Prepare Sim World 6 has advanced dramatically because the first sport within the franchise, launched in 2018.
Again then, the franchise felt scrappy and simplistic, but it surely’s come on leaps and bounds within the years since.
This latest instalment is maybe probably the most polished but: its presentation – whereas flawed below scrutiny – offers you the true sense you’re on a journey, and its suite of accessible content material is bordering on unfathomable at this level.
That’s as a result of Dovetail has been iterating on the identical core foundations for a number of years now, and whereas this sixth version of the sequence is undoubtedly the most effective, it additionally feels considerably superfluous.
For a couple of years now, the UK studio has been releasing annual updates for this sequence which enhance upon the core expertise with out actually reinventing it. It’s turn out to be a bit like a sports activities sport in some methods.
However the developer would rightly argue that you simply don’t must buy this new model in case you don’t wish to: out there till eleventh November, a free consumer named the Starter Pack will let you obtain the improve and import all your current content material totally free. Beneficiant.
So, what’s new, then? Properly, the slogan for this 12 months’s sport is “anticipate the surprising”, and that’s underlined by a variables system which is able to impression your journeys in unpredictable methods.
Whether or not it’s a lightweight failure, a signalling subject, or a damaged window wiper, it’s possible you’ll discover your journeys halted by surprising points. The thought is to present variance to every journey which is able to preserve you in your toes, rising replayability.
When you think about that every route in Prepare Sim World 6 comes with upwards of 500 completely different timetables to finish, it’s an addition that may make every journey really feel contemporary. Pair this with the dynamic climate system and also you do have a superbly versatile foundation for a near-infinite variety of situations.
However the crew, maybe recognising not everybody will wish to cope with these obstacles, has made the random encounters a toggleable choice, so that you don’t must cope with them in case you don’t wish to. That appears good.
The opposite large new addition this time – and no small feat to implement, we’re positive – are passenger bulletins. These embrace the bulletins of upcoming stops and actually do add a stage of immersion to the expertise that’s laborious to place into phrases. When you’ve heard them, it’s laborious to return.
It must be famous that these passenger bulletins solely apply to new routes for now, however Dovetail has proven some curiosity in probably patching them into common previous areas, which might be good.
Sadly, that’s about it for the core sport itself – there are numerous bug fixes and optimisations, however nothing transformative actually. The consumer interface – which was revised a few video games in the past – is generally the identical, and the entire core options from previous instalments stay.
If you happen to’re buying the Normal Version, nevertheless, you’re going to get entry to 3 new routes and their related locos: Morristown (USA), Riviera (UK), and Dresden (Germany).
It’s as soon as once more an emphasis on the identical three nations which have dominated Prepare Sim World since its inception, however with new growth routes deliberate for Japan, Portugal, and Czech Repubic, it does really feel just like the sequence is lastly starting to correctly dwell as much as its identify.
Of the three new routes, we’ve been having fun with Riviera probably the most, which is a coastal route that hugs the Dawlish Sea Wall and takes you on a scenic journey from Exeter to Plymouth and Paignton.
This route specifically actually highlights the enhancements to the sport’s engine over time: you’ll go iconic pink rock cliff faces, seaside cities, and even funfairs – it’s beautiful.
We accomplished one timetable beginning early night, round 5PM, throughout late summer time. And we bought to look at the solar slowly set as we made our manner alongside the 28km-ish line by Torquay, with the sky turning a delicate shade of purple because the day turned to nightfall.
The presentation does nonetheless endure when noticed intently: a few of the observe particulars use pretty fundamental geometry, and the framerate can hiccup even on PS5 because it pulls in new belongings.
However what it does brilliantly is convey the passage of time.
You may spend upwards of an hour finishing a single timetable in Prepare Sim World 6, and also you’ll all the time really feel like time has moved ahead from if you began to if you completed. That’s unbelievable.
Personally, we’re much less eager on the Morristown line simply because we’re not notably keen on the operation of the American trains, just like the Jersey Arrow featured right here. However your mileage might range, and discovering your personal private preferences is a part of the enjoyable.
We also needs to point out the brand new Leipzig line which expands upon Nahverkehr Dresden from a earlier launch. Getting into the colossal Leipzig Hauptbahnhof is, frankly, a jaw-dropping sight – it’s one of many greatest railway stations in Europe.
We additionally actually just like the ICE-T prepare added as a part of this route – it’s such a easy trip.
However we should admit, our eyes are half fixated on upcoming additions, just like the aforementioned Tadami Line in Japan.
Followers have been ready for this one for a couple of years now, and we suspect it’s going to be a milestone second for the franchise which is able to put contemporary eyes on it. You have to to purchase that individually, we should always stress.
If we had one main criticism for Prepare Sim World 6, outdoors of the very fact we don’t suppose an annual launch was actually mandatory, it’s that with a lot content material within the sport it’s turning into troublesome to maintain observe of all of it.
We’re undecided we have now an answer for Dovetail actually, and clearly it’s on the mercy of platform holders like Sony when it comes to the way it rolls all this content material out, however the sport can really feel like a little bit of a jumble at this level. It’s nice that every thing carries ahead, however good luck sustaining all of it.
Maybe additional consumer interface refinements may assist engaged gamers get a greater deal with on every thing they personal and the way it all interconnects? We’ve personally reached some extent now the place we solely preserve our very favorite content material put in.
Conclusion
When you think about how far Prepare Sim World 6 has come since its authentic introduction, it’s staggering. However in contrast on to its predecessor, this new model doesn’t change so much.
The brand new Riviera route is breath-taking, and we actually respect the addition of passenger bulletins and the random occasions that may impede your journey.
However in case you’re not instantly interested in any of the brand new traces, we’d advocate you give attention to the free Starter Pack and look ahead to a few of the upcoming expansions, which is able to embrace all-new nations like Japan, Portugal, and Czech Republic.
