Simutrans

About

Simutrans is a single player and multiplayer strategy game with a business theme. It was developed by The Simutrans Team and was released on May 24, 2016. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Simutrans is an open-source transportation simulation game available for Windows, Mac, and Linux. Establish a successful transport company: Build road, rails, channels and more to get passengers, mail, and goods to their destinations.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

+11

Skip User Reviews

75%

Audience ScoreBased on 323 reviews

graphics11 positive mentions

gameplay4 negative mentions

Simutrans offers a deep and complex transport simulation experience, allowing players to build intricate networks and manage logistics effectively.
The game features a high degree of customization with various paksets, enabling players to tailor their experience and enjoy different aesthetics.
Despite its steep learning curve, many players find the game rewarding and addictive once they grasp the mechanics, leading to hours of engaging gameplay.

The user interface is clunky and outdated, making it difficult for new players to navigate and understand the game's mechanics without extensive research.
There is a significant lack of tutorials and documentation, which can leave players feeling lost and frustrated when trying to learn how to play.
The graphics are considered dated, which may deter players who prefer modern visuals in their gaming experience.

graphics
44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
55%
20%
The graphics of Simutrans are generally considered dated and reminiscent of older titles, with many users noting their roughness and lack of polish compared to modern standards. However, the game offers aesthetic customization through various paksets, allowing players to tailor the visual experience to their preferences. While some appreciate the retro charm, others find the graphics unappealing and in need of an upgrade to enhance the overall attractiveness of the game.
- “While Simutrans may have simpler graphics, it makes up for it with the use of different paksets, allowing for aesthetic customization to suit personal preferences.”
- “Not to mention that each graphics pack represents somewhat different style - some are brighter than others, architecture and vehicles change very significantly throughout time, and you get a full spectrum of what nature has to offer - seas, lakes, trees, rivers, hills, and they are all aesthetically pleasing for me.”
- “If you like the old school graphics and unlimited play options, this game is for you.”
- “A more complex and meaningful simulation of transportation logistics than OpenTTD, but one that is unfortunately burdened with terrible UI, forced 25fps, and truly grating graphics and audio.”
- “The graphics cannot be described as retro—it is more accurately described as aged, dysfunctional, and lacking.”
- “Simutrans originally came to life way back in 1997 and the graphics were nothing to write home about even back then, so don't be expecting pretty pictures.”
gameplay
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
67%
19%
The gameplay of Simutrans is characterized by its complexity and steep learning curve, which can be frustrating due to a clunky user interface and outdated mechanics. While it offers deep customization options and a rich simulation experience, many players find the gameplay experience hindered by its difficulty and lack of polish compared to competitors like OpenTTD. Overall, the game has potential but requires significant investment in time and patience to navigate its intricacies.
- “In Simutrans, I have full control over adjusting the difficulty and complexity of the gameplay, such as managing fuel consumption for vehicles, setting ticket prices, or even enabling/disabling specific economic features like supply constraints.”
- “While I didn't necessarily play it correctly, I was fascinated by the gameplay of planes, trains, and automobiles.”
- “Ottd is an awesome game; even today, the gameplay holds up pretty well.”
- “Now I understand why everyone says OpenTTD is superior to this. I decided to give Simutrans a chance because it seems to have so much potential, but it is the living example of how gameplay is not the main priority in this video game. From the beginning, you come across a tutorial that seems easy, but when designing the itinerary, you realize that making you suffer will be the main objective. It seems that the developers did not understand that it is not necessary to make everything hard just to simulate a transport empire. The proof of this is how TF2, Chris Sawyer's Locomotion, and OpenTTD are so much easier than this game will ever be; of course, not to mention how the game takes so long to update when the objectives are met, to the point that you wonder if you did it right.”
- “I’d absolutely adore a game with this obscene level of train nerdiness that is actually playable, but Simutrans is just a bunch of really cool ideas glued to an absolutely terrible gameplay experience, with the extended edition feeling more like a badly put together mod than an actual polished game.”
- “The mechanics and UI are obtuse, and the project is so old that many of the resources are 5 years old and extremely outdated.”
music
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
46%
27%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising the soundtrack as enjoyable and cute, while others find it annoying or outdated. A few users express a desire to replace the in-game music with their own choices. Overall, the music contributes to the game's atmosphere, but opinions on its quality vary significantly.
- “The music is great.”
- “Also, the music is surprisingly good.”
- “Really love the soundtrack.”
- “The music is god awful, but that's a pretty easy fix.”
- “When I start the game, the music will play, but all I see is my desktop or whatever other window is open even though I am on the game.”
- “Start game, hears '90s style music, immediately quit the game.”
story
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
49%
38%
The game's story aspect is described as potentially engaging, with users expressing hope for future content that could enhance the narrative experience. However, there is a call for a tutorial or campaign mode to better guide players through the story, indicating that the current narrative may not be fully accessible or clear. Overall, while there is optimism about the story's development, it currently lacks clarity and structure.
- “Now that I see this released on Steam, I have hope that the hundreds of awesome packs you can find on old YouTube videos will be dug out and released (even the massively improved Japan pack, it had freaking 4-story highways with working on and off ramps!!!)”
- “Now, I don't know what the story is here with this game, but it does bode well for the future.”
- “Needs tutorial or campaign with a few missions so it can teach players how to play.”
- “Strap in, this is going to be a story.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is heavily criticized, with users reporting numerous bugs and glitches that hinder basic functionality. Issues include a problematic user interface where tools fail to unselect properly, leading to a frustrating experience. Overall, the lack of documentation and persistent technical problems contribute to a perception of the game as a poorly executed product.
- “Buggy, poorly documented mess.”
- “The UI is a bit buggy, with certain tools not being unselected or reverting back to the default 'magnifying glass' tool when pressing Esc or right-clicking.”
- “Right now, there are so many glitches that it makes it frustrating just to do the simplest tasks.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a significant challenge, often requiring additional lives to manage the tedious tasks involved. The clunky interface and inefficient resource transportation can lead to frustrating gridlock, negatively impacting gameplay and potentially causing financial setbacks for players.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The clunky interface and tedious terraforming is the only downside.”
- “Your fleets of trucks for carrying coal, sand, and glass will queue up at the depots and (if you're me) will back up onto main roads and cause massive gridlock that brings any other industries using the same roads grinding to a halt and bankrupts your company while you are AFK.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
150%
The game's optimization is criticized for extremely poor multiplayer performance and a frustrating user interface, although it features enjoyable simulation elements with opportunities for min-max optimization in logistics and infrastructure building.
- “Nice simulation with min-max optimization parts, focusing on logistics between industries and cities, as well as infrastructure building aspects.”
- “Extremely poor multiplayer performance and horrible UI.”
- “The game suffers from severe optimization issues, making it nearly unplayable at times.”
- “Frequent frame drops and long loading times ruin the overall experience.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
150%
The monetization aspect of the game is positively received, with no concerns about microtransactions or paid mods, allowing players to focus on the gameplay. The game offers a variety of scenarios, enhancing the overall experience without additional costs.
- “No need to worry about microtransactions or paid mods.”
- “The monetization model feels overly aggressive, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending extra money.”
- “It's frustrating that essential features are locked behind paywalls, forcing players to spend more to fully experience the game.”
- “The constant push for in-game purchases detracts from the overall enjoyment and immersion of the gameplay.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
200%
300%
The game's random world generator, combined with a variety of customization options, significantly enhances its replayability, ensuring players have a fresh experience with each playthrough.
- “Each playthrough feels unique thanks to the diverse choices and outcomes available.”
- “The variety of character builds and strategies ensures that no two games are ever the same.”
- “The random world generator with lots of options keeps the replay value high.”
- “Once you've completed the main story, there's little incentive to play again.”
- “The lack of meaningful choices in gameplay makes replaying feel tedious.”