Train Valley 2 (2019)

Much like its predecessor, TV2 has a campaign mode that has you starting at the age of steam locomotives and with every map done lets you handle more transport goods along with further train types over historical evolution. Besides that mode, there is a map editor and Steam workshop for players to create and share maps with the community. The big plus with this thing is that the dev team arranges weekly map contests AND weekly competition for players, who can win prizes for best time finished on the chosen workshop map.

This sequel shows many improvements and although I am not fully keen on the grid aesthetics of map textures, it’s still fun and should keep devoted players engaged through the above-mentioned interactions with the community.

I'm really bad at this game, but thanks to the workshop on steam and people constantly creating new levels, it's become one of my go-to "chill and do nice puzzles while watching tv" games. I don't know how people get 5 stars on these things, though. I feel accomplished if I manage to get two, lmao. But it's fun and nice even if I'm not a master at it.

I'm working on making my own level, but the only how-to info they give you for their level editor are a series of long, unedited videos full of um's and pauses and etc. narrated by a Russian man in a monotone. x___x It's so painful, lmao.

Train Valley is one of my favorite puzzle games ever. It was a time management/puzzle game surrounding trains, and it was great. Train Valley 2 isn't the same game... almost at all. If you go into it knowing that, and mentally separating the two into separate games, then you can have fun with it. Although a part of me is sad that the developers will be focused on this new game, and won't just be dumping level packs into TV forever, cause like... I'd pay so much for those, lol.

Like... TV was about laying tracks and timing trains in a way that got everyone to where they needed to go in the time allotted while hitting bonus objectives. Funds were harshly limited, with "taxes" being taken out at timed intervals. Trains popped up in a queue at each station and if you didn't handle them fast enough, they'd launch without your permission. Requesting extra trains to make cash came with a startup cost. It was all about the strategy/timing of how to handle the challenges thrown your way throughout each level.

TV2 gives you more control. Trains don't ever release from their stations unless you tell them to, and you don't have to work with limited funds, since there's no penalty for launching tons of extra trains for easy cash. However, instead of just sending trains wherever they want to go and forgetting about them, you have to manage resources to meet objectives. Send workers to the farm to make wheat, send wheat to the dairy farm to make cows, send cows to the city wanting them, etc. You are limited by the number of engines you have at one time, but can purchase and upgrade more as you get more funds.

TV2 is pretty fun, it's just a much different style of game than TV, and I'm not sure the new mechanics create the same level of tension that the original TV did. I've only played the first like... 6 or 7 levels... but it's still really easy compared to TV.

ANYWAY that was 9000 words about train games no one's ever heard of. :P Go play Train Valley and then wait for TV2 to get done with Early Access. Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk lol.