Game Brain — video game discovery

About

"Train Sim World 3" offers players the chance to master a variety of powerful locomotives from different countries, such as the ES44C4, ICE 1, and Class 395. The game features new volumetric skies and extreme weather conditions, adding realism and atmosphere to the routes. Creative tools allow for a personalized experience as players haul cargo, commute passengers, and race high-speed trains.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

75%

Audience ScoreBased on 3,018 reviews

graphics204 positive mentions

optimization54 negative mentions

The game features stunning graphics and immersive environments, making it visually appealing.
Dynamic weather and improved lighting enhance the overall gameplay experience.
The training center and tutorials provide a solid introduction for new players to learn how to operate various trains.

The game is criticized for being a cash grab, with many players feeling that it is just a rehash of TSW2 with minimal improvements.
DLC prices are considered excessively high, making it expensive for players to access additional content.
Numerous bugs and performance issues, including stuttering and crashes, detract from the overall experience.

graphics
494 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
55%
4%
The graphics in Train Sim World 3 have received mixed reviews, with many players praising the improved visuals and realism, particularly in train and station models. However, some users have noted performance issues, including crashes and lag, especially when settings are turned up, and criticized the overall graphical fidelity as being outdated or inconsistent. While the game offers stunning environments and immersive details, it still suffers from glitches and optimization problems that detract from the experience.
- “The graphics are stunning, with an impressive level of detail on the trains, stations, and landscapes.”
- “Great graphics and realism!!!”
- “This game is amazing in terms of graphics, gameplay, realism, etc. every train enthusiast should play this game; it really worth the money I paid.”
- “The graphics look 10 years old, even on ultra settings.”
- “Dated graphics, poor lighting (forget about driving at night), unrealistic sounds, unrealistic physics.”
- “The graphics are not great even on the highest settings and trees etc. still render in as if there is a glitch.”
optimization
146 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
49%
37%
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players noting good performance on lower-end systems, while others report significant stuttering and crashes, even on high-end hardware. Many users express frustration over persistent performance issues that detract from the overall experience, despite some improvements over previous versions. Overall, while there are indications that developers are working on patches, the current state of optimization remains a major concern for many players.
- “Excellent performance; one can't really hate this game if they like trains.”
- “The graphics are very good and the game runs smoothly most of the time on my old system even though I can only achieve 20-30 fps.”
- “Tsw3 is a much more optimized game, and it offers so much more realism.”
- “This game crashes a lot. Many missions in chapters or in training are not even opening, and there is no technical help available from either the game makers or Steam. After loading a mission, the game crashes and the screen gets stuck. I have to restart my system to regain access. Especially in the diesel locomotive chapter, I have never been able to complete a single mission because the game crashes at the same point every time. This issue is only happening with this game. I will not suggest anyone download this crash-filled game; the performance is terrible!”
- “Sorry, the poor optimization ruins everything in this game.”
- “The stuttering is bad and downright annoying. Even Cyberpunk 2077 does not stutter like this game does, and I have an i5 9th gen, 16GB DDR4 RAM, and a 1660 Ti.”
gameplay
138 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
70%
10%
The gameplay of the train simulator has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its intuitive mechanics and engaging scenarios, while others criticize it for being repetitive, overly complex, and plagued by technical issues like stuttering and inconsistent train physics. Many users feel that the game lacks significant improvements over previous iterations and express disappointment over restrictive gameplay elements that hinder exploration. Overall, while it offers decent value for newcomers, seasoned players may find it lacking in depth and innovation.
- “Overall: a decent game for the novice train simulator user, with decent graphics and gameplay and a good value for its price!”
- “The gameplay is engaging and challenging, with a variety of scenarios and missions that will keep you hooked for hours on end.”
- “The gameplay mechanics are intuitive, making it accessible for both newcomers and experienced players.”
- “This is all utter garbage scenario writing for the sake of gameplay, and yet the game as a whole claims to be life-like and realistic.”
- “It falls victim to overly complex controls that hinder rather than enhance the gameplay.”
- “The game definitely has potential, but its mechanics are broken in so many instances, which makes the gameplay unpredictable.”
story
118 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
5%
85%
10%
The game lacks a cohesive story, with many users noting that it feels more like a series of disjointed missions rather than a narrative-driven experience. Players often express frustration with the strict mission requirements and frequent crashes, which detract from any potential storytelling elements. Overall, the consensus is that the game does not provide a compelling story, making it less engaging for those seeking a narrative experience.
- “Awesome graphic and story performance.”
- “Before you play this game, I think it is very important to play the previous two entries in the TSW franchise, so you can understand the lore/story.”
- “The gameplay is engaging and challenging, with a variety of scenarios and missions that will keep you hooked for hours on end.”
- “This is literally the same story of the now dead TSW 2.”
- “No difference in the scenery and I was turned away from playing the high-speed train route due to the first mission being in a tunnel most of the time, not really thrilling in any way.”
- “You devs should give us a chance to play as we want without restrictions; it is a realistic simulator, but those laws are ruining the gameplay for some who just want to chill and drive around as fast as they want.”
stability
98 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is heavily criticized, with numerous reports of bugs, glitches, and frequent freezes that significantly hinder gameplay. Many users express frustration over the lack of fixes for existing issues, feeling that the developers prioritize new content over addressing stability problems. Overall, the game is described as unpolished and buggy, leading to a frustrating experience for players.
- “Overall, don't buy this game unless you want a buggy, slow, and terrible looking train operation experience.”
- “The game stalls every 2 minutes and freezes anytime you click something.”
- “I can't believe how buggy this is, especially for a franchise that has been out so long.”
monetization
50 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
4%
4%
92%
The monetization strategy of the game has been widely criticized as a blatant cash grab, with many reviewers expressing disappointment over the high prices of DLC and the perceived lack of quality and development. Users have noted that the frequent advertisements and aggressive upselling tactics detract from the overall experience, leading to calls for more ethical practices from the developers. Despite the game's potential, the monetization approach has left a negative impression on the community, with many recommending only purchasing at steep discounts.
- “The downside is a lot of in-game purchases to expand your experience.”
- “Their monetization is bad, but the game is fantastic.”
- “Everything about this dev is just a blatant cash grab with minimal work input.”
- “This game would be better if it was priced at a reasonable degree, but it's not. There is a lot of DLC that is just not good enough for the prices they charge. Lots of things are broken and take forever to get patched, if they ever do. This is just a cash grab by Dovetail on the train sim community.”
- “It's a thoroughly cynical cash grab rushed out the door release.”
grinding
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
6%
72%
22%
Players consistently express that the grinding required in the game is excessive, often suggesting that achieving all accomplishments necessitates an unrealistic time commitment. Many feel that the game's design prioritizes data farming over genuine player experience, leading to frustration and dissatisfaction.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding if you want to get all achievements.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding (if you want to get all achievements).”
- “Disguising these data-farming practices as gathering analytics to improve player experience is dishonest and evil.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
humor
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the reviews primarily stems from the irony and absurdity of the game's performance issues, with players finding it amusing that a new title continues to suffer from longstanding bugs and crashes. Many reviewers highlight the contrast between the developers' claims of "true to life handling" and the actual experience, leading to a comedic take on the game's shortcomings. Overall, the humor is characterized by a blend of sarcasm and genuine affection for the train simulation genre.
- “It's funny watching streams showing new content with the hosts enjoying the sound of their own voice while noticing the bugs that'll be there for ages.”
- “Rather hilariously, after years of experience developing 'train simulator', DTG has only managed to improve the latest dumpster fire by an iota.”
- “As funny as it might sound, it's like Dovetail Games had listened to my prayers as I was reading about the Kassel - Würzburg Schnellfahrstrecke in TSW3.”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
33%
17%
The music in the game has received positive feedback, particularly for its relaxing menu themes, which many players find enjoyable and soothing. However, there are concerns about the need for improvement in the overall musical offerings, especially in light of increasing competition.
- “I love the menu music; it's perfect for chilling out.”
- “The menu music is incredibly relaxing and sets a great atmosphere.”
- “The music really enhances the overall experience and makes it enjoyable.”
- “Given the emergence of competitors recently, one can only hope that Dovetail actually starts delivering on the music going forward.”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
50%
17%
The game offers significant replayability through its diverse scenarios and routes, enhanced by a supportive community and user-generated content. However, some players express concerns about bugs and the lack of VR support, which could impact overall enjoyment and longevity.
- “The inclusion of scenarios and routes adds depth and replay value, while the supportive community and user-generated content contribute to its longevity.”
- “Great simulator with a ton of replay value, but there is still no VR support.”
- “Hopefully if DTG really buckles down and starts to scrub out the bugs and listen to their audience, the game will become more playable and this review will become a positive one.”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its stunning new sky textures and dynamic weather effects, including rain, snow, and thunderstorms, which create an immersive experience. However, some users feel that certain areas of the world still lack a compelling atmosphere. Overall, the combination of extreme weather and realistic wind physics significantly enhances the game's ambiance.
- “Amazing atmosphere within the game, especially with the new sky textures and clouds!”
- “New extreme weather and volumetric skies bring a transformed atmosphere to routes; clouds, rain, snow, and lightning among intense thunderstorms create a feeling of turbulence as wind physics hit the side of your train.”
- “New extreme weather and volumetric skies bring a transformed atmosphere to routes; clouds, rain, snow, and lightning among intense thunderstorms create a feeling of turbulence as wind physics hit the side of your train.”
- “The world lacks atmosphere.”
- “New extreme weather and volumetric skies bring a transformed atmosphere to routes; clouds, rain, snow, and lightning among intense thunderstorms create a sense of turbulence as wind physics hit the side of your train.”
- “The world lacks atmosphere.”