Train Simulator Classic is another one of those games that wears exactly what it is on its metaphorical sleeve. If you don’t go into this one thinking you’re going to be the train conductor of your dreams, you’ve probably bought the wrong game. Developed by Dovetail Games and published by Dovetail Games – Trains, the game was originally released on the 12th of July 2009 and has received much love and adoration from the devs in what has almost been the game’s 13th year of release.
How to Download Train Simulator Classic
You can download the game from Steam. Click on the Download button at the end of this review. If you like train sims, check out also Train Simulator 2022 and Trainz Railroad Simulator 2019.
The Game Review
Gameplay
The gameplay with this one is fairly self-explanatory for the most part. As to be expected in a game called Train Simulator, you’ll be your very own train conductor and will be expected to navigate through beautiful vistas and hilly mountainsides, all while sitting in the driver’s compartment of your very own locomotive.
Even though, you’re not required to sit in the driver’s compartment the entire way there. If you’d like to zoom out and get a more bird’s eye view, you’re given free rein with the camera to get whatever your favorite angle is.
It does have to be said, though, the main gameplay loop is not the easiest to get to grips with. The game throws a lot of different controls, buttons, and throttles your way so it can be somewhat overwhelming to start the game this way. Thankfully, you’re given plenty of time to just get to grips with what you’re doing, and eventually, you’ll get that metaphorical ‘click’ in your head that means you get how the game is meant to be played.
The fact that the game is as complex as driving an actual train, it’s safe to assume that they’ve definitely succeeded in the ‘simulator’ aspect of the game’s name. Again, it may take a little bit of time to get the hang of everything, but before long, you’ll be picking up and dropping off passengers to their desired destinations on time before you know it!
It does have to be said about Train Simulator Classic, it might be the game with the largest library of DLC on the Steam marketplace. As of writing, there is an impressive and slightly overwhelming 667 different pieces of DLC, each of which has its own uses. Quite honestly, it’s a very impressive list of DLC, which means if the game does manage to hook you, there’s more than enough additional content you can add to the game; albeit, all with a rather hefty price tag to boot.
Graphics
Looking at the game from a visual perspective, it certainly isn’t the best-looking game of all time, but it has done a really good job of standing the test of time. When you consider that the game is nearly 13 years old at this point, it still looks like a really solid title that has aged surprisingly well.
There are definitely elements of the game that are outdated and aren’t nearly as defined as other, similar train simulators on the market, but for what it’s worth, Train Simulator Classic certainly doesn’t disappoint from this perspective.
Audio
Moving onto the audio, it is easily one of the game’s biggest highlights. In simulator games, audio is a really important element to get right, as the sound that gets produced can really lend to realism. Now, this is something Train Simulator Classic does very well. From the sounds of closing doors or the rustling of the tracks as you traverse through the countryside in your very own train; practically every element of the audio just lends to a depth of realism.
Conclusion
Overall, Train Simulator Classic does an incredible job of making the player feel immersed in the gameplay, partly due to just how complex it is at the start. Yeah, it can certainly be seen as a hindrance and hitting a wall with learning how to play the game is never fun, but once you’ve gotten to grips with it all, everything Train Simulator Classic provides is incredibly impressive.
For anyone that’s looking for a great locomotive simulator, Train Simulator Classic is definitely one of the very best that players can get their hands on!
