And, fortunately, so is the gameplay.
Railroad Tycoon II: Platinum is how a value-added package should be done; it contains both the original
Railroad Tycoon II, the
Second Century expansion pack, and an absolute boatload of new scenarios for you to play around with. Indeed, my main complaint with the bundle stems from some of the cost-saving maneuvers done to keep the price down; namely, the lack of printed manual and strategy guide (which are available in electronic form) gives the game a larger learning curve than it really should have.
For those of you who never played the original Sid Meier classic, or the original release of this update, an introduction is necessary. Railroad Tycoon II puts you in the shoes of a railroad mogul, starting off at the beginning of the industry and taking you--via the Second Century expansion pack--all the way into the near future. Throughout those times, you'll be able to build track all across the world, connecting industries, moving passengers and in general making lots of money. Of course, you have to worry about the computer opponents doing the same, and the level of complexity in the game is nothing to scoff at.
There are two main ways to enjoy the single-player experience. The first, and most enthralling, is by embroiling yourself in the two single-player campaigns. Each of them has over a dozen missions, and they're meant to be played in order, bringing you from budding neophyte to seasoned veteran. The challenges range from the simple 'build from here to there' to the frighteningly puzzle-like, especially when it comes to the Second Century campaign. Deep-end divers take note: starting with that campaign is liable to make you pull your hair out in frustration very quickly, so don't do it. There are also a ton of different scenarios, which can be seen as one-shot campaigns; unless you turn the sandbox mode on, where it's basically free play, the object is usually to get a certain amount of money before a given time. There are enough scenarios to keep anyone happy for months on end.
The core gameplay of Railroad Tycoon II: Platinum has to deal with railroads and routes, of course. Scattered around the map but usually concentrated in towns and cities, you'll find a number of industries. These range from raw production locations, such as sheep farms and the like, to production facilities which turn one sort of good into another. In addition, cities and towns all have needs (goods, food) that should be sated. Doing this successfully requires careful planning of routes, purchasing of trains and managing the cars on the trains.
The track-laying and car-management portions of Railroad Tycoon II are complex enough, but that's only the surface of the title. You can also buy industries, in an attempt to get even more of the profit. You can also play the stock market, in an attempt to increase both company wealth and personal wealth. The level of strategems is deep but not overwhelming, and the tutorial in the manual does a good job of easing you into the game. There's still a lot to learn once you complete that, though, and only experimentation will reveal all of the game's complexities.
If you tire of the vast single-player experience, you can always play the game multiplayer on the Internet or on a LAN. Unlike the standard game, time always flows at a constant rate, requiring you to plan quickly. The AI is sharp, but humans are sharper, and while it's hard to find people who are willing to spend hours on a game like this, it's a fulfilling experience.
