Some might find that whole idea pretty dull, as in reality you could be driving for an hour or more, constantly stopping, letting on passengers and then driving to the next station, but that’s also where the joy of Train Sim World 2 comes in. However, when it all starts to click that is when the game really starts to get interesting, as you get the opportunity to settle down into things and go with the train flow. You need to run to a timetable as well, and when I first started out I would spend so much time just trying to get into the platform without overshooting or undershooting, that any train I was in the cockpit of was certain to be late. The gameplay of Train Sim World 2 pretty much revolves around working out how you modify your acceleration and braking, especially in regards to the signal and speed limits. Why you would feel the need is beyond me. Hell, there’s even a madness mode that lets you put a huge train on the underground if you want to. But even then, should you so wish to design your own scenarios, dictating your own tracks with a specified number of stops and routes determined by you, then you can so wish. For the more experienced you can turn all the help off and just drive using your own skills and some kind of train magic, but I’m pretty sure that the vast majority of players will be thankful for the extra tuition allowed. Whichever route you decide to run, the gameplay provided across all of these tracks and routes is attempting to cater for the beginner, and Dovetail have been kind enough to walk you through the process of driving, step by step. It’s a paired-down experience compared to the other two inclusions, especially in terms of controls, and the sights aren’t quite as exciting – expect a lot of tunnels and blackness, which is of course exactly how the Underground is. This 14-mile track ensures you’ll get to take in the experience of driving a 1972 piece of famous LU stock – it doesn’t get any more exciting than that. It’s the London Underground, and more specifically the Bakerloo line running from Elephant and Castle through to Harrow in the outside world. The last new addition to the Train Sim World 2 list is the one that has had everyone excited in the build up to Dovetail’s latest. And yet it is also here where you get to experience the pure speed and energy of a fast commuter railway – something which is utterly thrilling. It really is a case of sitting back and taking in the German-designed controls and beautifully rendered cockpits they are like being in a spa compared to the others. It’s a whole different set up from the haulage trains and much more relaxing, to be honest. Heading to Germany, it is here where you get to experience the wild speed thrills of the famous DB ICE 3M with speeds of up to 300km per hour, exploring the route from beautiful Koln to Achen. The next trains and routes you take in are much more high-tech. It’s a different experience than that which has previously been delivered via the Train Sim World franchise, and it certainly takes some getting used to, but on the whole time here is enjoyable.

You see, here in these trains things are quite hands-on: you have to go out and fuel the engine, uncouple certain cars and even manually switch the signals. Of course, if you feel that you’re experienced enough or know these trains like the back of your hand then you can switch those options off and try to wing it, but for the majority of players you’ll need as much help as you can possibly get. But you’ll not want to worry because there is the rather soothing voice and guidance of the train instructor, happily guiding you through every maneuver. Taking pride of place in this seat sees you faced with enough buttons to sink a small ship, and more levers than a 1960’s rocket heading for the Moon. You’re first introduced to these lumbering machines by being thrown in at the deep end, chucked onto a seat and called an engineer, rather than a driver.

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