2K Games Sid Meier's Railroads review

Modern trains are often criticised for being overcrowded, under-financed and poorly run.

However, the mid-19th century was a golden age for railways, a romantic era of technological breakthroughs that revolutionised transport, industry and communications. Sid Meier's Railroads attempts to re-create those heady days of steam with this strategy game.

The basic gameplay involves connecting towns and resources with railway tracks and then devising profitable routes for your steam engines to ply. Choose wisely and cash will come flooding in, increasing your share value. Rival rail barons, either computer-controlled or online opponents, compete to fulfil contracts and outperform you financially. Drop too far behind and you'll find yourself selling shares in your company to stay afloat. The game is over if one of your opponents mounts a successful takeover bid, buying you out and taking control of your network.

The business may be cut-throat, but the graphics are enchanting. It looks more like a gigantic toy railway set than a realistic representation of the period. It's a system hog, though, and only those with powerful graphics cards will get it running smoothly in full detail.

Keeping an eye on everything can be tricky as your network grows, but thankfully there isn't an excess of extra features to look out for. Our main gripe is the lack of any structured campaign mode; there are only seven single-player maps, although many more should be available for free download once the scenario editor is released.

This isn't the most complex or realistic-looking strategy game, but it did stoke our interest in the history of the railways. Hardcore fans of the Tycoon series of games may find it a touch simplistic, but others will love tinkering with this nearly limitless toy train set.

Author: Sam Nolan