A year after Train Sim World 2 invited budding rail enthusiasts to master the rush hour scenario on PS5, the surprise arrival of its sequel, Train Sim World 3, was more expected than the cancellation of North West London. It’s become something of an outsider. However, significant engine and user interface improvements make this the best simulation ever made by developer Dovetail Games. It’s also a better value than UK train tickets, with some great routes included at launch.
When upgrading from past releases, you will immediately notice UI improvements. There’s a great new ambient soundtrack that blends the sounds of the weather (more on that below) with subtle chords in the background of the menu. Loco can now be searched and filtered, and you can even jump to activities based on time.
One of the big changes is that trains are now separated from their parent routes. This was facilitated by a new training area inspired by the famous German test track. This scenic, Bavarian-inspired sandbox hosts all the Locos you currently own, allowing you to freely explore them in 3D space and appreciate every detail. More importantly, it provides key training exercises and an opportunity to familiarize yourself with its capabilities in a pressure-free environment.
When you’re ready to finalize some timetables, the standard version of Train Sim World 3 comes with three routes to master: the cargo-based Cajon Pass, the impressively huge Schnellfahrstrecke Kassel Würzburg. , extended Southeastern High Speed. While franchise fans may dispute his Dovetail decision to effectively repackage older add-ons, the latter’s expansion from Ebbsfleet to Ashford incorporates a ton of tracks. increase. This is already one of the best routes in the game.
In fact, as a trio, there’s quite a bit of diversity here. Personally, we weren’t big fans of chunky American cargo timetables. So the searing trek of Cajonpass from Barstow to San Bernardino doesn’t exactly turn on the master key. A variety of ways to purchase this sequel ensure you get the content you want. Note that old routes can also be imported. You can also transfer progress and boot.
But the Schnellfahrstrecke Kassel-Würzburg is a surprise. Packed with 186 kilometers of German majestic scenery, this route effectively travels from top to bottom of the country at speeds of up to 280 kilometers per hour. This is an incredible route through viaducts and tunnels and mastering the oft-requested ICE 1. In fact, in the campaign’s opening salvo for this particular route, you can see it running a speed test. Don’t worry too much about traffic lights or speed limits.
This is a great demonstration of what Dovetail has been aiming for. Because it feels like a real trip, like you’ve actually traveled somewhere. Past Train Sim World titles sometimes felt like you were accomplishing your objectives without actually going anywhere, but major visual improvements make the outdoors feel more like the beginning and end of a journey compared to the beginning and end. now looks completely different.
Contributing to this is the new Volume Cloud system, which has a major impact on significantly improved lighting. This means that clouds can be dynamically generated or erased in real-time, meaning the landscape is constantly changing. The outside may appear bright and clear. Otherwise it looks boring and boring. You’ll also encounter different permutations of the spectrum in between.When combined with the day-night cycle, it helps create a sense of the passage of time.
This is important. Because some rail journeys can take him over an hour to complete. This idea that time travels with the train helps build the illusion of travel. It should be emphasized that this feeling is further enhanced by the addition of dynamic weather. This means that service can begin in dry daytime conditions and end in a nighttime blizzard.
So the game overall feels much more immersive and better looking, and the all-important lighting changes liven up the presentation. This is, after all, a niche and relatively low-budget product, and even with the PS5 there are still significant issues with LOD (Level of Detail). This means that as you approach the asset, it will be drawn in. As you can imagine, this is especially problematic in games where the scenery is moving at high speed almost all the time.
Likewise, a game that’s extremely complex means it’s buggy. Whether it’s a basic issue like failing to unlock a trophy or a more specific issue with signals, you’ll come across moments where the game doesn’t behave as expected. One of the biggest oversights is that despite having some very robust tutorials overall, the game sometimes fails to present important concepts. This asks Google for a solution to a problem the title never tries to tell you. .
But it’s safe to say that Train Sim World 3 knows its audience. If you’re going to buy a simulator this deep and complex, you’re going to accept the idea that you’ll need to dig into more information. you get stuck This is an area where Dovetail can improve, but the training center at least gives us a chance to experiment and feel around the locomotive before we get to the good stuff.
Conclusion
Train Sim World 3 is Dovetail’s most immersive train simulation yet. For the first time since the series debuted, the game gives you the illusion of actually traveling. Also surprisingly huge routes like the Schnellfahrstrecke Kassel-Würzburg can help. While this release still has some glaring visual flaws, new lighting, volumetric he clouds, and a dynamic weather system take the presentation to the next level. Also, the user his interface improvements should not be underestimated. While a title like this doesn’t target his audience to be particularly large, few other franchises strike such a balance between simulation, virtual his tourism, and zen-like relaxation.
