Two years ago, I wrote about the complexity of getting things from A to B in a review for the PC version of Transport Fever 2. This is not always easy and you know the pitfalls of management from similar games and city builders. Although Transport Fever 2 focuses solely on transport and now also on the consoles. Does the game fit there?
The quick answer to this question would be yes. At the right moments, Transport Fever 2 also exudes this fascination on the consoles, which such games now exert. You get lost in the details, in the planning of your transport routes, you only build this, only that and hey, where did the two hours actually go? You know that.
Transport Fever 2 isn’t made for everyone
Conversely, this means that you also need a spark of enthusiasm for the transport of goods. For building production chains. For City Builder and similar games. It’s not for everyone, but that’s totally okay too. Basically it works similar to the PC. If you are primarily concerned with the basics, you can also read this test again. The campaigns are essentially an extended tutorial, which is good for those new to the game. There is no better way to introduce you to the game.
The heart of the game is also on the consoles the free play. Put together a randomly generated map based on various factors or simply jump into a map without changing anything yourself. Now it’s up to you to build a successful transport company. Here’s a bit of the opening chapter, now go on your way and take care of the rest. Admittedly, it’s not really the way newcomers to Transport Fever 2 should be introduced. At a certain point, when you’ve internalized a lot, that’s the most fun.
A successful implementation?
As said, if you approach this game the wrong way it can all be a bit overwhelming. Start with the campaign and you’ll find that everything has been adapted quite well for the console. The menus are tidy and clear and the controls are not too complex. On the contrary, you have a pretty good overview, which makes it easy to define transport lines and quickly assign means of transport. You can tell that the development team gave some thought to the porting.
On the technical side, things are not yet perfect. Transport Fever 2 looks quite handsome, the landscapes are convincing and the models of the individual means of transport are also designed in detail. However, there are occasional problems or bottlenecks with all the calculations under the hood, which results in an inconsistent frame rate at times. Incidentally, I can only speak for the Xbox Series X on which I tested it. I’m assuming it’s going to be similar on the PS5 though. It is a point where a few subsequent performance optimizations would still be desirable.
Transport Fever 2 (Xbox, PlayStation) – Conclusion
There are not many such games on the consoles. It’s all the nicer that the implementation of Transport Fever 2, apart from a few performance problems, was largely successful. Once you get the hang of it, you can easily create transport lines and build your own transport empire from the 19th century to the present day.
And that can be a fascinating thing if you put your mind to it. Watching not only your transport company, but also the cities grow and prosper is a joy. Bit by bit everything becomes more comprehensive, more complex, at the same time it leaves a very satisfying feeling when everything works. If your interest is a little less city builder and more transport management, you should give Transport Fever 2 a try. In general, if you like such games, you can have a lot of fun with them.
Transport Fever 2 (Xbox, PlayStation) Rating: 7/10
Transport Fever 2 (Xbox, PlayStation) – Pros and Cons
Per:
- In-depth economic simulation
- Detailed environments and models
- Extensive production chains
- Well adapted control
Cons:
- Steep learning curve if you get it wrong
- Frame rate not consistently at one level
Developer: Urban Games – Publishers: Nacon- Platforms: Xbox Series X/S (tested), PlayStation 5, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 – release: 10/20/2022 – Genre: simulation, management Price (RRP): €49.99 (Standard Edition), €59.99 (Deluxe Edition)
You can buy Transport Fever 2 in Microsoft Store and in PlayStation Store.
