Train Sim World 4 Review

Many may not know it, but currently, I am in the process of becoming a train driver in real life for a very reputable train operating company. So rather than looking at the brand spanking new Train Sim World 4 as just a video game. I also view it as a crucial learning tool to bring awareness and more understanding of what I am learning in the classroom. Many may say I am extremely lucky to be in this position and indeed I am, it is an extremely sought-after career path. But it comes with huge responsibility and an intense amount of hoops to jump through.

Those who would rather be just an enthusiast and get a vision of what driving a train is actually like. Then you have arrived at the right place. The progression of quality and accuracy in the Train Simulator series is sublime. This is down to the teams at Dovetail Games who must spend countless amounts of hours nailing down the routes that are taken with the game. Unfortunately, we don’t see this one in the Xbox Game Pass subscription as we did with Train Sim World 3 which has naturally escaped the service with the arrival of this instalment.

What I have noticed with the Train Sim series is that they seem to adopt the same hub from game to game. So on the face of things, Train Sim World 4 looks identical to the last experience when it comes to the interface. What is different is the routes you’re given depending on which version of the game you opted for. This is where it gets slightly confusing as there are currently 7 different editions of the game. These range from £39.99 through to £109.99.

The standard edition should be enough for those who want to go in with a good feast of content available to them. This version will grant you access to three different traction types starting with the Class 801 Azuma on the East Coast Mainline. If you want everything on offer then you’ll have to opt for the higher priced versions of the game but everything can be purchased seperately if you choose. You’ll be glad to know that if you have purchased expansions over previous years, you’ll carry them across to Train Sim World 4. If you fancy driving the iconic and world famous Flying Scotsman though, you’ll want to glance at the Deluxe Edition.

The Deluxe version of the game will also introduce you to the Metrolink Antelope Valley Line between Los Angeles and Lancaster if you’d like to experience some American train driving. You’ll also get to experience the picturesque S-Bahn Vorarlberg and the urban sights of Nahverkehr Dresden alongside the Railpool BR 193 Vectron Loco Add-On.

I highly recommend that you sign up for a Dovetail Games account if you haven’t already, especially when you first commence. This will give you access to the Creators Club where custom made liveries and more can be shared and downloaded. If you’re not experienced with any of the Train Sim series then I wouldn’t bypass the tutorials on each traction type if I was you. This isn’t like driving a car and you’ll be dealing with the complexity of several buttons, levers and switches and that’s before you start heading towards the infrastructure ahead of you.

The tutorials are incredibly well structured and will guide you from ultimate confusion to a well oiled machine in getting setup in the drivers cab. It is paramount to getting this part nailed before you go out into passenger service so that you can maintain the time constraints coming into and departing the several station stops on specific routes. Not only can you learn this though, you can get stuck into driving around depots, shunting vehicles and generally getting a feel for each type of train you’ll drive. Whether you want to drive under electric wires with an Intercity Express Train, diesel units or the trusty old Scotsman, the choice is yours.

I opted to do a lot of my driving on the East Coast Mainline specifically as I will be driving the Class 800 trains in real life. Diving into the cab of an Intercity Express Train can be incredibly daunting as it almost mimics the cockpit of a plane with so many buttons and gadgets on display. You’ll soon learn that there is a reason for everything. There is a plethora of options to get started with any service, you can drive a full route from over 1000 different timetabled options. You can also create your own scenarios, change the weather, day and night cycle and even make things more challenging for yourself.

Visually Train Sim World 4 is fantastic on the Xbox Series X and handles on the console fluidly with no issues whatsoever in my time with the game. I reviewed Train Sim World 3 and I believe I said it has excelled so much on the previous instalments. The game keeps taking big strides with everything and how it is presented. All the signals, lineside signage, station calling points and landscape is beautifully accurate and detailed. I can say that the designs of both interior and exterior of the trains you will drive is 100% spot on with not a single feature out of place.

Data is well displayed across the well constucted in game UI and the analytics of your driving performance. Keeping to speed limits and adhering the aspect signalling aheadof you will gain you experience towards several ranking systems in game. Audio design is excellent and again mirrors the brilliant work done with the rest of the game.

Train Sim World 4 is incredible and Dovetail Games consistently builds on the great work they have done year after year. From the first Train Sim title that appeared on the Xbox console to now, you can see the game has come on absolute leaps. You simply won’t get a more detailed simulation of what train driving is all about. Whilst from a UI perspective it feels more of a DLC package tacked onto the same UI as last year, the amount of content you are delivered with makes it worth it.