcomings. Developers are actively working on improvements, leading to a generally optimistic outlook for future updates.

    • “The game runs great and the VR experience is smooth. Good job, guys.”
    • “The devs are great, making sure the game is in an almost bug-free state while still keeping the game updated with features.”
    • “I have an under-minimum spec graphics card and an exact minimum spec processor, and it still runs great on the low end of the settings!”
    • “I spent money and the game is unplayable and buggy as hell.”
    • “In its present state, it's very very buggy and borderline unplayable.”
    • “But for now, I just can't recommend it; it's a deep level of troubleshooting hell that nobody else should ever have to experience.”
  • grinding41 mentions

    The reviews consistently highlight that the game involves significant grinding, often requiring players to invest extensive time to progress, with some likening it to a second job. While some players find the grind tedious and frustrating, others appreciate the realism it adds to the experience, suggesting that those who enjoy grinding or train simulations may find it rewarding. Overall, the grinding aspect is a polarizing feature, with opinions varying widely based on individual preferences for gameplay pacing and realism.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Good game although very grindy, wish there were cheats so I could try the different trains.”
    • “This is mind-numbingly tedious and unfriendly to the player.”
    • “This is a great game for those who have hours and hours of free time because ever since the new fees and licenses, it makes the game much longer which is great for people who enjoy grinding.”
  • music39 mentions

    The music aspect of the game is a mixed bag, with players appreciating the ability to inject their own music and the inclusion of a boombox feature for custom tracks, which enhances immersion. While some enjoy the ambient sounds of the game and find the soundtrack fitting, others criticize the in-game music options as lacking and prefer to listen to their own playlists or podcasts. Overall, the sound design is praised for its quality, but there are calls for more variety and better integration of music features.

    • “Derail Valley is a nice mixture of your typical 'dad's' game where you can shut your brain off after a long day of work, push some carts while listening to a podcast or music.”
    • “Custom music - you can buy a boombox and cassettes, those cassettes can play music you put in the game. I love this feature and it goes a long way into making the game's world believable.”
    • “The music from the OST bundle is very good as well, and fits nicely as a backing track to gameplay.”
    • “The bots are even programmed to try and kick innocent players and play loud copyrighted music in voice chat to make sure streamers get copyright struck if they were to be on the server and can't mute them in time.”
    • “In fact, 100% of all my games, the music is turned to 0%.”
    • “There are some small issues, physics glitches, the map is sometimes dead and lacking detail, game interaction can be clunky, game mechanics that could work better and the in-game cassette player has the worst music I had to listen to in a game (on the other hand, streaming live 'simulation radio' is quite genius).”
  • humor23 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by its whimsical and absurd elements, such as funny train crashes and quirky mechanics that invite players to embrace chaos. Players appreciate the nostalgic and endearing touches, like random noises and humorous scenarios, which enhance the overall enjoyment and immersion. The lighthearted approach to train simulation, including the ability to use unconventional setups, contributes to a fun and entertaining experience that keeps players engaged.

    • “These details enhance the pleasure and immersion of what might otherwise have been tedium, and betray an endearing, subtle, nostalgic humor among the developers (see also the 1980s boom-box and associated cassettes).”
    • “The ability to either use a normal locomotive or 20 shunters tied together (like I do) is simply hilarious, and all of the mechanics work quite intuitively.”
    • “Just trying to get your train from point A to point B without wrecking it is enough to keep you entertained for hours, then try doing it within the time limit, then try doing shunting or logistics, or upping your licenses to haul stuff that goes boom just by looking at it funny.”
  • atmosphere19 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and realistic qualities, with users noting the beautiful landscapes, detailed train models, and ambient sounds that enhance the experience. While some players feel the world can feel empty without NPCs, the tranquil and authentic environment, reminiscent of real-life railroading, creates a unique and enjoyable atmosphere, whether in VR or non-VR modes. Overall, the game's attention to detail and atmospheric effects contribute to a captivating and engaging experience.

    • “The addition of small wildlife and the ambient shunts and scrapes in the factories of the shunting yards help to create a tranquil atmosphere - a welcome change from other VR titles like Blade and Sorcery or Into the Radius (as much as I love them too).”
    • “The landscapes, train models, and atmospheric effects create an immersive experience that rivals reality.”
    • “This game really is great, and again from the perspective of somebody who does railroading in real life, this is the most authentic atmosphere of all the train sims I've played.”
    • “I wish it had some NPCs just randomly doing stuff for atmosphere.”
    • “It reproduces very well the train station atmosphere of small towns in Eastern Europe.”
    • “Despite having a train set-like atmosphere, it all feels real, and that’s what makes this game so special.”
  • replayability18 mentions

    Overall, the game is praised for its high replayability, with many users highlighting its open-ended nature, diverse tasks, and unique challenges that provide endless opportunities for engagement. Despite some criticisms regarding polish and performance, players find the gameplay enjoyable and consistently rewarding, making it a title worth revisiting. The recent updates have further enhanced its playability, solidifying its status as a sandbox experience with significant replay value.

    • “Replayability (10/10): the game's open-ended nature and the wealth of tasks and challenges ensure that Derail Valley has boundless replay value.”
    • “This is a wonderful sandbox rail game with just enough complexity and infinite replay value.”
    • “This gives meaning, variety, and replayability; a direction. In other games, you either do the same scenario over and over again or you have a sandbox with no purpose where the only fun thing is to crash the train.”
    • “New update makes the daytime more playable, but the night is still just as bad.”
    • “The open world platform and the job-driven gameplay is going to keep this title's replay value high.”
  • monetization4 mentions

    Reviewers appreciate "Derailed" for its player-centric approach to monetization, contrasting it with other train simulators that are perceived as cash grabs. Unlike many competitors, "Derailed" is seen as offering substantial value and genuine gameplay rather than relying on exploitative monetization practices.

    • “I was looking for a nice train game since, let's be honest, most of them are cash grabs disguised as a sim game.”
    • “Much better than the cash grab Train Sim World.”
    • “Whereas most other train simulators have become a mostly cash grab type of game, Derail Valley adds so much more with a development team that actually puts the player first.”
  • emotional3 mentions

    Players express a strong emotional connection to the game, highlighting its ability to evoke joy and nostalgia. The experience is described as both fun and challenging, with moments that can bring players to tears of happiness, showcasing the game's profound impact on their feelings.

    • “You can laugh if you want, but I cried tears of joy into my HMD when I first fired up the 282 and started chugging along, letting that whistle sing her beautiful song.”
    • “This game got me using my PC again and made me feel good about spending £500 on it.”
    • “I come because it is fun, challenging, and wholesome.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

32hMedian play time
36hAverage play time
10-58hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 33 analyzed playthroughs

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