Loco Shortline Operations
- December 22, 2021
- TSRS
- 158h median play time
Get on Steam"Loco Shortline Operations" is a realistic tycoon-style game that allows you to build and operate your own transportation network. Use trains, trucks, boats, and other vehicles to deliver goods and earn profits, while dealing with factors like fuel, weight, and physics. Play solo or with friends through Steam MP, and explore over 100 square kilometers of land. Build power stations, storage facilities, and more to expand your operations.
Reviews
- The game offers a fun and engaging experience with a solid foundation for building and managing a railroad empire.
- Regular updates from the developer show commitment to improving gameplay and adding content, making it a promising early access title.
- The community is active and supportive, with helpful tutorials and a developer who is responsive to player feedback.
- The game suffers from clunky UI and buggy mechanics, particularly in track laying and vehicle controls, which can be frustrating.
- Graphics and sound design are subpar, with many assets feeling like placeholders and lacking polish.
- Some players feel the game is still too early in development, with a lack of substantial content updates since its release.
- gameplay4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The gameplay is engaging and offers a variety of mechanics, particularly in building, which is generally superior to competitors like Railroads Online, despite some frustrating elements and optimization issues typical of early access titles. The game features a large map and diverse content, providing players with more than just basic delivery tasks, though it still has potential for further refinement and polish.
“Compared to competitors, which really the only one would be Railroads Online, the building mechanics are actually far superior in a lot of ways. There is more content and more to do than just deliver four different items to two different places. The map is huge, and there is a small option if you want to play on a smaller scale.”
“While it certainly has room to grow and polish up, the gameplay and mechanics seem to be in place if this sort of game is your cup of tea.”
- music3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The music in the game has been criticized for being dull and reminiscent of elevator music, leading some players to rate it poorly. However, it is noted that players can turn off the music and adjust settings, though this option may not be immediately obvious.
“The music is infuriatingly dull and sounds like elevator music, so it sits at a permanent zero for me.”
“The music is infuriatingly dull and sounds like elevator music, so it sits at a permanent zero for me.”
- graphics2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The graphics have been described as subpar and not on par with triple-A titles, reminiscent of Kerbal Space Program. However, players can adjust the graphic settings, although the options may not be immediately obvious.
“The only other issue I have is that the graphics are fairly subpar; it's definitely not worthy of a triple-A title, but it gets the job done and reminds me of the graphics of Kerbal Space Program.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Overall, users find the game's stability to be decent, though it is still plagued by bugs that can make gameplay challenging. Once players become familiar with the mechanics, they report a smoother experience.
“It's a decent game, but be prepared for a lot of bugs and instability that can really disrupt the experience.”
“The game has potential, but frequent crashes and glitches make it frustrating to play.”
“While the gameplay is enjoyable, the constant bugs and performance issues detract from the overall experience.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game, currently in early access, experiences notable optimization issues, particularly with its building mechanics, which can be frustrating at times. While most aspects of building are enjoyable, certain tasks like constructing bridges and graded climbs can be particularly tedious.
“The game offers a solid foundation for optimization, allowing players to fine-tune their strategies and improve performance as they progress.”
“Despite some minor optimization issues, the overall experience is enhanced by the ability to customize and streamline gameplay mechanics.”
“The optimization features in the game provide a rewarding challenge, encouraging players to experiment with different approaches to achieve the best results.”
“Be forewarned, however, it is in fact an early access game and does suffer from regular side effects such as minor optimization issues. Some slightly infuriating building mechanics exist; for the most part they're awesome, but a few things are really annoying, such as building bridges, graded climbs, and god help you if you have to build an uphill climbing curve—it will take all day.”
“The optimization is lacking, leading to frequent frame drops and stuttering during gameplay, which detracts from the overall experience.”
“I encountered numerous bugs and performance issues that made it difficult to enjoy the game fully. The optimization feels rushed and needs significant improvement.”
