Bve

This very challenging train simulation game and will appeal to the simulation fanatics out there. Unfortunately this is not the easiest game to grasp or even install, but once you have it going, it's great.

You have the choice between two different trains. Pick up your passengers and drive them through the city to their destination, while picking up more passengers at each station. Not as easy as it sounds though, your passengers will get upset and angry with you if you break the speed limit, stop unnecessarily or miss the train station. At the base of your screen is a face that changes from smiley to angry depending on the mood of your passengers.

The graphics in this game are not spectacular but good enough for a simulation. It has nice, realistic sound effects, but nothing great. My only concern is the help and usability of the game. Other than that, it's pretty awesome.

I discovered BVE version 2.6.3 about a year ago and I cannot leave it alone! It's so addictive with routes and trains from all over the world. In my opinion no other cab view simulator can touch it. By the way, it's all FREE thanks to many dedicated enthusiasts worldwide. There is a very useful BVE Forum to join and, if you have a problem or don't understand something, someone out there will always give the help and advice you need. Some routes are fictional, many routes are non-fictional and there are many locomotives and multiple units to choose from, each one having its own realistic characteristics. It's a "must have" for the railway enthusiast.

I first found BVE in October 2004 when I was recovering from my third hospital stay of the year. It's a very good simulation of the train driving experience - I even know a British train driver who rates it very highly! I've contributed two routes to the BVE community - there are about 250 routes available now around the world, mainly for BVE 2, with a growing number for BVE 4. If, like me, you were disappointed with model railways going round and round in circles, you'll be amazed and astounded by BVE's ability to model routes tens or even hundreds of miles long!

While the original review stated problems with installation (I had none), the main problem is a total lack of instructions on how the application works, keyboard commands, etc. I tried several key commands common to many sim's, but this one just stared at me and did nothing. The web site has instructions, but only in Japanese.

For those who understand Japanese, there is a newer version available on the web site. Again, no instructions available, so good luck!