Train Sim World 2

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The evolution of train simulation! Master iconic locomotives on high-speed services, long freight hauls or precise commuter traffic, and get creative with customisation tools in this advanced sequel. Climb into the cab in Train Sim World 2.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

77%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,811 reviews

graphics296 positive mentions

story20 negative mentions

The graphics are stunning and provide a highly immersive experience.
The ability to walk around the train and interact with various elements adds depth to the gameplay.
The game offers a variety of routes and trains, making it enjoyable for train enthusiasts.

The game is plagued with bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay and lead to frustrating experiences.
DLC prices are considered overpriced, making it expensive to fully enjoy the game.
The tutorials are often insufficient, leaving players confused about how to operate the trains properly.

graphics
523 mentions
57 % positive mentions
40 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The graphics in this game have received widespread praise for their high quality and realism, often described as stunning and immersive. However, some users have reported issues such as stuttering, bugs, and inconsistent performance, which can detract from the overall experience. While many appreciate the visual detail and improvements over previous iterations, there are calls for better optimization and fixes for graphical glitches.
- “The graphics are stunning and the simulation feels so real.”
- “Graphics are fantastic and the sense of speed and size of the trains is well represented.”
- “Train Sim World 2 brings the railroad to life with stunning graphics, highly detailed locomotives and advanced physics.”
- “The graphics don't forgive the constant stuttering and hitching when they take you out of a relaxing ride, especially when there are hardly any simulation aspects.”
- “Even though it is a fun game and teaches you real things about a train, I am going to leave a negative review because the game's graphics are disappointing even on ultra, and there is no option in the game to adjust the brightness, so the game is quite dark.”
- “I have a 2080ti 11gb graphics card and 3600mhz ddr4 42gb ram and the game still runs poorly in ultra settings, lazy optimization from a money-grabbing company that only cares about releasing a half-finished game then tries to sell as much DLC as possible.”
gameplay
143 mentions
25 % positive mentions
71 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its realism, graphics, and immersive experience, while others criticize it for being buggy, repetitive, and lacking clear instructions. Many users appreciate the extensive scenarios and the depth of train mechanics, but express frustration over game-breaking bugs and a lack of engaging content after extended play. Overall, while the core gameplay can be enjoyable and offers a good simulation experience, significant issues with mechanics and stability detract from the overall enjoyment.
- “I love the gameplay itself and the graphics and controls are easy enough to understand once you get the hang of it.”
- “Very good indeed, enjoyable and surprisingly realistic, not only the gameplay but the scenery too; it's very easy to recognize real-life locations along the routes.”
- “The gameplay is a vast improvement over the repetitive versions over the years.”
- “Would be an excellent game if not plagued by bugs and gameplay choices that make it very frustrating to play, especially as a new player.”
- “Maybe if the gameplay direction wouldn't have wasted its time on including a garbage collectathon we could've gotten something actually good out of this but here we are, a 30 dollar standalone addon to a title that already wasn't particularly good to begin with.”
- “One negative point with the gameplay is that the routes become somewhat boring to play in after about 10-20 hours on them because the timetable mode is very repetitive due to the lack of random events, meaning you always get the same signal aspects at the same areas.”
story
140 mentions
6 % positive mentions
79 % neutral mentions
14 % negative mentions
The game's story aspect is largely criticized for its lack of depth and clarity, with many players noting that there is no coherent narrative or engaging missions. Users express frustration over poorly designed tutorials and buggy missions that often lead to confusion and repeated failures, making it difficult to progress. Overall, the game is seen as lacking a meaningful story, with many missions feeling tedious and unstructured.
- “Each route offers a lot of scenarios put together in a journey (you may call them story missions or story quests) that will make you feel how it is to be a train driver.”
- “I am currently doing the 'sand patch grade' mission set and I would highly recommend it because of the big North American diesels.”
- “A very immersive experience as a train simulator, actual training on the different systems are very good in taking one through various aspects of driving, of course, more train systems explanation missions would be nice.”
- “The tutorials show you how to use the controls and operate the trains, but actually learning how the missions and the world work has never been explained.”
- “I will only recommend it to people who are willing to look up a walkthrough for every mission or learn by failing halfway through multiple missions that can last more than 2 hours.”
- “You will learn quickly that the in-game tutorials, journeys, and scenarios do not provide enough guidance to successfully complete the mission.”
stability
117 mentions
3 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
97 % negative mentions
The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous users reporting frequent bugs, crashes, and glitches that significantly hinder gameplay. Many players express frustration over unoptimized performance, including issues with mouse sensitivity and freezing during scenarios, leading to a generally unplayable experience. While some appreciate the graphics and potential of the game, the overwhelming consensus is that it is riddled with problems that need urgent attention from the developers.
- “It runs great on an i7-6700 with a GTX 980 (all 2015-era hardware).”
- “For only being a few days old, it's not very buggy; some things here and there need to be looked at.”
- “I would recommend this game, and so far my experience has been bug-free with no noticeable issues.”
- “The game is riddled with glitches and bugs, and the developers ignore half of them and move onto the next broken & buggy product.”
- “It's a buggy mess, and if you have Train Sim World 2020, they won't even release bug patches for it anymore, not like they do anyway.”
- “This game has so many glitches, it's pretty much unplayable!”
optimization
108 mentions
26 % positive mentions
46 % neutral mentions
28 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues such as stuttering, lag spikes, and frame drops, even on high-end systems. While some users noted improvements in graphics and overall performance compared to previous versions, the consensus is that the game remains poorly optimized, particularly for lower-end hardware. Overall, players express frustration over the game's inconsistent performance and the presence of numerous bugs, suggesting that optimization efforts have not adequately addressed these concerns.
- “The game optimization is one of the best I've seen in any game; it loads super fast, it's impressive.”
- “Performance is buttery smooth, graphics are phenomenal, and gameplay is logical and streamlined.”
- “I am very impressed and happy with the performance improvements, and I’m excited for the new routes to come out.”
- “I came back to this on my brand new computer thinking maybe it would run better now, but they legitimately just made a horribly unoptimized game.”
- “The game is really overpriced, very poorly optimized for low-end computers but also for normal and high-end computers with frequent lag spikes.”
- “The optimization is horrible, a lot of frame stutter, walking around in the station drops my frame rate to 23.”
grinding
32 mentions
0 % positive mentions
56 % neutral mentions
44 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being excessively tedious and time-consuming, with many players feeling that it requires an unrealistic investment of time. The tutorials are often described as lacking clarity, contributing to frustration during gameplay. Overall, while some find enjoyment in the repetitive nature typical of simulators, the overwhelming sentiment is that the grinding experience detracts significantly from the game's potential.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “More tedious than any other train sim I've ever played.”
- “No instructions on how to turn the Bakerloo line train around on the second level... tedious and frustrating.”
monetization
25 mentions
0 % positive mentions
4 % neutral mentions
96 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has been heavily criticized by users, who label it as a blatant cash grab with excessive microtransactions and misleading advertising. Many feel that the game offers little new content compared to its predecessor, and the reliance on paid DLCs and in-game advertising has left players feeling exploited. Overall, the sentiment is overwhelmingly negative, with calls to avoid supporting what is perceived as a soulless and expensive cash grab.
- “It's just a cash grab; I got it thinking it would be better than TSW1, but it's legitimately the exact same game, with what were DLCs in TSW1 now being the three free routes you get.”
- “I implore you to not support this horribly expensive and exploitative soulless cash grab of a game.”
- “This game is not worth your money if you already own Train Sim World 2020; it seems like a cash grab with little effort put into it, as this easily could have been an update for Train Sim World 2020.”
music
10 mentions
30 % positive mentions
40 % neutral mentions
30 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews; while some players enjoy using lo-fi tracks to enhance their experience, others find the entrance music underwhelming compared to previous versions like Train Sim World 2020. Additionally, the absence of menu music has been a point of contention, with players expressing a desire for its return, although mods can restore it. Overall, the soundtrack could benefit from more variety and excitement to match the gameplay.
- “I can zone out, put on a podcast or music and 5 hours later realize it has been 5 hours.”
- “Put some lo-fi music while choo-chooing along and blasting past the station at 200+ mph because I forgot to check how far away the next stop is.”
- “In Train Sim World 2020, the music sounds exciting and makes you want to play the game 24/7.”
- “Entrance music: it's not that exciting when you enter the game.”
- “No menu music (please add back DTG) - you can re-enable menu music with mods.”
- “To address what many people are saying, yes this could've just been a DLC bundle for an update, not really its own separate entity; a lot of the assets here are just exactly the same from TSW1, right down to the models and music.”
atmosphere
9 mentions
44 % positive mentions
22 % neutral mentions
33 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in the game is widely praised for its immersive qualities, enhanced by a dynamic day and night cycle and varied weather conditions. While some users note a lack of liveliness in certain environments, the overall sound design and visual presentation contribute to a captivating experience, particularly in specific routes like those in the Ruhr area and the Bakerloo line. Players appreciate the unique ambiance of train driving, especially during challenging weather scenarios, making it a standout feature of the game.
- “The atmosphere is unimaginable, I love it.”
- “The day and night cycle and different weather really adds a lot to the atmosphere as well.”
- “The atmosphere and visuals commanding the train from Cologne to Aachen at 250 km/h (155 mph) in pouring rain are incredible.”
- “The atmosphere in trains and stations gives the impression of a funeral; no one talks (even OMSI 2 simulates passenger chatter and is a 32-bit/x86 ancient game), the screens are off, and the passenger information system barely works on some maps.”
- “The atmosphere feels lifeless and dull, lacking any engaging elements that would make the experience enjoyable.”
- “The overall ambiance is disappointing, as it fails to immerse players in the environment.”
replayability
6 mentions
50 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
Overall, the replayability of the game is mixed; while some users appreciate the ability to run realistic timetables and customize trains and environments, others feel that the high cost does not justify the limited replay options. However, titles like TSW2 are praised for their immersive experience and stunning visuals, offering significant replay value even without additional DLC. Specific routes, such as the Bakerloo line, also provide a decent level of replayability through varied services.
- “Being able to run timetables that are realistic, any time of day and any season or weather, adds so much realism and replay value for me.”
- “You can also customize the trains and the environments, which adds to the replayability.”
- “But if one wants immersion in a surprisingly challenging activity, often in some truly stunning scenery, and with infinite replayability (even without the steady DLC releases), then TSW2 is as good as it gets.”
- “Dovetail Games should kind of be ashamed of themselves because there is very little replayability for such an expensive business model.”
- “I think it is leaps ahead of TS20XX as far as visuals and replayability.”
- “Being able to run timetables that are real-world-ish, any time of day and any season or weather adds so much realism and replay value for me.”
humor
5 mentions
80 % positive mentions
-40 % neutral mentions
60 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is often derived from its absurdities and glitches, such as the irony of transporting passengers while the subtitles claim the train is empty, and the amusing scenarios created by bugs, like the "ice" train mission. Players find humor in the game's quirks, though many express frustration with the frequency of these issues, suggesting that the comedic elements are overshadowed by the overall disappointment with the game's performance.
- “Funny story: there was a mission with the 'ice' train where I had to use the spectator camera to fast forward the next 3 stations and hit the doors of that AI passenger train stopped there for them to close, so that train can continue their route and free my track; otherwise, I was waiting forever in a station for the red light to turn green.”
- “It would also be hilarious riding the cars down the 'slide' in the CSX yard with others.”
- “The funny thing is I'm bringing the Bakerloo line to the depot with passengers while the subtitle said the train is empty.”
- “I am just so disappointed with TSW2; it's not funny.”
- “The jokes fell flat and felt forced throughout the game.”
- “I expected a lot more humor, but it was mostly cringeworthy.”
emotional
4 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players express a mix of frustration and immersion in the emotional aspect of the game, highlighting issues like unresponsive mechanics and unresolved bugs that detract from the experience. Despite these challenges, some users find moments of emotional connection through the game's sound quality, leading to a blend of laughter and disappointment. Overall, the emotional experience is marred by technical shortcomings but occasionally shines through immersive elements.
- “I laughed, I cried, I wet my pants...”
- “These two trains in particular made me feel pretty immersed in everything just from the sound quality.”