Deal | Tricky and cheap: Railway puzzler (89% positive) just over $1 for the first time on Steam

In Train Valley 2, players take on the role of a railway manager and have to make sure that goods and workers get where they are needed. To do so, they lay tracks, connect cities with factories and gradually build increasingly complex production chains. What initially sounds like a classic railway simulation quickly turns into a tricky logistics puzzle: The busier the map gets, the more important clever route planning and good timing become.

The gameplay is all about careful planning. Players send their trains on their way, operate switches and have to make sure the little locomotives do not get in each other's way. Bridges and tunnels open up additional possibilities for route planning, while limited starting capital forces players to think carefully about where an investment is worthwhile. Things get particularly interesting with the 50 missions: Each one awards a rating of up to five stars. A relatively simple solution is often enough to complete a mission, but anyone aiming for all five stars will have to put their brain to work and meet additional time and bonus objectives. With 18 locomotive models, more than 45 types of wagons and over 2,500 community-made levels in the Steam Workshop, there is also plenty to do.

It is precisely this combination of an easy-to-understand core concept and increasingly challenging puzzles that players particularly enjoy. Steam reviews especially praise the mix of puzzle and management gameplay, the rewarding star system and the high replay value. The charming low-poly visuals also receive plenty of praise. However, the game is not without criticism: Some players find the later levels increasingly repetitive and tedious. Those aiming for all five stars also have to contend with occasionally stressful time limits. Particularly frustratingly, a mistake in a longer mission can, in the worst case, mean having to start all over again. Overall, however, the ratings are still convincing: 89% of more than 3,000 player reviews are positive.

Train Valley 2 normally costs $14.99 on Steam. Until September 5, however, a 92% discount brings the price down to just $1.19. According to SteamDB, previous discounts topped out at 88%. The current deal therefore not only marks a new all-time low, but also brings the game close to the $1 mark for the first time. On the Steam Deck, the railway puzzler is rated as “Playable.”

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