By the time a game reaches its 5th iteration we're generally slightly jaded and maybe even fed up with it, but as lifelong train lovers we were quite excited about the arrival of Train Sim World 5.
TSW5 boasts several new features and comes with 3 new routes; West Coast Mainline: London Euston to Milton Keynes, Frankfurt – Fulda: Kinzigtalbahn, San Bernardino Line: Los Angeles - San Bernardino, and a free update of Cajon Pass if you owned it previously. A free "starter pack" version was also available for a period and is available on Xbox Game Pass–the perfect way to find out if Train Sim World is your cup of tea.
TSW5's UK route is West Coast Mainline: London Euston to Milton Keynes. This has a number of varied trains that run on it: Class 350/1 EMU, Class 390 AWC Pendolino, Class 66 DB, 1972 MkII Tube Stock LU and the familiar Class 377/2. The WCML is mostly commuter traffic but also has 38 freight services on the bustling 4-track main line that stretches from the northwest corner of London to Milton Keynes.
A new German route, Frankfurt – Fulda: Kinzigtalbahn, is serviced by the BR 411, BR 423 DB, 766.2 DBpbzfa DB, BR 114 DB, BR 146.2 DB and the Flixtrain BR 193 Vectron DB. This is the first Frankfurt route to have the TSW treatment and is a vital commuter, regional and international hub, the massive Frankfurt (Main) Hauptbahnhof has been intricately modelled and is regarded as one of the most important stations in Germany.
Our American rail journey is on the San Bernardino Line: Los Angeles – San Bernardino. This 57-mile route has a mixture of passenger and freight trains that run from the sprawling LA metropolis all the way to the foothills of the San Bernardino mountains. Passenger traffic is handled by the MP36PH-3C ML ("Baby Bullet"), EMD F125 Metrolink, Totem Bi-Level Cab Car Metrolink, with the BNSF ES44C4 and the BNSF SD40-2 on freight duty. The humongous railyard at Barstow and a lengthy stretch of track that runs down the centre of the San Bernardino freeway (the I-10 freeway) are sights to see!
TSW5 has a good selection of imaginative scenarios to play across all the routes, and they certainly add a little variety and fun compared to regular timetabled services. The training center has been improved and expanded, including more available locomotives than before, including the Stanier 8F, so if you've never driven a steam train before here's your chance!
Although pop-up and LoD (level of detail) pop are still issues, cosmetically I think the game looks a tad better than TSW4, both in the menus and in-game. Improvements such as simply pointing at a dashboard screen and pressing 'A' to get a fully interactive close-up view are real "quality of life" improvements, as are the interactive map improvements that feature labelled tracks, signals & their aspects, and easier to select points/switches. This new interactive map actually looks like it may be preparing us for some sort of multiplayer mode as the player's train is marked as such. I'm still not sure why we need two maps, the other one is a simple route map with the various locations labelled, which doesn't always scale well and can be unreadable and useless on some routes.
A new, more immersive "Minimal HUD" is now available which sits in the top left corner and can have info added/removed as required. This is a great feature, cleans up the screen and I think most experienced TSW players will try it. The only thing I don't like about the new HUD is the new "passenger loading/unloading" gauge, which looks a bit like an old barber's pole and the redesign of which (from a filling "dial" gauge) wasn't necessary.
Improvements to the user interfaces of the Livery Designer, Scenario Planner and Formation Designer apps seem to (mostly) work well, including more layers for designers to play with and a visual preview of any custom formations.
While I think of it, a keyboard command editor in the console versions would be nice. I'm sure the PC version has this, but I play on Xbox with one of those mini-keyboards and would love to be able to edit and even disable a couple of commands that I either don't use or that I think are placed badly.
The tutorials and guidance are improved over previous versions, covering everything from the wonders of LZB and safety systems to correct hill start technique. One issue I did find with what is probably the most n00b and user-friendly TSW yet, is the lack of a tutorial for the 1972 Stock Tube Train, which has a control key & switch almost hidden down the left side of the driver's seat–the activation of which is vital before you're going anywhere, and is unlikely to be found by anyone in a hurry. A favourite gripe of mine is 'why does the multicoloured stop marker keep reappearing every time you do a tutorial?' Do Dovetail think you need this huge, brightly coloured immersion-sapping carbuncle every time you drive a new locomotive? The simple objective marker is all I ever play with, and along with the various other HUD indicators and notifications, all I ever need.
A much-requested mode that's been experimented with in previous routes is now a feature; CONDUCTOR MODE is a new way to play as you take on the role of a guard/conductor. An AI driver handles the locomotive and your job is to check tickets, operate the doors and ensure passenger safety. This is a real change from driving and you get to see a lot more of the train.
As with every version of Train Sim World the locomotives and rolling stock rightly get the most detail lavished upon them, and the addition of more intricate and working suspension is the "cherry on the cake." It looks awesome in action and if you were one of those (like me) that thought it was a waste of time and resources... then you're wrong. The passengers and road vehicles however, seem to have hit a technology wall and have improved little since they first appeared in TSW2. This is probably due to the shackles imposed by Dovetail needing to make it possible for the game to run on the aged "Gen 8" consoles (PS4 & Xbox One).
Talking of passengers, there seem to be a few new character models and variation in clothing, and people carrying luggage and using umbrellas is more common, but they still have a rather basic, clone-like look and robotic movement. Oh, and the road vehicles that we so often see as we hurtle by on our train? Well they look like original PlayStation era models, act like they're also on rails, change speed abruptly, sink into the ground or hover above it, and pass through other vehicles & scenery—and even simply vanish in some places!
Another new feature, ROUTE HOPPING allows you to continue your journey as you "hop" from one route to another (as long as you own the DLC route(s) involved). This is possible from common locations, such as San Bernardino, which will also allow hopping to Cajon Pass, by simply walking to a portal with a cone icon and pressing 'A'. There is also a portal at the L.A. Union Station which allows you to "hop" to the Antelope Valley Line. A full list of Route Hopping locations can be found here:
Route Hopping is an interesting feature, but I honestly can't see it having a wide appeal as you're going to need a complete knowledge of each route's timetable or you're just going to be standing around on station platforms a lot. Not all of them seem to work at the time of writing, and some only work one-way.
At this point it's worth mentioning that there have been some issues with compatible content from earlier TSWs, but Dovetail have assured users that fixes are on the way.
Train Sim World 5 is without doubt the best yet, and the fact that most DLC from previous games is compatible (or will be) is a huge bonus. The promise of a steady stream of varied DLC (including routes from places other than the dominant USA, UK and Germany rosters) will surely keep the game fresh until the inevitable arrival of Train Sim World 6–hopefully designed from the ground up for the 4-year old "next gen" Gen 9 consoles.
Many thanks to Dovetail Games and Lick PR.