Puz: Train Tracking [by Demon Star]

Game Review: Train Tracking
Release: Feb. 28, 2003
Genre: Action
Developer: Demon Star
System Requirements: PII300+, 32Mb, 16Mb Video Card, DirectX 7, 800x600 Full screen
Price: UK £10

Yes, from the nation that brought you "blood pudding" and "spotted dick" comes the strange past time of trainspotting. Understandably the developers have chosen to go with the title of "Train Tracking" in order to avoid any confusion, rest assured you will not require a methadone prescription after playing this game. On the other hand...

Before you write this off as a quirky but somewhat misguided shareware puzzler I urge you to keep reading because Train Tracking is easily one of the most underestimated games of the year.

In Train Tracking the majority of the screen is occupied by an overhead view of the station and on the right hand side is a list of the serial numbers of specific trains you are trying to “spot”. When trains roll through the station you read the serial numbers printed on them and if they are on your list you click the corresponding button. You have 3 minutes to spot all of the trains on your list. The concept is pure simplicity and doesn’t sound terribly exciting – in fact when I played the first level I couldn’t believe that was all there is to the game.

But the trains speed up and as you progress more trains will pass through the station simultaneously, overlapping each other and making their serial numbers difficult to spot. Also there are industrial trains which have the serial number printed on them only once, if you miss it pulling into the station you will have to wait until it comes back later. The horrendous UK weather doesn’t help matters either with rain, snow and flashes of lighting distracting you from your newfound obsession. The number of trains you have to track increases with each level. For more challenge you can also adjust the difficulty setting to affect the frequency that trains will appear (and the likelihood of you spotting them) and also the length of the serial numbers, which really makes things tougher.

What really impresses me about Train Tracking is that I went into the game expecting, nay wanting, not to like it and yet it still won me over. My experience seems to be common if the reviews on the developers website are any indication. I started thinking I wouldn’t like the game and two hours later I found that I was still playing it. I also discovered that it’s a great game for couples, even if your spouse or “significant other” is a non-gamer. My girlfriend and I play it together a lot, she calls out serial numbers as she spots them and I check them on our list. It’s really fun in a strange, guilty pleasure kind of way

So, never mind the bubble and squeak, love - just fetch some jellied eels on your way to the station. This new Train Tracking game takes the biscuit!

Graphics: 8
The 2D graphics are crisp and colorful – exactly as they should be for this type of game. There is an overall “fun” feeling to the visuals from the trains to the weather effects and especially the poor souls freezing their backsides off waiting at the station.

The train stations are dotted with people and if you hover your mouse over them you can learn a few details about each person, almost like a mini-adventure within the game. If this had been expanded into a true sub-game of some sort it would have really added some depth. As it is though, train tracking is still great fun!

Sound: 8
The ambient sounds are nicely done and add very much to the feeling of being in a cold, miserable train station (I mean that in a good way). Special props should go to the musicians at Future Developments who wrote the theme song for the game. It is very rare that I don’t immediately try to shut the default music but the theme song here adds just the right amount of levity.

Game play: 9
Train Tracking is surprisingly fun and addictive. The game runs smoothly no matter how crowded the screen gets with trains or weather effects and the interface is nicely designed and never obstructs play. This is a very simple game to pick up for beginners but with plenty of longevity for the more hardcore puzzle gamers.

Options: 8
There are plenty of options for adjusting the audio, display and difficulty settings. The ability to play in windowed mode would have been a nice addition or to at least be able to quickly hit escape to get out of a game if necessary but otherwise the game is flexible enough to suit any user.

Concept: 10
What can I say? I was blown away by how simple and yet how fun this game is. It’s a hard game to classify since it doesn’t really fit the mold as a puzzle game or an arcade game. I honestly can’t recall any games that have used quite this same concept so I’m giving the developers a perfect 10 here – congratulations for coming up with a truly original game in the era when most shareware developers seem content to pump out mindless Popcap clones!

Fun: 9
I don’t know how fun train spotting would be in the real world but on the PC it’s a blast. This is a great game for puzzle and classic arcade fans and also a terrific way to introduce non-gamers to the PC. I highly recommend trying this as a “couples” activity.

Overall: 9
That’s right, I gave a 2D game about trains potting an overall score of 9 out of 10!

Take it from this diamond geezer - even if you’re one of those blokes who’s tight as a gnat’s chuff you’d have to be two sandwiches short of a picnic not to be bloody chuffed as nuts with Train Tracking. Wait…what the hell did I just say?
Added: July 12th 2003
Reviewer: Kyle Nau
Score:
Related Link: Train Tracking Website
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