The Metro in Moscow is one of the busiest and most lavish underground systems in the world. Built in the 1930’s, the design of some of the stations is as ornate as they come, based on some of the Tsarist palaces. The stations are deep, running with 294 of them across this large network. And interestingly, a male voice projects the station announcements going into the city centre, and a female voice does one going out. Why? I don’t know, but I like it.
But without the funds to get to Moscow, I decided to jump on a train and explore the underground in Metro Simulator 2.
There have been lots of train simulation games that have come over to our beloved Xbox. Some focus more on the management side of things, or building stations and connecting whole areas of maps. Others like the Train Sim World franchise offer different trains and routes from all over the world, where you get to live out the day-to-day of being a train driver. In Metro Simulator 2 you get that opportunity as well, just in the Moscow Metro system, where you can drive up to two trains in this huge subway.
There are two modes to play with when you load up the game. There is a free mode where you can just go out and explore. But the scenarios are where I started, the main focus for this review. Here you get a guided walkthrough into how each train works and the many things you need to do to get the hunk of steel moving through the tunnels.
It’s worth saying from the get-go that Metro Simulator 2 is, probably, best suited for train fans mostly. The average beginner to this genre might struggle with the mechanics of this game, as the trains here are pretty hardcore to operate. They do feel quite dated, especially when compared to some more modern underground trains. There is a huge amount of learning to do too, in hitting all the right switches and preparing the train to move. The controls are okay though, but some of the button configurations don’t work in the way you might be used to so you have to retune your mind a bit to get used to it.
If you are down with the scene, the two trains that you get to play with are the 81-717 (the old-school one) as well as a more modern 81-740.1B. If you know your trains, you’ll be fine.
The scenarios are good fun to work through, providing quite a challenge to complete. They range from just simple things of getting your train moving, going from stop to stop, picking up passengers and trying to keep to the timetable while stopping your train perfectly. Then there are other ones in which your train may malfunction, or there is a passenger emergency for you to deal with.
In terms of the two trains, what is on offer in Metro Simulator 2 is pretty realistic in the graphics department. They look like the real thing as far as I can tell. The stations and routes have all been recreated well too, working as a true representation of the Moscow Metro. This also goes for the stations as well. It all looks fine, but there isn’t the shine you might want for a current-gen console game. But the passengers only just about look okay; a bit generic and robot-like.
Soundwise, think similar – Metro Simulator 2 has all the noise you might expect, as well as that authentic voice-over from all the destinations for your underground journey.
To like Metro Simulator 2, you’re going to have to be a massive train sim fan. It has some authentic-looking trains, as well as the locations you would expect from Moscow’s massive metro. For me, the scenarios are the best way to play this game as whilst free mode is fine, I like a bit of structure. You should also be aware that the controls are a bit strange, and whilst the visuals are fine, they feel dated, tiring as you spend a lot of time in the Metro Simulator 2 tunnels.
If you must go to Moscow and you like your trains, then Metro Simulator 2 might be the perfect break.
