Railgrade

About

Railgrade is a single player strategy game with business and science fiction themes. It was developed by Minakata Dynamics and was released on October 13, 2023. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and positive reviews from players.

Railgrade is a construction strategy game about building railway networks to connect future, off-world cities with valuable industry. Deliver essential resources via a bustling train system, optimize the production of goods, and help kick-start the failing economy of a distant earth colony.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

86%

Audience ScoreBased on 990 reviews

story32 positive mentions

stability10 negative mentions

Engaging puzzle mechanics that challenge players to optimize train routes and resource management.
Visually appealing graphics and a catchy soundtrack enhance the overall experience.
The game offers a variety of levels with increasing complexity, providing a satisfying sense of progression.

Lacks a sandbox mode, limiting players to a linear campaign with timed challenges.
Trains can pass through each other without collision, reducing the realism and strategic depth of train management.
The tutorial is overly long and can feel restrictive, hindering the player's ability to explore and experiment freely.

story
254 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
83%
4%
The game's story is described as light and not particularly deep, primarily serving as a backdrop for the mission-based gameplay. Players appreciate the humorous elements and the gradual complexity of missions, though some find the hand-holding and unskippable tutorials frustrating. Overall, while the narrative adds some charm, it is often overshadowed by the focus on completing timed objectives and optimizing gameplay mechanics.
- “The story mode is where this game's core is.”
- “Great game, nice and compelling story mode.”
- “I love how the storyline is delivered.”
- “There is a story in the campaign, but it's not deep at all.”
- “I couldn't get past the cringe of the low effort 'story' with its horrible translation and annoying typewriter sounds.”
- “Beware though story mode is a series of levels where you keep essentially starting from scratch, with the goal of completing the task in under the S rank time, and therefore might not be what you are looking for.”
gameplay
140 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
67%
3%
The gameplay in Railgrade is characterized by a blend of simple mechanics and increasingly complex logistical challenges, making it engaging and addictive, especially for fans of puzzle and resource management games. While the game features a well-structured tutorial and visually appealing graphics, some players find the lack of a pause feature and the focus on speed detracts from the overall experience. Overall, it offers a satisfying mix of city growth, train management, and problem-solving, with significant replay value for those who enjoy optimizing their designs.
- “The core gameplay loop is simple but engaging - make stuff, move stuff, sell stuff - but the complexity grows really well so far - cities need a mix of resources, workers from cities are needed to run industries, you can add catalysts to most industries (an extra resource that increases production rate), etc. Also, the soundtrack is excellent.”
- “Each level presents a logistics challenge, and all the mechanics around building and optimizing your train network are a joy to use.”
- “With its charming graphics and smooth gameplay, it offers a refreshing take on the simulation genre.”
- “The game is fun in the early stages, it truly shows its great potential, but then it all goes to waste as you progress through the campaign, when you realize it's mostly focused on aesthetics rather than gameplay.”
- “The control scheme to me feels unnatural, and the challenge seems to come out of the need of the game to justify a core game mechanic (verticality), which feels artificial and it is to the detriment of other systems.”
- “Right now, the combination of S rank chasing, and having no pause-and-play gameplay, Railgrade feels stuck in that Starcraft, clicks-per-second type gameplay that relies on speed.”
graphics
106 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
52%
3%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising their charm, detail, and optimization using Unreal Engine, contributing to smooth performance. However, some players noted issues with clarity and distinctiveness, particularly regarding train models and building designs, which can hinder gameplay. Overall, while the visuals are generally considered appealing and well-executed, there are concerns about their impact on gameplay and occasional graphical glitches.
- “The graphics and overall style are fantastic without losing any of the quick 'snappy' gameplay that being grid-based gives you.”
- “With its charming graphics and smooth gameplay, it offers a refreshing take on the simulation genre.”
- “The graphics and animations are beautiful, and the sound complements the atmosphere.”
- “The game is fun in the early stages, it truly shows its great potential, but then it all goes to waste as you progress through the campaign, when you realize it's mostly focused on aesthetics rather than gameplay.”
- “Clunky graphics glitch out so much and with such frequency, it's unplayable.”
- “Don't buy the game till they fix the game-killing graphic glitches and add more content to the game.”
music
76 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
61%
35%
4%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its engaging and catchy soundtrack, particularly the synthwave elements that enhance the gameplay experience. However, some users criticized the excessively loud main menu music and the need to purchase additional tracks with in-game currency, which detracted from the overall enjoyment. Overall, while the in-game music is often described as excellent and fitting for concentration, the main menu experience has been a point of contention.
- “The music is also excellent.”
- “Of note is the soundtrack which is an interesting selection of synthwave music which is quite enjoyable to listen to and would've fit in quite well in Cyberpunk 2077.”
- “The game sports an excellent soundtrack, which never gets repetitive.”
- “The music and sound is generic free-to-use techno nonsense that doesn't fit the theme.”
- “Why do we need to buy the extra background music with upgrade tickets?”
- “I spent a lot of vouchers on useless music tracks, then it threw out a bunch of new train engines and industry upgrades that I cannot get now!”
optimization
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
55%
7%
Overall, the optimization in Railgrade is highly praised, with users noting excellent graphics and performance that runs smoothly even on older systems. The game emphasizes logistics and problem-solving, offering a unique blend of time-based challenges and optimization mechanics, although some players feel it lacks the depth found in other titles like Transport Fever. While the graphics are well-optimized, the gameplay focuses more on quick, efficient solutions rather than aesthetic design.
- “Railgrade is an incredible logistics optimization game with a lot of unique ideas and challenges.”
- “People who enjoy optimization (processes, routes, capacities) and the challenge of problem solving will enjoy it.”
- “If you like train optimization such as in Transport Tycoon Deluxe or Factorio, you will be very disappointed by this game.”
- “Your performance depends on how quickly you fulfill your mandates, and once the clock starts ticking, you won't get a way to pause except toggling to the settings screen.”
- “It's more about optimization and puzzle-solving than about reacting or responding to something happening on screen.”
humor
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is described as a mix of subtle and laugh-out-loud moments, with some players finding it particularly engaging and thought-provoking. While the comedic elements resonate well with many, they may not appeal to everyone, as indicated by varying personal tastes. Overall, the storyline and mission interludes are highlighted as particularly humorous, contributing to an enjoyable gaming experience.
- “Aside from the really awesome aesthetics, fantastic sound design, and subtle humor, what makes Railgrade stand out is that it makes you think.”
- “The sense of humor won't hit for everyone, I'm guessing, but I just about die laughing at the two words, 'dear Yoshida,' now.”
- “This game is quite fun to play and the storyline in between missions is quite humorous.”
stability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while many players report an enjoyable experience without significant bugs, some have encountered serious graphic glitches, particularly on Mac, and crashes that lock out controls. Users recommend waiting for fixes before purchasing due to these issues.
- “The constant barrage of half-finished, buggy games is exhausting, but this one is actually fun to play without worrying about the dev bailing.”
- “Don't buy the game until they fix the game-killing graphic glitches and add more content to the game.”
- “When it crashes, it totally locks out the mouse and keyboard and freezes.”
replayability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
25%
25%
The game offers significant replayability, particularly in its later stages where new mechanics are introduced, encouraging players to revisit levels to improve their performance and achieve higher ranks. While earlier levels may not require replaying, the challenge and depth of later levels provide ample motivation for players who enjoy refining their skills. Overall, players appreciate the replay value, especially for those aiming for completionist goals.
- “I love it so far and great replayability.”
- “Some people have been asking about 'replayability'... earlier levels didn't need to be replayed, but later ones do (especially if you want to achieve S rank), so I would say yes.”
- “I can see how the later stages will get much more interesting as more mechanics are introduced, and if you are someone who enjoys replaying stages to improve upon your own work, then you will find tremendous replay value in this game.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while some appreciate that it is not overly tedious, others feel that the effort required to upgrade cities for minimal worker gains can become frustrating.
- “It gets too tedious to keep trying to raise the cities just to get a few more workers.”
- “The grinding aspect feels overly repetitive and lacks excitement.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the game to provide a unique and wholesome emotional experience, offering a casual atmosphere that fulfills a niche not commonly addressed by other titles.
- “A wholesome and casual game experience that scratches an itch that not many games do.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Character development is portrayed as a journey filled with challenges and struggles, likened to a janky train overcoming obstacles to achieve growth and success. This metaphor emphasizes the importance of perseverance and the transformative nature of difficult experiences in shaping characters.
- “Sometimes you need a janky train to struggle up a hill with coal in order to get more money; it's character development!”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its stunning graphics and animations, which are enhanced by a complementary sound design, creating an immersive experience for players.
- “The graphics and animations are beautiful, and the sound complements the atmosphere.”