You must transport passengers and goods via trains, trucks, planes, and ships in Transport Fever 2. There is a simple satisfaction in getting something where it needs to go as efficiently as possible, and that sense extends to the gameplay experience as a whole.
It’s probably worth stating upfront that Transport Fever is the definition of an enthusiast series. The idea of creating a complex, interlocking web of systems may not appeal to you. Still, if you’re anything like us, you’ll find yourself disassociating for hours at a time, entranced by the possibility of a new locomotive shaving a few more moments off of your most profitable route.
The main draw here is probably Free Play mode, which allows you to generate a random map using predetermined factors, such as climate, geography, continent, and difficulty. A fairly granular level of detail is possible, and you can share particularly cool maps with others using the associated seed, which is a nice touch.
Transport Fever 2 looks great for the type of game it is, with a pleasing amount of detail to each in-game vehicle model, of which there are hundreds. The environment, too, is pleasing to the eye, and you might think twice about demolishing a particularly scenic vista. Technically, it has some frame rate issues, and even in Performance Mode never really felt like it was hitting a stable 60 frames per second. Granted, a lot is going on under the hood, and strategy games of this ilk are notoriously CPU intensive, but it’s still disappointing it isn’t more consistent.
Conclusion
Transport Fever 2 is the type of enthusiast sim that will keep its target audience rapt for hours. Even with its extended tutorial, it’s difficult to parse for everyone else. In spite of some questionable dialogue and an inconsistent frame rate, it’s undeniably satisfying.
Pros:
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Satisfying supply chain construction.
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Vehicles are impressively detailed.
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Line management is a breeze.
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The soundtrack is mostly full of bops.
Cons:
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The learningcurve is incredibly steep.
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The frame rate feels inconsistent.
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Dialogue can be hit or miss.
The score is 7 over 10.