Sim Gaming
Train Simulator 2015
Train Simulator 2014/2015 - The Riviera Line is a standalone cut-down version of Train Simulator which contains a single route and a couple of trains. It can be used on its own or incorporated into the main game.
The Riviera Line is the stretch of coastal railway that runs from Exeter to Paignton in Devon, taking in Torquay and Dawlish stations on the way. It's a beautiful journey and I was keen to see whether this could be replicated in Train Simulator 2014. I'm not a big train fan, but I've had fun with the game before, which was offered in a recent deal, and having lived in the area, I have an interest in the route.
Once installed, TS 2014 The Riviera Line will appear in your library and requires another small installation once started. The menu provides you with several options, from career, which will give you a set criteria to accomplish, Quick Drive, which gives you a choice of stations to start, a choice of the FGW HST train as well as the standard Pacer for this route, and lets you just get on with driving the train, plus a free roaming mode (though most of the content doesn't seem to show up in the menu for this).
Graphically, on full settings, the game looks quite pretty. It's obviously not going to be photo-realistic, but it does a good job of representing the route (which I've travelled on myself from time to time), including boats on the Estuary, Farm houses, churches and factories and that famous stretch of Dawlish which was damaged during last winter's storms and appeared on the national news. Even the sea has waves that lap against the shore and you'll notice the steam railway signs (though, sadly, won't be able to play with it). I tried this on an AMD A8 (no dedicated graphics card) and it managed to handle full detail at the laptop's resolution (not full HD) and an i7 with a Nvidia GT 740M which managed full HD and full detail well.
There are scenarios where other trains are expected in the opposite direction, delays on the line and lights to be aware of. It can be quite challenging at times to get to the station on time during some of these tasks. Those who prefer a more leisurely pace can use Quick Drive to choose your starting and finishing point, then go at your own pace, stopping at stations or carrying straight on. In this mode I found that there were no trains coming the other way, so I could enjoy the scenery.
Is the Riviera Line for you? Well, it's only a small section of track but the game's challenges mean that you've got a few scenarios to try out. The issue here is that the game is happy to remind you that many more tracks and trains are available (for fairly high prices) and unless you own the full game already, you'll probably be left wanting more. However, as an add-on to the existing game, this adds a really scenic route to enjoy, especially for those who have an interest in the area.