Railway Empire
By Michael Lafferty,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
All aboard solid simulation of the rise of the rails.
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this game.
Where to Play
Videos and Photos
Railway Empire
Community Reviews
Based on 1 parent review
good game
Report this review
What’s It About?
RAILWAY EMPIRE is a train and railroad company simulation that features a variety of campaigns and scenarios that initially start in 1830 and roll into the year 1910. Players create a network of train tracks and are responsible for buying and maintaining the 40 different engines available in the game. They'll also build stations and maintain buildings, factories, and even tourist attractions to keep their railroad company one step ahead of the computer-controlled competition. Railway Empire also features more than 300 technologies ranging from mechanical improvements to workplace infrastructures and advanced amenities. With four game modes featuring five campaign chapters, 11 scenarios, and seven sandbox regions with five time periods in each region to choose from, players have lots of options. Players can also download further expansion packs that take them to new locations around the world, such as Germany, Mexico, Australia, and more, which provide new challenges, tradeable goods, and engines to use on their lines.
Is It Any Good?
Grab a seat on an entertaining ride across time in a railroad simulator that features something for everyone. Railway Empire is a solid game that features many gameplay options based on historical time periods as well as actual environments and technology. It also sprinkles in a dash of history to give the settings relevance, and then challenges players with creating, maintaining, and building an empire in a manner that will attract gamers of all ages. The visuals are terrific, up close or from a distance, and the sound is a solid supporting cast member that drives the theme home. Perhaps the biggest element that Railway Empire boasts is the variety of settings you can play with; the campaign has five chapters that touch on time periods from the early 1800s through the Civil War and into the 20th century. The Scenarios mode has 11 time periods and difficulties ranging from medium to hard, and the Sandbox mode features 35 time periods spread across seven regions from coast to coast. Plus, once you're done with
If the game has a failing, it might be in the control scheme and initial tutorial that fails to fully relay the mechanics of a game element like laying down side tracks. When it comes to fine motor skills, such as meticulously creating side rails, the game controls feel like trying to draw fine lines with a brick. Railway Empire requires clicking on rail heads that are sometimes buried inside towns and can be tricky to catch just right to activate them. Sometimes when you think you've created additional tracks within the parameters of what's asked for, the dollar sign fails to light up to actually initiate the construction. The tutorial instructions are cursory and may be a stumbling block for younger gamers. The Nintendo Switch version of the game has tighter controls thanks to the analog nubs, so it's easier to control, but it's main tradeoff is that the text is almost impossible to read unless you've docked the system to a TV. Once you steam past these issues though, Railway Empire still delivers the goods as a sim that not only challenges, but is big on entertainment.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the history and importance of the train and how it figured into the economic and migration of settlers across the country. How did the train system help evolve the United States? What were some of the hurdles that it had to overcome?
What makes simulation games entertaining and what relevance do they have in teaching players about important concepts such as fiscal planning and management? What about problem-solving? What's intriguing about the genre? What can be learned?
Game Details
- Platforms: Linux, Nintendo Switch, Windows
- Pricing structure: Paid
- Available online?: Available online
- Publisher: Kalypso Media Digital
- Release date: June 19, 2020
- Genre: Simulation
- Topics: Adventures, History, Trains
- ESRB rating: E for No Descriptions
- Last updated: June 19, 2020
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
Where to Play
Our Editors Recommend
Simulation Games and Apps
Great Games That Teach Strategy
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate