Rolling Line

About

"Rolling Line" is a model railway simulator that allows players to build and share their own layouts via the Steam Workshop. Explore pre-made official layouts based in New Zealand, America, and Brazil, or download and play on thousands of player-made layouts. The game also features its own official magazine with updates, community content, and layout building guides.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

+13

96%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,823 reviews

graphics59 positive mentions

story7 negative mentions

Rolling Line offers a unique and immersive experience for model train enthusiasts, allowing players to build and customize their own layouts without the space and cost constraints of real model railroading.
The game features a vibrant and charming low-poly art style, which is visually appealing and runs well on a variety of hardware, making it accessible to a wider audience.
The active developer frequently updates the game with new content and features, and the supportive community provides a wealth of mods and custom assets through the Steam Workshop.

The user interface and controls can be clunky and unintuitive, especially for non-VR players, making it difficult to navigate and build layouts efficiently.
Some players have reported performance issues and crashes when using larger layouts or numerous mods, which can detract from the overall experience.
The game currently lacks certain features, such as terrain manipulation and a more extensive selection of trains and props, which limits the creative possibilities for players.

graphics
123 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
50%
2%
The graphics of the game are characterized by a charming low-poly art style that is both simplistic and visually appealing, allowing for smooth performance even on lower-end hardware. While some players appreciate the whimsical and cartoonish aesthetic, others feel it lacks ambition compared to more realistic simulations. Overall, the graphics effectively support the game's focus on creativity and customization, making it enjoyable for fans of model railroading.
- “The graphics of Rolling Line are pleasant; they have a low-poly style but at the same time, a huge amount of detail goes into the assets of this game, from the trains themselves to the block pieces to create your own map. The colors are very coherent, and everything seems to make sense, from the menus, music, and overall art.”
- “The simplistic art style and low-poly models mean this game can run on a toaster with ease, and allows you to do insane amounts of detailing and massive layouts without incurring much of a performance hit.”
- “This game is a really great idea; the way the graphics were designed looks cartoony but realistic at the same time. It has a nice mix of realistic, beautiful, yet nicely stylized graphics, and a beautiful ambient soundtrack.”
- “The graphics are purposely horrendous!”
- “The problem is that while the casual games tend to have robust layout editors, they lack any deeper features and are sometimes burdened by an oversimplified art style.”
- “It's a simple game that delivers simple gameplay, and it certainly has charm, but I feel like the basic graphics are a flawed concept when you go to miniature scale and this train 'simulator' ends up looking like Minecraft.”
gameplay
37 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
62%
8%
The gameplay is generally praised for its simplicity and ease of understanding, making it accessible for players of all ages. With over 1500 hours of engagement reported by some users, the game offers enjoyable mechanics and smooth controls, alongside regular updates that enhance the experience. While the graphics may not be cutting-edge, the overall gameplay is described as charming and engaging, with opportunities for creativity through features like the steam workshop.
- “Gameplay is really nice, with easy-to-understand controls that are easy to remember for older players like myself.”
- “The developer is very active on this game and adds new and meaningful gameplay additions.”
- “Simply fantastic, driving controls are simple and easy to use, and the placing mechanics are the same as well.”
- “But the gameplay is honest and simple; a baby can figure this out.”
- “I would recommend this to everyone, but keep in mind there isn't much intense gameplay.”
- “It's a simple game that delivers simple gameplay, and it certainly has charm, but I feel like the basic graphics are a flawed concept when you go to miniature scale and this train 'simulator' ends up looking like Minecraft.”
story
27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
63%
26%
The reviews indicate that the game lacks a traditional storyline, with many users noting there are no objectives, missions, or narrative elements to engage with. While the gameplay experience in VR is praised, those seeking a story-driven game may find it unsatisfactory. Overall, the game is seen more as a sandbox experience rather than a narrative-focused title.
- “I doubt my small piece could tip the balance for the game so I think I just want to tell a story.”
- “There are no objectives or scenarios as of yet, but if you can create a story and setting within yourself, it can be quite engaging.”
- “There really is no gaming purpose, no objectives, no missions, no anything, just an alternative to spending thousands of dollars and room space building your own.”
- “So if you prefer story-heavy games, or simulators, this probably isn't going to be your cup of tea, and that's fair.”
- “There is no objectives or scenario as of yet, but if you can create story and setting inside yourself.”
optimization
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
50%
12%
Overall, "Rolling Line" is praised for its strong optimization, allowing it to run smoothly on a variety of systems, including low-end hardware. The game's simplistic art style contributes to its performance, enabling detailed layouts without significant lag, although some users noted performance issues with larger community-created layouts. Many players report excellent frame rates and a seamless experience in both PC and VR modes, highlighting its adaptability and efficiency.
- “Rolling Line, like a growing number of games these days, understands the futility of endlessly chasing photorealistic graphics, and opts for a simpler art style to be more whimsical and improve performance.”
- “The simplistic art style and low-poly models mean this game can run on a toaster with ease, and allows you to do insane amounts of detailing and massive layouts without incurring much of a performance hit.”
- “On the matter of optimization, this game is probably one of the smoothest running games I own, 60 fps cleanly on any map with the help of the in-game view distance limiter, which allows you to keep the detail of a large scale layout without crashing every 3 seconds because 90,000 assets are trying to load in at once.”
- “Performance can suffer on larger layouts, particularly in terms of RAM usage.”
- “My major problem with the game is the optimization for models with large textures and large community layouts (such as IRM, Beer Line, etc).”
- “This can make working on large layouts or running trains feel less fun due to the worry of memory-eating as a result of minimal to no optimization.”
music
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
47%
20%
The music in the game is widely praised for its calming and soothing qualities, enhancing the overall relaxing experience of building layouts. Players appreciate the option to use the supplied soundtrack or add their own music, with many noting the soundtrack's ability to complement the game's beautiful graphics and immersive sound design. However, a few users found some tracks to be jarring, suggesting a slight inconsistency in the overall musical experience.
- “The music is great and just a very good game in general.”
- “You can add your own music to chill to or use the supplied music.”
- “The soundtrack is great and the sounds of trains come to life.”
- “If I had one complaint about the game, it'd be that the music is a bit too jarring.”
- “First off, the soundtrack is not very engaging and feels out of place.”
- “The graphics, soundtrack, and overall feel just give you something I haven't experienced in other rail sims, but the music detracts from the experience.”
humor
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted by its playful sandbox nature, allowing players to create amusing maps and scenarios, particularly involving trains. Users appreciate the comedic elements, such as funny crash noises and whimsical gameplay, which contribute to an enjoyable experience. Overall, the game successfully evokes laughter and lightheartedness, making it a fun choice for players looking for a humorous gaming experience.
- “It is a very fun sandbox game in my opinion, it allows the player to make very detailed maps or funny maps.”
- “I like the funny crash noises.”
- “The controls feel great, and I found myself laughing as I was riding a train that I placed on the tracks.”
stability
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
9%
64%
Overall, the game's stability is a mixed bag; while many users report smooth performance and good optimization, particularly on lower-end PCs, there are consistent mentions of minor bugs and glitches that detract from the experience. Some players have experienced significant issues, leading them to temporarily set the game aside, but others appreciate its charm despite the imperfections.
- “The game runs great, and is optimized very well.”
- “I've never had any bugs or glitches; a complete game that everybody can pick up fast.”
- “The game runs great on an i5 3570 and a GTX 970, so there should not be any issues with lower-end VR setups.”
- “3 stars in my opinion with all the bugginess.”
- “But still quite buggy and therefore I put it away for some months.”
- “The game is a little buggy and not fully polished.”
grinding
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game excessively time-consuming and tedious, often likening it to needing a second life to manage the demands. This has led to frustration and difficulty in fully engaging with the game.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “However, everything is so tedious it's impossible for me to get into it.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the game to evoke a strong sense of calm and enjoyment, particularly appreciating its immersive VR elements and engaging mechanics like train manipulation. However, some users express frustration with certain gameplay aspects, indicating that their emotional experience is affected by unresolved issues. Overall, the game is described as a wholesome experience that can elicit positive feelings.
- “The game, at least to me, was very situational, meaning there were aspects that I absolutely loved, like the train manipulation, the sheer size of them in VR, and just how chilled this game made me feel.”
- “#wholesome”
- “A wholesome little game.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The atmosphere of the game is characterized by a relaxing and charming stylization, enhanced by a vibrant modding community that fosters creativity and nostalgia. Players appreciate the detailed weather effects and immersive environments, contributing to a rich and engaging experience.
- “The relaxing atmosphere, the charming and cute stylization of the worlds, the endless modding community, it has it all!”
- “The weather and atmosphere is an astonishingly complete touch.”
- “Get ready to fall into a bottomless chasm of creativity, atmosphere, and nostalgia.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The reviews indicate a low level of replayability, with users rating it 5 out of 15, suggesting that the game does not offer enough incentives or varied experiences to encourage multiple playthroughs.
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
100%
The monetization model of the game has been criticized for lacking microtransactions and regular updates, leading to disappointment among users who expected more from a modern engine compared to previous titles like The Sims 3.
- “No microtransactions and constant updates.”
- “The game offers a fair monetization model that respects players' time and investment.”
- “I appreciate that the developers focus on providing content through updates rather than pushing for in-game purchases.”
- “I'm just concerned and disappointed by the fact that it hasn't been already and by how the advertisement of this game makes it appear as if it is.”
- “The lack of microtransactions and constant updates is frustrating.”