NIMBY Rails

About

NIMBY Rails is a single player and multiplayer simulation game. It was developed by Weird and Wry and was released on January 25, 2021. It received positive reviews from players.

NIMBY Rails is a management sandbox game that lets you build and operate railway networks on real-world maps with 1cm resolution. Respect existing roads and streets while creating your designs, and use streamlined circulation mechanics for easy management. The game includes a Steam Workshop mod depot and offers various levels of complexity to suit your preferences.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

+29

Skip User Reviews

89%

Audience ScoreBased on 946 reviews

gameplay17 positive mentions

story4 negative mentions

The game offers endless possibilities for building rail networks anywhere in the world, allowing for both realistic recreations and imaginative designs.
The developer is very active in responding to community feedback and regularly updates the game, improving features and fixing bugs.
The gameplay is addictive and engaging, providing a satisfying experience for players who enjoy transport management and planning.

The user interface is clunky and unintuitive, making it difficult for new players to understand how to use the various features and tools.
There is a steep learning curve with little to no tutorial or guidance, which can be frustrating for players unfamiliar with transport simulation games.
The game currently lacks certain features such as single tracks, curved platforms, and a more realistic passenger demand system, which limits its overall depth and complexity.

gameplay
72 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
70%
6%
The gameplay of the game is characterized by a steep learning curve and a sandbox style that allows for creative track building, but many players find the mechanics unintuitive and lacking depth, especially for newcomers. While some enjoy the addictive nature and potential of the gameplay, others criticize it for being repetitive and simplistic, with calls for better tutorials and more complex features. Overall, the game shows promise but requires patience and further development to enhance the player experience.
- “The gameplay is a sandbox style with a world map overlay that allows you to build tracks, stations, and everything else related to trains from one destination to another and more.”
- “It has a very steep learning curve, but rewards you with some addictive gameplay afterward.”
- “Right now the gameplay is very simple but already quite addictive and it shows a lot of potential.”
- “I hope this will get improved after a while and I get to properly experience the game fully without rage-quitting it at the very start, because the concept looks genuinely quite interesting and fun, but the foundational building block of gameplay (building tracks) is currently a tough barrier to entry.”
- “The game needs patience in the beginning until you learn how the basic mechanics work.”
- “Nimby Rails has extremely shallow gameplay; it's more of a train track doodling game, but it has an interface and scheduling system that makes something like OpenTTD look easy and intuitive.”
graphics
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
67%
7%
The graphics of the game are generally described as simplistic and unremarkable, often criticized for being bland and lacking detail. While some players appreciate the minimalist design for its smooth performance, especially in large-scale simulations, others find it detracts from the overall experience, with requests for enhancements like customizable map graphics and better visual elements. Overall, the game prioritizes functionality over aesthetics, appealing primarily to those who value gameplay mechanics over graphical fidelity.
- “The graphics are minimalist, but that helps the game run smoothly even when running massive transportation systems.”
- “I know these places personally and intimately, and despite the shall we say functional graphics it is incredibly easy to imagine myself walking down the street and actually seeing a tram trundle by.”
- “The game offers some nice graphics, although some ugly glitches here and there, it is pleasant all the same.”
- “The interface and graphics are overall just ugly.”
- “My first complaint would be the graphical performance of the game; on a small scale, it's perfectly playable, but it can easily get very slow, with slideshow FPS.”
- “Graphics could definitely be better; I would like to see optional satellite imagery. Sure, the simplistic design is neat, but it can make it hard to tell where you are.”
optimization
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
66%
17%
The game's optimization is a mixed bag; while it allows for extensive world-building and performs well on smaller scales, users report significant performance drops when creating larger networks, particularly with multiple lines and trains. Some players have noted that the game struggles with multithreading, leading to underutilization of CPU resources, though recent updates have improved performance. Overall, while the graphics are minimalist and help maintain smooth gameplay, further optimization is needed for larger-scale operations.
- “This game offers the entire world and allows for enormous networks to be built, absolutely anywhere, without performance issues.”
- “The graphics are minimalist, but that helps the game run smoothly even when running massive transportation systems.”
- “Even with networks in the UK, USA, and Canada with 200+ trains, I haven't experienced any performance drops.”
- “My first complaint would be the graphical performance of the game; on a small scale, it's perfectly playable, but it can easily get very slow, with slideshow FPS.”
- “The game has some problems with optimization, and this is probably its only significant disadvantage (the rest are not so critical).”
- “First, the game is horribly unoptimized for performance.”
story
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
60%
27%
The game lacks a traditional narrative or structured story missions, requiring players to create their own objectives and goals. Many users note the absence of a defined storyline, with gameplay primarily focused on personal projects and economic management rather than a cohesive plot.
- “And keeping them happy can become a quest unto itself.”
- “On top of this, there's an economic model that's been tacked on, to provide something to do while you plot out the railroad of your dreams.”
- “This game has no story.”
- “There isn't a tutorial at the moment or story missions; you have to make your own goals.”
- “No story.”
stability
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
80%
Overall, the game's stability is a mixed bag; while some players report significant improvements and a generally smooth experience without crashes or major glitches, others highlight persistent bugs, particularly with track layout tools and train signaling. Many acknowledge the game's early access status, which contributes to its raw and occasionally frustrating nature, but some users have found it enjoyable despite these issues.
- “No stuttering, no glitches, no graphics tearing, nothing.”
- “Runs great on Linux using Proton.”
- “The good thing is it seems bug-free, and this makes it enjoyable.”
- “In its current state, it is a buggy mess that sometimes simply chooses to not follow its own rules.”
- “Then signaling feels like it is useless and/or buggy because trains barely move into terminus stations without teleporting back or just being stuck.”
- “This game is still very raw and buggy at times.”
grinding
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
64%
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while the system is designed to be engaging without being overly complicated, many feel that tasks such as constructing tracks and managing timetables can become tedious and time-consuming. The need to build everything from scratch adds to the grind, leading some to suggest that it requires a significant time investment. Overall, while the game's scale and possibilities are praised, the repetitive nature of certain tasks can detract from the enjoyment.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “In the current version, it is impossible to import real-world railroad data, and the player will have to construct it all from scratch, which I find both tedious and time-consuming.”
- “Timetabling is out of whack in terms of being extremely tedious when creating your times.”
music
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
The game's music aspect is notably lacking, with users expressing disappointment over the absence of background music and sound effects. While some players feel that the lack of music could prevent annoyance during long play sessions, they unanimously agree that incorporating sound effects for interactions and a potential soundtrack would significantly enhance the overall experience. Suggestions for music styles, such as chillhop or soft jazz, indicate a desire for a more immersive auditory environment.
- “I hope that an in-game soundtrack will come down the line and maybe some form of progression/achievement system!”
- “Some chillhop or soft jazz music would be nice!”
- “Also, some music in the background would be cool.”
- “Not even any background music!”
- “The lack of background music is fine, it would probably get annoying after multiple hours on end, but some sound effects for clicking buttons or placing buildings/track would make the experience so much better.”
- “Please note that this game doesn't have any kind of sound effect/music, or any kind of interactive tutorial.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
50%
Users generally find the replayability of the game to be high, though some suggest that enhancing the tracking of progress and choices over time could further improve the experience.
- “The replay value is incredibly high.”
- “I believe that for replayability, there should be a way to track the choices with much more detail over a longer period.”
- “I feel like for replayability there needs to be a way to track the lines with much more detail over a longer period.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game reflects a desire for deeper connectivity and flexibility in station design, with players expressing a need for multiple station platforms that can connect without being directly adjacent. This suggests a longing for more creative freedom and a more immersive experience in building and managing their environments.
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players appreciate the humor in the game, particularly noting the amusing station names generated from OpenStreetMap data, which often lead to unexpected and funny results. This quirky element adds a lighthearted touch, enhancing the overall enjoyment of the experience.
- “The funny station names really add a unique charm to the game; they just lock onto the nearest OpenStreetMap name, resulting in some hilarious outcomes.”
- “It's amusing to see these characters wasting their time here; the humor in their antics is truly entertaining.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere is significantly hindered by the absence of sound, which detracts from the immersive experience expected in a train simulation. Players express a desire for auditory elements, such as train sounds, to enhance the overall ambiance.
- “On the other hand, this game has no sound and therefore a tremendous lack of atmosphere. I want to hear the sounds of trains in a train simulation.”