David Dodgson reviews Railway Empire…
A glance at the clock. 10pm – I’ll just quickly add one more station and connect to the next town. I see there’s a quarry nearby – let’s add a freight line… Demand for cotton is increasing in Pittsburgh – I’ll see what I can do about that and… 2am! How is it 2am?
The above will be a familiar scenario to anyone who has played a tycoon game. Expanding your business, reaching new markets, investing in new products, and building your fortune can be addictive. Railway Empire, from Gaming Minds Studios and Kalypso, certainly has that ‘just 5 more minutes’ hook, even if it is not without its flaws.
Echoing the classic Railroad Tycoon series of the 1990s, Railway Empire is set in North America with scenarios spanning the nineteenth century and the locomotive’s role in the expansion west. The game offers eleven different scenarios, each offering unique challenges across different regions of the States, as well as a campaign mode of five chapters. Both modes have victory conditions based on commercial, industrial, or economic goals. There is also a ‘free’ mode allowing the player to choose the location, time period, and business model.
There is plenty of background provided with each location and time period prefaced by an animated introduction outlining the historical context. In another nod to Railroad Tycoon, newspapers offer regular in-game updates and the advisers reference real events and the dream of expanding west (the Native American issue is somewhat brushed over, however – there is even an in-game achievement for displacing a native village!)
Graphically, the game lacks polish in places. It looks like a mobile game more than a PC one at times, an impression hardly helped by the occasional command to choose a particular option on your ‘device’. One visual feature that stands out for me, however, is the ‘ride along’ option. This allows you to take a driver’s point of view (albeit with limited control over the camera) as your train makes its way between stations taking in all the bridges, tunnels, signal boxes, and natural landmarks along the way. The in-game characters are displayed in a similar vein to Civilisation VI with a cast of caricatures popping up in the corner of the screen frequently, which only adds to the mobile game feel.
The game itself is more in-depth than its cartoon cast of advisors and rival transport moguls would suggest. There is a definite rabbit hole effect as the game begins with the construction of a simple track connecting two stations but soon demands side tracks and signals to support multiple trains operating on the same route. New routes are soon required, and maintenance must be provided for the expanding fleet of engines. The need to micro-manage the details of research, specialist staff, city growth, and ownership of local industries, increases as your company becomes more dispersed across the map.
If that sounds complicated, it does become so (as is par for the course with tycoon games). The new player is well-supported, however, through the campaign mode with advisors popping up in each chapter to offer guidance at the start, and a ‘to do’ list of tasks to structure play once the tutorial is complete.
Most of these tasks have a time limit and it is here that I have my first gripe with the game. While the date for achieving the target is given on the to do list, there is no in game reminder or warning that time is running out. This led to me failing chapters on more than one occasion as the micro-management of my network meant I lost track of time (in both the game and real worlds!) Suddenly faced with a ‘scenario failed’ message, I was frustrated by the need to start over again.
Having said that, failure is always prominent in this genre of gaming. Each restart means a chance to lay the foundations better and Railway Empire is no exception. When tackling the scenarios and campaigns a second time, I was able to make better decisions to give my company an early boost. The balancing act of placing cost-efficient but direct tracks certainly seemed simpler the second time around, and my awareness of which industries to link cities too allowed for an early economic boost.
Using twin tracks and signals is an essential part of the early game when there are not enough resources to build multiple lines between cities. It is a tricky part of the game to get right though and many of my early difficulties came about due to my trains grinding to a halt. There is an option to use ‘simple tracks’ which allow two trains to magically pass each other when travelling in opposite directions, but where would be the fun in that? Finally getting the signals positioned correctly and watching your trains glide from one station to the next without interruption is a sight to behold.
But then we get your AI-controlled rivals. They use simple tracks… all the time. Even if you have taken the plunge and placed your signal boxes and twin track spots, the AI will stick to simple tracks. This is no big deal if you mind your own business but if you get the chance to takeover another company later in the game, you will be faced with a lot of work to get your trains running on the same lines as signals will suddenly be required.
In general, the AI seems to forget what the ‘I’ stands for at times as it can be easy to isolate rival companies or buy them out when you have earned enough. When auctions for equipment or bonus items take place, they generally offer one bid and give up, and their remarks about the state of your company, even when you are by far the most profitable, start to grate after a while.
Auctions are not the only way to earn better equipment and advance your technology. There are also dual tech trees allowing you to utilise experience to unlock new items and earn boosts to your company. These focus on improving the trains, and on growing your business with improved customer service and facilities. The options are varied enough to tailor your choices to your company’s specific needs.
There is also the opportunity to hire and fire staff to help your trains and your company run more smoothly. Engineers and stokers keep your train running in order while conductors and security ensure passengers have their tickets and behave themselves. Inventors and professors can also be hired to speed up research, and accountants can be added to ‘creatively’ reduce your tax payments. Espionage and sabotage also feature as you can hire spies and bandits to steal from your rivals or journalists to influence the press.
Ultimately, this genre of game comes down to how addictive it is. Despite its flaws, Railway Empire did manage to trap me in that ‘5 more minutes’ loop. When something went wrong, I was keen to get going again with a better plan in place. When everything went right, it was a pleasure to see my network of trains spread across the map. A variety of play modes and the gradual introduction of more challenging micro-management elements make for a gameplay experience that is good more than great.
Pros:
+ Addictive core gameplay
+ Varied scenarios and campaigns
+ Gradual increase in complexity and challenge
+ Well-implemented dual tech tree
Cons:
– Missions end without warning
– AI rivals can be irritating and easy to beat
– Basic graphics and limited camera controls
Rating: 7/10
Platform reviewed on: PC
David Dodgson
