Train Valley
- September 16, 2015
- flazm
- 14h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io StoreTrain Valley is a strategic railway simulator where you build and manage train stations across different historical eras. Your goal is to transport passengers, cargo, and mail efficiently while balancing resources and expanding your network. With challenging missions, various landscapes, and real-world locomotives, Train Valley offers a satisfying and educational experience for railroad enthusiasts.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- Engaging and challenging gameplay that requires strategic planning and quick decision-making.
- Charming graphics and sound design that enhance the overall experience.
- Offers a variety of levels with increasing difficulty and optional objectives for replayability.
- Can become frustrating due to random elements, such as trains departing unexpectedly and obstacles appearing on tracks.
- Lack of a robust tutorial and unclear UI can lead to confusion, especially for new players.
- Limited content and replayability once all levels and achievements are completed.
- gameplay143 mentions
- 34 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by simple mechanics that evolve into a challenging and engaging experience, often requiring players to multitask and strategize effectively. While many players appreciate the relaxing and addictive nature of the game, some express frustration with certain mechanics and level designs that can lead to confusion or difficulty. Overall, the game offers a mix of enjoyable puzzle-solving elements and a gradual increase in complexity, making it appealing for both casual and dedicated players.
“A fantastic puzzle game that will keep you occupied for several dozen hours, with simple mechanics yet a complex outcome.”
“Challenging but enjoyable gameplay.”
“I love the mechanics of it; it forces you to multitask and get creative with how you manage the traffic happening on your tracks.”
“Nice little game with an absolutely horrible gameplay mechanic.”
“The simplistic gameplay design rapidly becomes inadequate to the point of frustration past the halfway mark, where the level design becomes worse and worse.”
“The gameplay is a little broken, which makes it annoying to play.”
- graphics98 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 49 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players finding them charming and suitable for the gameplay, while others criticize them as outdated or simplistic. Many appreciate the cute and colorful aesthetic, noting that it enhances the overall experience, though some feel the visuals could be improved. Overall, the graphics are generally considered functional and adequate for the game's purpose, without being particularly impressive.
“The graphics are nice, controls are simple, I didn't find any bugs, and play is challenging but ...”
“Graphics, sounds, and music are perfectly fine for a game of this kind, and the developers did put quite a lot of details in the game as well.”
“The graphics are lovely (and really cute), and the different landscapes never make it boring.”
“It's a bit clunky, and the graphics look old and cheap, feeling a bit like an asset flip, but the idea of the game is good, and the overall implementation is decent too.”
“If all the above sounds like a mobile game to you - with the generic and aged art style - then I totally agree.”
“- graphics is extremely outdated”
- music83 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its relaxing and charming qualities, while others find it repetitive and annoying over time. Many agree that the soundtrack fits the game's aesthetic, but a significant number of users recommend muting it after a while due to its looping nature. Overall, while the music enhances the atmosphere for some, it detracts from the experience for others, leading to a polarized reception.
“Extra points for the great soundtrack.”
“The music is charming, the gameplay and 'stamps' you can earn keep you on your toes, and I had no issues playing.”
“The music is simple, the graphics are nicely done, but the gameplay is solid.”
“The music gets a bit annoying in the long run.”
“The soundtrack is horrible; better turn on your music library while playing - if your mind skills allow you to listen to music and concentrate on the game at the same time.”
“The music is awful, repetitive, and not fun to listen to.”
- story68 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 82 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The game lacks a traditional storyline, with many players noting that it functions well without one, focusing instead on diverse and challenging missions. While some find the gameplay relaxing, others express frustration with the difficulty spikes and luck-based elements in certain levels. Overall, the missions are seen as engaging and motivating, encouraging replayability through various objectives, despite some criticism regarding their homogeneity and lack of narrative depth.
“I appreciate the subtle storytelling over the course of the levels.”
“In general, decent and colorful graphics, varying and motivating special tasks and missions sum up to present the game in a nice and friendly atmosphere.”
“The game offers four chapters with six missions each.”
“Also, the game is genuinely a 'click here to load this level up' type game, with no backstory or other gameplay.”
“No storyline.”
“The missions are absolutely homogenous.”
- replayability39 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 51 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
Overall, the game exhibits a strong replayability factor, particularly for players who enjoy completing all levels and achieving extra objectives, such as collecting stamps or maximizing scores. While some users noted a lack of randomized elements that could enhance replay value, many found the varied challenges and changing landscapes to keep the experience engaging. The inclusion of custom objectives and sandbox levels further contributes to its replayability, making it appealing for those who thrive on improving their performance.
“The goals will be repetitive; however, achieving those goals in ever-changing landscapes is what keeps the replay value high.”
“Great challenge level, fun graphics, super replayable.”
“The campaign is not extremely long, but you have sandbox levels at the end of each stage, and stamp challenges on each level also increase replayability.”
“Not a ton of replayability is my only complaint.”
“After you complete all the challenges, there is no real replay value.”
“Not much replay value due to a lack of randomized elements in the levels, but I got almost 25 hours out of the stock puzzles.”
- stability16 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a mixed bag, with many users reporting significant bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, particularly in complex levels. While some players have experienced smooth performance, especially on Linux, others have encountered frustrating issues with the UI and track management. Overall, the game appears to be in a buggy state, leading to a recommendation to approach with caution.
“It's about what you'd expect from the trailer and synopsis, and it's thus far bug-free and well polished.”
“The game looks and runs great, even on low-end systems.”
“Runs great on Linux.”
“The game feels very buggy.”
“I was enjoying the game for a while, but the glitches and train management is just far too frustrating for complex levels.”
“Do not buy this buggy game.”
- humor15 mentions
- 93 % positive mentions
- -13 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is largely derived from its absurd scenarios, such as train crashes and unexpected failures, which players find hilarious and entertaining. Many reviews highlight the comedic elements of the gameplay, particularly in sandbox mode, while some appreciate the humorous take on historical settings. Overall, the game is described as funny, addictive, and a lighthearted puzzle experience.
“This is hilarious, why is it so hard not to crash trains into each other.”
“Very fun puzzle solving and funny failures as well!”
“Most of the time, I think this game is just hilarious if things go wrong (yup...those train drivers do not stop on their own :p ).”
“Not funny.”
“The jokes fell flat and felt forced.”
“I expected more clever humor, but it was mostly cringeworthy.”
- grinding7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- -29 % neutral mentions
- 86 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and often unnecessary, leading to boredom when trying to achieve completionist goals. While some enjoy the creative elements, many express a desire for AI assistance to manage repetitive tasks, as the current grind detracts from the overall enjoyment and sense of achievement.
“The grinding in this game offers a rewarding sense of progression without feeling tedious.”
“I love how the grind is balanced; it keeps me engaged without becoming a chore.”
“The replayability factor is fantastic, making the grind enjoyable rather than a painful experience.”
“At first I was trying to finish all levels with 3 stars, but once I found out that it just makes the levels too tedious, I quickly decided to just finish them without the extra objectives. Even then, I got bored really quickly.”
“And some of the achievements are needlessly grindy.”
“Luckily the game counts train tracks built just before restarting a level, so building a lot of useless tracks on a level with high starting money solves that problem. However, 'grinding building train tracks' is not fun and doesn't give me a sense of achievement.”
- optimization7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is commendable, with smooth performance and minimal bugs, allowing for seamless gameplay even at high settings. However, the graphics are not fully optimized, which may benefit players with lower-end systems, while the challenge of achieving perfect performance can be frustrating for newcomers to optimization puzzles.
“The game runs smoothly and seamlessly performance-wise, and hardly has any bugs.”
“The graphics are okay, and present no performance issues when at the highest possible settings.”
“I bought this game because I enjoy building train layouts, liked the original Railroad Tycoon way back in the early 90s, and like optimization puzzles.”
“The graphics are not optimized (but this can be a good thing if you don't have one of the best computers in the world).”
“This is not unusual for optimization puzzle games, but can be frustrating if you've never played one before.”
- atmosphere5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a blend of stylistic choices that create a fitting and engaging environment, complemented by decent and colorful graphics. While some players feel the atmosphere diminishes over time, others appreciate the cute visuals and soothing music that contribute to a relaxing experience. Overall, the atmosphere is generally described as nice and friendly, enhancing the gameplay.
“Their stylistic choices create a wonderful atmosphere that fits the game perfectly.”
“In general, decent and colorful graphics, varying and motivating special tasks and missions sum up to present the game in a nice and friendly atmosphere.”
“That atmosphere is then shredded and burned as you watch the game slowly melt in front of your eyes, and for what?”
“Graphics are cute and give decent atmosphere to each level.”
“The music is rather good; quite soothing, making for a relaxing atmosphere.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game evokes a sense of nostalgia and joy, reminiscent of childhood experiences with video games. Players appreciate its ability to provide a lighthearted escape, allowing for both brief and extended play sessions without pressure.
“It made me feel like a kid just discovering the pure joy of video games.”
