Epic Trains 4

If you like trains you might like this game. If you love trains you might love this game? If trains killed your father and married your mother and now sit on the throne of Canada, you might not have long to live.

Not just trains, planes and automobiles as well! A great management sim without too much bloat. Oh, and there's also boats.

Epic Trains 4 is an ambitious indie transport management and empire-building simulator developed and published by Andrew Rowe that aims to capture the long-term satisfaction of classic tycoon games while expanding their scope with modern presentation and multi-modal logistics. Rather than focusing solely on railways despite its name, the game invites players to design an interconnected transportation ecosystem that spans trains, buses, trucks, planes, and ships. From the outset, Epic Trains 4 positions itself as a sandbox for players who enjoy watching complex systems grow organically from humble beginnings into sprawling networks of infrastructure and commerce. The core experience revolves around building and optimizing transport routes across procedurally generated maps. Players begin with limited funds and basic infrastructure, then gradually expand by connecting towns, industries, and resource nodes. Each transport type has its own role and strengths, encouraging thoughtful planning rather than a single dominant strategy. Trains excel at moving large quantities of goods over long distances, road vehicles handle local distribution, aircraft provide speed for passengers and mail, and ships enable large-scale or international logistics. This layered design means that success often comes from combining systems intelligently rather than relying on brute expansion. Economic management plays a central role in Epic Trains 4. The game features a wide range of cargo types and demands that fluctuate as cities grow and industries develop. Establishing profitable routes requires attention to supply chains, vehicle capacities, and operational costs. Poorly planned networks can quickly become financial drains, while efficient logistics reward players with steady income and expansion opportunities. The satisfaction comes not from moment-to-moment action, but from seeing a carefully planned system begin to run smoothly, with vehicles moving in rhythm and resources flowing predictably. Visually, Epic Trains 4 adopts a 3D isometric perspective that allows players to observe their networks from both a strategic and a more immersive viewpoint. While the graphics are modest and utilitarian rather than flashy, they effectively convey scale and movement, letting players zoom in to watch vehicles operate or pull back to analyze bottlenecks and coverage gaps. The presentation favors clarity over spectacle, which suits a management-focused game where readability and information flow are essential. Interface elements are functional and generally straightforward, supporting mouse-driven control and emphasizing accessibility. In terms of depth, the game strikes a middle ground between approachability and complexity. Newcomers to the genre can grasp the basics of building routes and assigning vehicles without being overwhelmed, while experienced transport sim players will find plenty of room for optimization and long-term planning. Fine-tuning routes, balancing multiple transport modes, and adapting to new map layouts create a steady sense of progression. Because maps are procedurally generated, each new game presents fresh geographic challenges, encouraging players to rethink strategies rather than rely on a single optimal setup. As an indie title, Epic Trains 4 shows both its strengths and its rough edges. The scope of its systems is impressive for a solo-developed project, but there are moments where mechanics feel underdeveloped or where bugs and balance issues can interrupt the flow of play. These issues are especially noticeable during longer sessions, where stability and polish become more important. However, the underlying systems are strong enough that these problems feel like growing pains rather than fundamental flaws, particularly given the game’s ongoing development and active engagement with player feedback. What ultimately defines Epic Trains 4 is its sense of scale and patience. It is not a game that rushes players or provides constant spectacle; instead, it rewards careful thinking, experimentation, and incremental improvement. Watching a small network evolve into a continent-spanning transport empire delivers a quiet but powerful sense of accomplishment. For fans of transport tycoons, logistics simulators, and sandbox management games, Epic Trains 4 offers a compelling foundation with plenty of room to grow, standing as a promising entry in the genre that emphasizes creativity, strategy, and the joy of well-designed systems working in harmony. Rating: 6/10

I know this is a cheap game, but still. After starting a new game, the only things I can do are selecting a station or rotating the map. However, I cannot place it anywhere in the map, I cannot scroll the map, I cannot select anything else on the screen, I cannot invoke the in-game menu... Fortunately, Alt-F4 still works (is it a suggestion?). Also, the Polish language version is sh*tty. Among numerous errors, there is not “depot” in Polish, “oil well” is no “studnia naftowa”, and “credits” are no “napisy”. AI slop probably.

At this time I don't find it enjoyable. Graphics are basic, UI is clunky and glitchy, the simplest actions are difficult. Just trying to do the tutorial was very frustrating. I realise that it's still a work in progress so should get better over time. I'm happy to try it again when it's more polished but for now it's not for me.