TransOcean 2: Rivals
- May 10, 2016
- Deck13 Hamburg
- 9h median play time
Get on SteamTransOcean 2: Rivals is a shipping line management simulation game, where you face international competition and strive for worldwide success. The game offers three single-player modes, including a campaign, and a competitive multiplayer mode to test your skills against other players. Start as the boss of your own shipping line and navigate the challenges of the competitive maritime industry.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game has potential with interesting concepts like regional strategy and different ship types.
- The graphics have seen some improvements, making the game visually appealing.
- The free play custom settings and AI gameplay provide some enjoyable moments.
- The game suffers from a lack of polish, with numerous bugs and a confusing user interface.
- Many features from the original game are missing or poorly implemented, such as manual docking and a functional contract engine.
- The gameplay can become tedious and repetitive, lacking depth and meaningful strategic choices.
- gameplay33 mentions
- 12 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Transocean 2 has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the new mechanics and strategic choices that enhance the experience, while others criticize the lack of depth and balance, leading to repetitive and boring gameplay. Many users noted technical issues, such as crashes and an inadequate UI, which detracted from their enjoyment. Overall, while the game offers a more polished experience than its predecessor, it struggles to maintain player engagement over time.
“But the UI overhaul and gameplay felt much better for some reason.”
“To2 adds new mechanics that give you interesting strategic choices.”
“They greatly enhance the game experience overall, while keeping the core gameplay of managing a shipping company and profitable route planning intact.”
“Transocean 2 looks good and runs well, but I can't recommend it for the following two reasons: 1) lack of gameplay balance and 2) lack of gameplay depth.”
“After a few dozen hours of play-testing and some detailed spreadsheet work, I came to the conclusion that almost never, under any combination of gameplay settings, is it advantageous to run your ships at anything but full speed.”
“Horrible gameplay mechanics are fused with an inadequate UI that together are about as refreshing as Gandhi's flip-flop on a hot summer's day.”
- graphics27 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
Overall, the graphics in this game have received mixed to negative feedback from users. Many reviewers feel that the graphical upgrades are minimal and do not significantly enhance the experience compared to the previous version, with some even stating that the graphics appear dated or worse than before. While a few users appreciate the improved world map and port graphics, the consensus is that the visuals fall short of expectations for a sequel.
“The graphics have been updated, yeah.”
“It is just a much simpler version of Port Royale and Patrician, with better graphics and audio.”
“Graphics - more attractive world map.”
“This version is just a train wreck, the interface is x10 more confusing than the first and all attempts to 'fancy up' the GUI just made it messy and clumsy. The graphics are just barely an upgrade; the devs have to try way harder to make the graphics feel upgraded.”
“Rubbish, the first one even looks better in the graphics department. There is nothing here really to warrant a sequel.”
“The graphics are worse than the first one.”
- story22 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 73 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game has received largely negative feedback, with many players finding the campaign to be short, lackluster, and poorly integrated into the gameplay. While some appreciate the challenge of missions and the multiplayer elements, the overall narrative is often described as cheesy, repetitive, and unnecessary for an economic simulation game. Players express frustration with the campaign's brevity and the disconnection between story progression and gameplay mechanics.
“You can play either campaign, which is a continuation of the first game's storyline, a single-player game against AI, and an endless mode.”
“The story is fun, and the game is challenging.”
“- The story mode is kinda cheesy, but it does a good job of introducing you to all the new game features.”
“The campaign is lackluster with only 6 missions.”
“Story continuity and gameplay don't sync.”
“Story is a joke, and wastes the player's time.”
- music10 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it too loud and lacking the specific soundtracks that were present in previous installments. While some appreciate the soundtrack's quality, others feel it falls short compared to earlier versions, describing it as repetitive or even boring. Overall, the consensus suggests that the music does not meet the expectations set by its predecessor.
“I like the music, but the default setting is too loud.”
“There are some good aspects such as the soundtrack music, which is amazing, and the new design is great.”
“The music soundtrack in the previous game was better; for each port, there was specific music. This new game doesn't have specific music for each port.”
- grinding5 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious and repetitive, often involving trivial micro-management tasks that detract from the overall experience. Despite its potential, the gameplay is described as one-dimensional and drawn out, leading to long hours of monotonous grinding that can feel more like a prolonged tutorial than an engaging challenge.
“This means that the game becomes extremely tedious with repetitive micro-management tasks that feel trivial when you are managing a fleet of 30, and oh god the amount of work you have with 30 ships.”
“I have played several hours on this game, but it's one-dimensional really; not difficult, just tedious.”
“While there is a lot of potential here, this game really boils down to a tedious repetitive task, merely picking what cargo contracts to select for every ship.”
- stability3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The game's stability has been criticized for being buggy, with issues such as a malfunctioning pause function and inconsistent AI behavior. Players have reported strange glitches, including misleading deadline indicators that can confuse gameplay. Overall, these stability issues detract from the overall experience.
“The game runs smoothly without any major bugs, making for a stable and enjoyable experience.”
“I appreciate how the developers have prioritized stability, ensuring that gameplay is consistent and reliable.”
“The stability of the game allows me to immerse myself fully without worrying about crashes or glitches.”
“Buggy at times with a dodgy AI.”
“Weird glitches where you get the red exclamation point (to indicate that you won't make your deadline at your current speed), but your ETA is sooner than the deadline, which disappears if you slow down. It makes no sense!”
- replayability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game boasts high replayability due to its engaging sandbox mode, which features customizable rules and difficulty modifiers, along with the option for online multiplayer. Players find it entertaining and capable of keeping them engaged over multiple sessions.
“Entertaining and can keep you engaged; it has high replay value.”
“The sandbox mode has customizable rules and difficulty modifiers, so the game offers a lot of replayability (not to mention online multiplayer).”
“The sandbox mode has customizable rules and difficulty modifiers, so the game has a lot of replayability.”
“Once you complete the main story, there isn't much incentive to play again.”
“The lack of varied endings makes replaying the game feel pointless.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
While players express a strong desire to engage with the game and explore new strategies, the overall performance is hindered by poor optimization, leading to a frustrating experience.
“I'm starting to get that feeling where I just want to keep playing to try new strategies in hopes of improving my performance.”
“The optimization options in this game allow for a tailored experience that really enhances gameplay.”
“I love how the game encourages experimentation with different builds, making each playthrough feel unique and rewarding.”
“The performance of the software is poor.”
“I'm starting to get that feeling where I just want to keep playing it to try new strategies in hopes of improving my performance.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The atmosphere is characterized as laid-back, focusing on the relaxed experience of transporting ships from one location to another.
“The laid-back atmosphere while running ships from one place to another creates a relaxing experience.”
“The immersive environment draws you in, making every journey feel unique and engaging.”
“The tranquil ambiance enhances the gameplay, allowing players to enjoy the scenic views and the journey.”
“The atmosphere feels too laid back, making the experience of running ships from one place to another rather dull.”
“The game lacks a compelling atmosphere, resulting in a monotonous experience.”
“There is a distinct absence of tension or excitement in the atmosphere, which detracts from the overall immersion.”
