Golden Rails: Small Town Story

About

In "Golden Rails: Small Town Story" , Jack and Jill find themselves on a new adventure in the Old West, building a railroad to connect a small town to the civilized world. They must contend with outlaws and unforgiving terrain, while saving settlers and recruiting heroes to help. Using a bonus system, players must work smart and think fast to complete levels and keep the outlaws at bay.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Golden Rails: Small Town Story screenshot

100%

Audience ScoreBased on 17 reviews

story4 positive mentions

replayability1 negative mentions

Engaging time management gameplay with a variety of tasks and mechanics, including resource collection and train management.
Visually appealing graphics and a fun, light-hearted story that adds charm to the gameplay experience.
Flexible difficulty settings allow players to choose their challenge level, making it accessible for both casual gamers and those seeking a more intense experience.

Some players may find the game overly challenging, particularly in 'Normal' mode, leading to frustration and the need to switch to 'Easy' mode.
Limited replayability due to the lack of end-game mechanics and a shallow story, making it feel like a one-time experience.
Repetitive music and some minor bugs can detract from the overall enjoyment of the game.

story
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
59%
18%
The story in *Golden Rails: Small Town Story* is described as shallow and not particularly engaging, serving primarily as a backdrop for the gameplay rather than a focal point. While it offers a fun and lighthearted narrative that progresses through levels, it lacks depth and replayability, making it less appealing for players seeking a strong story experience. Overall, the game is more about the time management mechanics than the storyline itself.
- “The story is fun, and it will take you from 8 to 10 hours to complete the main campaign on the normal level of difficulty, depending on how quickly you find all the owls and achieve the three golden stars in each of the levels.”
- “The background story isn’t anything spectacular and sometimes it doesn’t make much sense either, but the levels are solid and extremely entertaining.”
- “Comes with a fun and perky (albeit not intrusive) western-themed music and a background story that's, in my opinion, even for this genre, more on the shallow side, but doesn't do anything to diminish the playing experience.”
- “There is no replayability in this game as there are no end game mechanics, no map metrics to try to beat, and no engrossing story to return to.”
- “The background story is, in my opinion, even for this genre, more on the shallow side, but it doesn't do anything to diminish the playing experience.”
- “Probably that means that for some players, the game would be boringly easy; these games are (I hope) never played for the story.”
gameplay
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
42%
25%
The gameplay in "Golden Rails: Small Town Story" features familiar time management mechanics akin to the "12 Labours of Hercules" series, but introduces new twists such as a train resource system and enhanced upgrade options for workers and buildings. While some players may find the lack of replayability and certain forced mini-games frustrating, the overall balance and flexibility in difficulty cater to both novice and experienced players, making it an enjoyable experience.
- “Golden Rails: Small Town Story is a time management game very similar to the '12 Labours of Hercules' series, and while it contains all the gameplay elements you would expect from a time management game, it does add a few new interesting twists to the standard mechanics.”
- “Yet even if there are so many mechanics, the levels feel very balanced, and you can also influence the gameplay further by selecting the most appropriate set of bonuses before each level (speed / more resources / less costs for hiring workers, etc.).”
- “It’s a game that will likely appeal to both experienced and novice time management fans because of its flexible difficulty and the many ways you can adjust your gameplay.”
- “Some of the mechanics changed in this game from the previous game and take a little time to adjust to if you move into playing from the previous game.”
- “There is no replayability in this game as there are no endgame mechanics, no map metrics to try to beat, and no engrossing story to return to.”
- “While in other titles from this genre you can upgrade your workers 2-3 times, in 'Golden Rails: Small Town Story' this is permitted much more, and the reason for this is the upgrade mechanic of the production buildings.”
music
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
25%
38%
The music in the game is described as cheerful and fitting, with a fun western theme that complements the gameplay without being intrusive. However, it tends to be repetitive, featuring only one melody that can become monotonous over time, leading some players to turn it off despite enjoying the genre. Overall, while the soundtrack enhances the experience, its limited variety may detract from long-term enjoyment.
- “Comes with a fun and perky (albeit not intrusive) western-themed music and a background story that's in my opinion even for this genre more on the shallow side, but doesn't do anything to diminish the playing experience.”
- “Nice graphics, and the soundtrack suits the game very well.”
- “Finally, I really love the music.”
- “The music is cheerful but becomes unnoticeable after about 10 seconds, which I suppose is exactly what it should be.”
- “The music is too repetitive, featuring only one melody that repeats for just a few seconds, which can be cute but ultimately feels monotonous.”
- “The background music is fun and perky, but it feels shallow and doesn't enhance the overall playing experience.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The game lacks replayability due to the absence of end game mechanics, map metrics, and a compelling story, making it unlikely for players to return after completing it.
- “There is no replayability in this game as there are no end game mechanics, no map metrics to try to beat, and no engrossing story to return to.”
graphics
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The graphics of the game are consistently praised for their brilliance and quality, enhancing the overall experience alongside a well-suited soundtrack. Players appreciate the visual appeal, which contributes to an engaging and immersive gameplay environment.
- “A great game, brilliant graphics and sounds with plenty to do, keeps you thinking and busy.”
- “Nice graphics, and the soundtrack suits the game very well.”
- “Nice graphics.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by a lighthearted, jaunty western tune reminiscent of classic cowboy films, effectively complementing the comedic antics of the characters, particularly the goofy sidekick.
- “It's just a jaunty western tune, the kind that they used to play in old cowboy movies when the goofy sidekick would do something funny, so it's very appropriate for this game.”