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Train Valley

Train Valley

Alexey Davydov, Sergey Dvoynikov, Timofey Shargorodskiy, Flazm · released Sep 16, 2015

ActionAdventureCasualIndieSimulationStrategyPC

Build railways, manage traffic and stay accident-free. Play in Europe, America, Japan and USSR in 1830-2020. Complete the story mode from the Gold Rush of 1849 to the first manned spaceflight, and then explore the random mode. Management. Construction. Trains. Welcome to Train Valley!

83
VGC Score
Decliningmedium confidence
82%
At launch
90%
Steam all-time
76%
Press
64%
Player sentiment
83%
Recent sentiment

Screenshots & trailers

Review sentiment over time

Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.

How this score was computed

The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.

ComponentPositiveQuality (0-100)Weight (pseudo-reviews)
Press reviews (OpenCritic)763
All-time Steam reviews90%841000
Metacritic user ratings0
Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted)83%765
Calibration prior (typical game)7250

Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 15 reviews sampled · 14 total reviews in window · weighted 9.4 up / 2 down · computed 1h ago · full methodology →

Press & Creators reviews (10)

Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.

  • 80
    trust 70Feb 24, 2016

    Players will be caught up in the wonders of Train Valley as quickly as they learn how to work its mechanics and lay tracks like a rail tycoon, all thanks to its accessible nature and engaging gameplay. The experience gets more challenging over the course of the 24 levels, yet the optional objectives and sandbox mode mean that it caters to a range of skills, so any budding train managers can play without fear of being overwhelmed or bored. The low price of £6.99 means that there is fantastic value of money for pretty much anyone who picks it up as it is easy to quickly get hooked on making the most lucrative and efficient rail networks possible to finish not only all 24 levels, but also all of the optional objectives. Anyone who remains to be convinced should try the free demo on Steam - it is highly likely that it will soon be followed by a purchase of the full version.

    read full review ↗
  • 60
    trust 69Sep 21, 2015

    The game feels like kit-bashed mechanics wrapped in clean and inoffensive modelling and UI design. The core design of the game is pleasant enough, but it is not accompanied by interesting creative tools or mechanical challenges. I like the idea of placing players in different eras and locations, giving them unique tools appropriate to the setting, and seeing what they can do, but at the moment there is just not the depth of play in Train Valley to support that idea.

    read full review ↗
  • 65
    trust 65Oct 7, 2015

    Don't get me wrong, this is a fine, challenging little game, but I emphasise 'little'. This kind of game seems to befit the phone a tad more. Still, what we have here is good, up until you crash trains, that is...

    read full review ↗
  • 80
    trust 65Oct 7, 2015

    The gameplay is the real winner in Train Valley, as it manages to be both frustrating and addictive, but also incredibly rewarding once you finally complete the mission with all the objectives.

    read full review ↗
  • 85
    trust 63Sep 28, 2015

    Overall I'd have to say Train Valley is one of the more enjoyable puzzle games in recent years, combining logical thought with time management, all at a pseudo-relaxing pace.

    read full review ↗
  • 60
    trust 61Oct 12, 2015

    Even though my initial experience was soured with technical problems (which the score is affected by), Train Valley is at least a fairly good puzzle game that gets by with its pleasing aesthetics and easy to understand mechanics, but still manages to supply a challenging and enjoyable game within its limited scope.

    read full review ↗
  • 80
    trust 61Apr 30, 2019

    Slight niggles aside, Train Valley 2 is very easy to recommend to anyone wanting a laid-back management simulator. It’s a beautifully executed hybrid of puzzle game and tycoon sim that charms and challenges in equal measure.

    read full review ↗
  • 100
  • 86
    trust 59Sep 23, 2015

    Train Valley has surprised in so many ways. An interesting, challenging and detailed game in a lovingly small and pleasing package. Offering hours of track building and train crashing in what seems like it should be a basic package. Pure proof that pumping a product full of extra features, that prove extraneous at best, isn't the way to go.

    read full review ↗
  • 88
    trust 50Apr 10, 2016

    A puzzling management sim where you direct trains through history and across the globe.

    read full review ↗

Patch history

  1. 4K support
    Mar 23, 2020
  2. Version 1.1.7.4
    Mar 25, 2019
  3. Version 1.1.7.3
    Jan 9, 2018
  4. Version 1.1.7.3
    Jan 9, 2018
  5. Version 1.1.7.2
    Dec 21, 2017
  6. Version 1.1.7.2
    Dec 21, 2017
  7. Version 1.1.7
    Oct 14, 2017
  8. Version 1.1.7
    Oct 14, 2017
  9. Version 1.1.6.1
    Jul 14, 2017
  10. Version 1.1.6.1
    Jul 14, 2017
  11. Version 1.1.5.5
    Dec 15, 2016
  12. Version 1.1.5.5
    Dec 15, 2016
  13. Version 1.1.5.1
    Dec 9, 2016
  14. Version 1.1.5.1
    Dec 9, 2016
  15. Version 1.1.3
    Jun 24, 2016
  16. Version 1.1.3
    Jun 24, 2016significant · resets scoring window
  17. Version 1.1.2
    Apr 15, 2016
  18. Version 1.1.2
    Apr 15, 2016
  19. Version 1.1.1
    Apr 13, 2016
  20. Version 1.1.1
    Apr 13, 2016
  21. Version 1.1
    Apr 7, 2016
  22. Version 1.1
    Apr 7, 2016
  23. Version 1.0.4
    Feb 24, 2016
  24. Version 1.0.4
    Feb 24, 2016
  25. Version 1.0.3.1
    Jan 14, 2016
  26. Version 1.0.3.1
    Jan 14, 2016
  27. Version 1.0.3
    Jan 13, 2016
  28. Version 1.0.3
    Jan 13, 2016
  29. Version 1.0.2
    Sep 28, 2015
  30. Version 1.0.2
    Sep 28, 2015
  31. Version 1.0.1
    Sep 17, 2015
  32. Version 1.0.1
    Sep 17, 2015
  33. Full Game Release v.1.0
    Sep 16, 2015significant · resets scoring window
  34. Version b1.4
    Aug 13, 2015significant · resets scoring window
  35. Version b1.4
    Aug 13, 2015
  36. Version b1.3
    Jun 22, 2015significant · resets scoring window
  37. Version b1.3
    Jun 22, 2015

…and 4 earlier patch announcements.