Railgrade review
Railgrade
Developer: Minkata Dynamics
Publisher: Epic Games Publishing
Release Date: 9/22/2022
Platform: Nintendo Switch, PC
MSRP: 19.99
Finally, a logistics simulator that doesn’t make me feel out of my depth.
I have a confession to make: I’m terrible at logistics sims and programming games. That hasn’t stopped me from repeatedly doing them and taking them on, as the concept, that of building an ever-expanding network of supply chains and transit networks that get larger and larger and more complex, sounds really cool and kind of satisfying. Then I get into actually building the darn things, and suddenly the wheels fall off.
Railgrade is not that kind of game. It’s a logistics simulator, to be sure— you’re building a futuristic train network on an alien planet— but there’s a low enough difficulty curve and enough wit and guidance that you don’t feel like you need an advanced degree in programming or three hours with graph paper to plan things out. It’s one of the most relaxing dystopias you’ll ever have the pleasure of experiencing, and manages to make programming and logistics a lot of fun without sacrificing those beautifully complex networks of supply lines and ever-expanding production. If you’ve ever wanted to get into a game with just the right amount of crunch, you can’t do better than Railgrade.
Railgrade places you in charge of the transportation network for Nakatani Chemicals’ space colony. The previous administrator left things in a shambles, forcing you to step in and straighten out their logistics network before further expanding their material and energy production all over the planet. Do well enough, and they’ll give you vouchers and increased responsibilities. Do incredibly well, and they might even let you go back to Earth.
A lot of what makes the game fun is the remarkable amount of care put into the setting. The ‘80s inspired synth soundtrack is purchased in-game through company vouchers for cassette tapes, and then played in-game through what sounds like a minor distortion filter. Your story mode map looks like a diorama, complete with little motorized zeppelins and LED lights for each stop and route across the planet. The story is even conveyed through terminal messages, with your predecessor both snarking at the company that dropped you both into this mess and also hedging on how much of the work you have to do is actually their fault. You can almost taste the burned coffee from the boxy vending machine in the corner and feel the malfunctioning climate control in the Nakatani offices. Even the idea of using automated trains and zeppelins to get around kind of makes the game feel different, a bizarre science fiction dystopia like a darker version of Peter F. Hamilton’s Commonwealth with more obvious jokes.
There’s also a remarkable sense of humor to the game. The terminals, story mode map, and messages of corporate encouragement from Nakatani all highlight the kind of forced cheer that a capitalist dystopia ruled by a megacorporation plundering the environment for resources would push on its employees. It feels of a piece with games like Inifnifactory and Spacechem, a kind of weird and dystopian tone that’s more deadpan and incisive than the broader, wackier humor of something like Journey to the Savage Planet. Everything from your predecessor telling you how he messed up on the tutorial missions and leaving you to fix things on the map. It helps relax the atmosphere a little, allowing you to loosen up and not take the numerous logistics challenges as seriously.
Which ultimately benefits the game. Railgrade excels at making you feel like you can manage the challenges, using a ranking system rather than a pass/fail system, and pushing you to unlock better rewards the more experienced you get, but not punishing you for not figuring things out. It’s not simple, but it is remarkably generous, allowing you to build tracks without having to worry about collisions, and not punishing you for your improper logic gates the way some logistics simulators do. It’s a reminder that games should be enjoyable to play (yes, even those art games that claim playing them shouldn’t be enjoyable, if no one wants to play your game, you’ve failed to make a game), and that most of us do this sort of thing to unwind. Pathfinding is easy to do with very few snarls, supply chains are easy to figure out, and despite a few elements that seem like they could be easily phased out in the early game (looking at you, catalysts), it’s a pretty solid and fun experience.
Which is what the game is. If you’re not into logistics simulations or rail builders, Railgrade won’t get you to change your mind too much. But if you’re looking for a solid, fun experience with some interesting mechanics and a fun theme, Railgrade is definitely one to pick up. It’s a game that encourages you to run faster routes, unlock more of the game, and just in general play around without as much fear that you’ll definitely mess something up. It’s excellent for a mid-level rail simulator, and if this interests you at all, it’s a good game to pick up.
The Good:
- Excellent story and atmosphere
- Fun soundtrack
- Relaxing progression and unlockable rewards
- A solid experience without heavy crunch or weird pathfinding
The Bad
- Maybe you don’t like train simulators, and in that case it would be a bad idea to play this one
- Lack of time controls can get annoying