Trackline Express

Trackline Express is a train building, track building resource management survival game! That is quite the mouthful there isn’t it? Well, do not let that put you off as this game is a blast and something that slowly got its hooks into me and I ended up having a lot of fun and finding the whole thing a very addictive time. The game has a ton of charm and it is something that I can see clicking with some and just not doing anything for others. The game goes from being chill to crazy at the drop of a hat and that was something I dug about it.

Training The Train

There is not some huge story running through Trackline Express that you have to worry about. Basically, we play as a train passenger who needs to do all that they can in order to keep the train moving towards its destination all the while making sure the passengers are safe, well as safe as they can be on this track line. Picking up passengers, fighting off barbarians, scorpions, and even freaking wildfires are all part of the job here. This is fun stuff and the game has this wacky, charming vibe that I think is pretty awesome.

Essential Resources

One thing you will need to do each time the train stops in Trackline Express is get to work gathering your resources. You need things to expand and improve the train and also to ensure you can defend yourself and buy stuff when needed. From finding coal to keep your train fueled to making sure your passengers are fully energized by gathering potatoes. There are many things that you need to gather and you have to be quick as if you miss stuff out, I found that trying to get stuff you missed was a fool's errand and you were better off just letting it all go.

Doing All The Right Things

Improving your train is a major part of what makes Trackline Express so much fun. From building more beds for your train so you can transport stuff to making a cart so you can transfer your coal to making sure you can store water. There are many things that you will need to build the further down this track you go! You get blueprints as you progress through the game and it is these that will give you the ability to make new things. It is a fun system and I was always excited when I would be able to add something new or even have something so that things could be automated in some capacity.

Protecting What Is Yours!

You will pick up more passengers as you go in Trackline Express and that is a good thing as you need them to protect the train from the invading forces that appear all the freaking time! While combat is part of the game, they keep you on your toes as the game offers daily challenges that will throw a new track with new challenges at you each day. You can make your own tracks, there is a fun tutorial and there is of course a campaign. There is a lot for you to do in this game and it is the kind of thing that honestly gets better the more that you play it.

Pros:

• I love the cartoon and the wacky style of the visuals
• This is the kind of game that makes you think before you act
• I found myself getting more into the game the more I played it
• I liked getting new buildings, passengers, and upgrades as I progressed

Cons:

• Some people will simply not click with this game
• One little mistake can derail your whole operation!

Trackline Express is a simulation of gathering resources and strategically planning ways to transport passengers across the unruly sands of the desert southern border of the United States. Technological advances simply demanded new ways to travel and transport goods quickly. However, laying railroad tracks you had no idea that you would face such a huge number of problems. The desert lands are not at all disposed to a huge amount of resources, and the locals meet progress with spears.

Pros of the game:

• Collect resources and plan your path
• Solve problems and try to bring the passengers alive