Sid Meier's Railroads! Critic Reviews

Beautifully crafted, Sid Meier’s Railroads! is a masterful experience — as you would expect from the master himself.

A puzzler, railway sandbox and smart management game.

Sid Meier's Railroads looks good and is addictive, but the small scenarios and the simple economics make it only a good game, not an instant classic.

The gameplay's execution, balance, and hidden depths are simply too rare to be overlooked by fans of economic-based strategy games, railroad enthusiast, and Sid Meier fans.

Whether you're an old-timer who wants to revisit the past or a noob looking for an accessible economic sim with a great theme, Railroads! should be on your shopping list.

The interface is mostly excellent, but it doesn't properly tell you why a train can't reach a station. That can drive any player to distraction.

All train devotees mustn't pass on this one. In all honesty, I believe that a choo-choo addict dwells somewhere within all of us, so everyone should give the game a try or rent it at the very least. You won't be disappointed with the content and gameplay it has to offer.

Railroads! is way more fun than the subject matter suggests it ought to be, which is a credit to its design team.

But as complex and rewarding as building a railroad empire can be, it rarely feels daunting or tedious, which is perhaps the best thing that can be said for a game of this type.

The real fun comes in planning the best routes and laying track in the most efficient manner that also just might happen to mess your competitor up a bit.

The only real problem with the game is that it sticks pretty close to its prescribed formula. You build trains, make money, and drive competitors out of business. You won’t uncover layer upon layer of depth, you’ll just get more efficient.

Add in online multiplayer support for up to four wannabe tycoons, and you've got the best railroading sim since the original Railroad Tycoon. Some gamers may find Sid Meier's Railroads! a little on the simplistic side, but it makes for a nice, light snack.

An accessible business strategy game with choo choos - but behind the faintly sickening opening video, there's a silo full of deep fun to be had here.

A relaxing, engrossing experience that is bound to attract those who have the mindset and patience. A subtle work of art.

Running the game smoothly without a good system is going to be hard, but at least you’ll be treated to some imaginative gameplay.

There just isn’t enough challenge to make this the type of game that invites obsession.

Fun and accessible, but should've been named "Railroads Lite."

Enriched with lovely graphics, an inviting gameplay structure and that special Meier something, Railroads! could’ve been a real gem for train simulation fans. However, with a few flaws such as simple and repetitive goals, and a game that is an absolute system hog, Sid Meier’s Railroads! isn’t as great as we expected.

Anyone who has a fond memory of the original classic from Microprose will instantly fall in love with the game. Sid Meier’s decision to go back to basics after the over complicated Railroad Tycoon 3 has paid off.

Sid Meier’s Railroads! isn’t a game I’d recommend for strategy fans. Most of the things that made the Railroad Tycoon franchise fun and challenging were either removed or dumbed down here, and the result is a game that might appeal to casual gamers who like trains... or it might not.