Chris Sawyer's Locomotion

by Atari

Product Features

• Build a transportation empire that includes railroads, trucking, buses, airplanes, and ships
• Outmaneuver ruthless competitors
• Cash in on a world of opportunity moving raw materials, goods and people efficiently from one destination to another
• More than 40 pre-designed scenarios
• For 1 or 2 players

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00029PMOS
• Item Weight: 11 ounces
• Media: CD-ROM
• Release Date: September 7, 2004
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,560 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Explore a vast and detailed worldProduct InformationAnticipate the needs of a growing metropolis. Build a transportation empire.compete against ruthless entrepreneurs. Run the world your way!  Userailroads trucking lines buses airplanes and ships to outmaneuver ruthlesscompetitors and see who is best at meeting the needs of a growing metropolis.Cash in on a world of opportunity moving raw materials goods and peopleefficiently from one destination to another. Rake in huge profits as the yearsadvance from 1900 to the year 2000 and beyond.The Concept:  Move people and cargo from one place to another for aprice.The Challenge:  Out-think out-build and out-network ruthlesscompetitors to meet a demanding population's needs.Product Features Develop a vast detailed world rich in resources Increase the size of cities with more steel. Get these commuters to the city. Manufacture steel with deliveries of coal and iron ore. Build an airstrip so the plane can land. Sell steel and chemicals to the factories. Add a ferry service to transport passengers. Battle computer opponents or challenge a friend to head-to-head multiplayer action Create entire networks of trains buses trams trucks aircraft and ships Grow you bottom line. Take on over 40 pre-designed scenarios. From the makers of Roller Coaster Tycoon.System Requirements Windows 98/Me/2000/XP 500 MHz Intel Pentium II or equivalent 128 MB of RAM 85 MB Free Hard Disk Space 8X speed CD-ROM Drive Windows 98/Me/2000/XP-compatible video card* Windows 98/Me/2000/XP-compatible sound card* DirectX version 9.0b (included) or higher  56 Kbps or faster connection required for Internet play* Indicates a device that is compatible with DirectX® version 9.0b orhigher.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Mixed Impressions, September 17, 2004

By 

David Fiden (Richmond, VA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Chris Sawyer's Locomotion (CD-ROM)

If you like trains, you'll probably like this game.

If you liked Transport Tycoon, or Railroad Tycoon (and don't value graphics too much) you'll probably like this game.

If you liked Rollercoaster Tycoon (it uses the same game engine), you might like this game depending on how much you like trains. But, the same charm is there (although you may miss the peeps), so you'll probably like this game too.

If you like strategy games in general (but, not for the eye candy - are you sensing a theme here?), you'll probably like this game.

In fact, this game has a very likeable quality to it. And, the price seems right. Bottom line: it's a good game for the price.

So, why the lower scores? It's not a great game.

Of course, I must point out that the game's graphics are quite simple and seem dated. The sound is nice, however. Normally this doesn't bother me in the slightest way. In fact, I still enjoy the game's predecessor Transport Tycoon, which is ten years old. But, the game itself seems to be lacking depth. Don't get me wrong, there are a LOT of things you can do in the game as far as building goes (although since the game is based on the Rollercoaster Tycoon engine, your game world tend to look like giant rollercoasters, especially where the AI is concerned - a little unrealistic). But, all the other neat things that COULD have been there, AREN'T. Basically, the game seems simplified. Of course, this can be a good thing, but I don't think it works well here considering the (supposed) scope of the game (being a global transport mogul), and the intended audience of the game.

So, we have a simplistic game with dated graphics. Herein lies the problem. Most gamers that want an in-depth strategy game can certainly forgive bad graphics as long as the depth and "thinking" is there. And most gamers that want cool new graphics can forgive bad story, depth, etc. So, where does this leave "Locomotion?" At the middle of the road, not really fully satisfying anyone in particular. Like I said above, the game will appeal to certain folks. But, I don't see the long-lasting play value that more in-depth strategy games have. Like I said, it's a good game for the price since you'll probably get addicted and build to your heart's content for a while, but it will likely leave you wanting more depth after you've scratched this surface.

34 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Fun, but not for all Rollercoaster Tycoon Fans, September 13, 2004

By 

Griswel (Rochester, NY) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

= Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Chris Sawyer's Locomotion (CD-ROM)

This game is fun, but it's not for everyone the way Rollercoaster Tycoon was (heck, my sister, middle aged like me, played RCT, and she plays very few games of any kind). Locomotion has a simple premise, but it's tougher to get a handle on the game's mechanics than was true in Rollercoaster Tycoon.

The interface is very similar to RCT/RCT2. Laying tracks is very much like making queue lines in the RCT games. Unfortunately, making queue lines was never the strong point of RCT, since the four view choices can leave you with no way to "see" the spot you need to see. Also, having train tracks cross each other is a bit clunky, and getting cargo to industries that use it is tough to time just right. If one needed cargo arrives in a different month than the other needed cargo (e.g. ore and coal arrive in different months), then nothing will ever be made. The first cargo disappears before the second arrives.

It's also not clear how you can make money (hint: go for passengers, not cargo). So you can easily spend all your money making, say, a cargo ship system, and find that you're never going to do well.

Still, the game is simple to jump into for older gamers. Laying track is simple, and other vehicles are even easier. It's getting these to mesh that gets harder. There's a good deal of planning that has to be done in your head to get a good system up and running. Where RCT would tolerate my ten year old's complex queue lines, Locomotion would leave her frustrated.

If you're looking for a simple, fun game, Locomotion is fine for teenagers and other gamers with a good deal of experience. The graphics are functional and don't add or detract from the game. The interface will be simple to pick up for anyone who played RCT, and not too tough for others. The tutorial helps alot with the basics. One big improvement over RCT: you can speed up time (3x or 9x)! I wish I'd had that in RCT.

However, the fun factor is no where near as high as RCT, the graphics will disappoint most who have played Railroad Tycoon 3, and the city-building won't match SimCity4.

You'll have fun with this game, but you're not going to wear it out in the way Chris Sawyer fans like me had hoped.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Better than expected, December 28, 2004

By 

S. McLean "Mom to Ben, Jake, & Jonah" (Kansas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Chris Sawyer's Locomotion (CD-ROM)

For $19 or whatever we paid for it at BB, this game rocks. My husband, who is a locomotive engineer in real life, has played all different railroad games - the tycoons, simulators, and all that and loves them all. This one seems to be keeping his interest for a long time... he sits and plays this for hours on end, and is a millionaire (I wish). Like I said, great game for the price paid!