Train Valley 2 Review

Choo Choo X2
By Lee Marcussen
Reviewed on PC
Released on April 13th, 2019 for PC
Developer: Flazm
Publisher: Flazm

Train Valley is back and better than ever! The second game in the train based puzzle game series. The original game’s review can be found HERE. I really enjoyed playing the first train valley so when the second one came on our review radar, I knew I had to try this one and compare the two. 

Train Valley's basic game premise is to get trains to their destination by building tracks and moving objects. Train Valley 2 is based around you being the sole controller of all aspects, from building rail lines to departing and controlling trains to go from city to city. You have to transport workers to the factories, move raw materials as well as the finished products, and get them to the cities with demands for the products. Train Valley 2 is more complex, making sure you transport enough raw materials to make various products form cut lumber, bricks, tires, motors, to gold. There are many final products that are made based on the individual level. The track building has evolved from TV1 with the addition of tunnels, bridges, and sloped, unleveled ground. This adds difficulty in constructing tracks and money management. You earn money based on trains arriving at their destinations and money is spent on track construction, obstacle demolition, and train upgrades.

Each level is unique and provides its own challenges. They vary from unleveled ground making track construction difficult to big waterways where bridge construction is needed. Each level also contains 5-star objectives that change up from one to another. Some could be earned by having no train collisions, to no building of bridges, while most are for completing the level in a set amount of time. I have found these time constrained ones to be the most difficult. There are over 50 levels and after a set amount of levels the train technology changes, going from steam engines to electric trains. This is a huge benefit in the number of train cars that are attached meaning you can transport more goods with fewer trains. The levels get increasingly difficult with the higher end trains. The materials needed change in difficulty also. Some materials require electric, so you have to move materials around to power plants and distribute the power to the factories accordingly.  

The gameplay is very simple, as the track construction system is very easy to follow. It highlights where you can and cannot build tracks. Destroying objects and placing tunnels or bridges is easy as well. Controlling the trains is simple, and switching tracks to change a train’s directions is simple. You can also stop trains and turn them around in case you send them down the wrong track. There are some simple frustrations that happen with some of the track switching can be hard to click on with objects blocking, but that's the only real drawback with the controls. Visually the game is great and has animations for explosions, factories working and much more that really make what is essentially a simple puzzle style very fun and addicting to play. 

Overall, I really enjoy the changes and the updates to the series with TV2, It's complex, addicting and very fun to play. The levels are challenging and changing in the scenery. The controls are easy and pretty much anyone can pick this game up and have fun. A mode that is new to the game is the level design editor where you can build your own level. This is a very in-depth mode that features terrain editing, building placement, water, pre-set bridges and tunnels.  Not only can you build your own level but you can play other user created levels as well. Although the level editor is great, I have had issues with trying to download other user’s levels to see what other players have developed. 
 
Train Valley 2 is a smash hit for me. I really have nothing bad to say. From controls, concept, to gameplay there is a lot of game here and it is very fun. The level editor is promising and I’m excited to come back to see what others have made. I think Train Valley 2 is a very solid game, and hope to see the series to continue to chug along.
 
*Note: A copy of this game was provided for the purpose of this review.

Final Score: 9/10

+Easy to Learn 
+Great Fun 
+Changing Levels and Trains

-Level Editor Glitches
-Some Control Issues ​