You can't consider any Railway Simulator product without comparing it to Microsoft's Train Simulator franchise - and Rail Simulator can be compared with the latter because it shares more than a fleeting connection with it. Kuju were the original studio that developed Train Simulator, and they were commissioned by Microsoft to begin development on the now cancelled Microsoft Train Simulator 2 product - so it is no surprise then that Kuju are also the main developer in the all-new Rail Simulator.

Much of the original ideas for content have been included in this latest offering from Kuju; nice additions like dynamic passengers on stations, more realistic traffic on roads, highly detailed interiors, fine exterior models and vastly improved scenery generation have all contributed to making Rail Simulator the worthy successor to the ageing Train Simulator.

Part of the continued success of Train Simulator was its ability to create routes and rolling stock and modify existing dynamics. This feature has spawned whole development studios and third party amateur developers who have created hundreds of additional routes and thousands of locos, multiple units, carriages and wagons. This feature has thankfully been taken to the next step with Rail Simulator, so given time we can expect a vast array of add-on material from Kuju, the old Train Simulator add-on development houses, and amateurs creating their favorite trains and routes. The tools bundled with Rail Simulator, like the editor features, take the original idea to a new dimension. They are powerful - but not necessarily easy to use. Those with 3D studio experience will take to them like a "duck to water," but the layman like you and I will struggle to master their true potential.

Out of the box, Rail Simulator installs from a DVD and the initial routes, stock and core engine will set your storage space back 4.5Gb. Installation is totally automatic with minimal user input required and once installed the game runs right away without the need to play with settings. However, to get the most from Rail Simulator you will have to modify the default graphics set-up to optimise the now excellent visual effects available for train fans everywhere.

Unfortunately the manuals are scanty, and although an extensive PDF manual is available on the disc detailing the editor tools and the simulator, it does not tell the whole story. In the box there is a glossy manual, but this is far from comprehensive and omits even some of the most basic commands within the simulator. The heads up displays and popup prompts aren't detailed properly either. A nice touch taken from Train Simulator is a quick reference card to detail the various commands, but again this does not paint the whole picture.

Rail Simulator comes with a nice selection of modern rolling stock, and some steam era locos and stock, including the BR Class 47, Deltic, HST and some multiple units. Routes include a really nicely recreated Paddington to Oxford, an engaging Newcastle to York, scenic Bath Green Park to Tempecombe and Mainland European Hagen to Siegan. As with Train Simulator, Rail Simulator comes with a good selection of scenarios for all the included routes, ranging in difficulty from beginner through intermediate to expert, and they will appeal to all tastes. Also, as in the last incarnation of Train Simulator, you can simply explore each route and play around as the mood takes you, which helps to get to know the capabilities of your selected train and can give you the opportunity to learn the routes.

Detailing on the exterior models is to a high standard - the only criticism I can find for the models is the apparent lack of weathered stock, which would have added immensely to the realism on offer here. Outside too, the views are now adjusted fluidly and with precision, resulting in a breathtaking panorama of scenery and train. Inside the cab is equally well modelled, with high detail and a free roaming camera. The scenery has undergone a revolution when compared with Train Simulator and although far from perfect or photographic, the views are convincing and a welcome improvement. The sound also is leagues in advance of anything on a train simulator to date; precisely regulated to engine RPM and load, the clicks and knocks from joints and switches in the track and a really convincing ambience that includes birds and wind all combine to make the Rail Simulator world a very credible experience to behold.

Collating all the major improvements together makes the Rail Simulator package an epic voyage in train simulation. Never before in any railway software products have I turned off the heads up displays and driven the train solely by observing trackside signs, speed limits and signals, which is exactly how it should be and contributes most fully to the envelopment of realism that Rail Simulator undoubtedly is. Personally I cannot wait for new content to become available - maybe then I can drive a clay train hauled by ultra convincing Class 37 locos along my native route in Cornwall. Maybe I am just dreaming, but anything is possible with this fine release from Kuju!

In short, Rail Simulator will immerse you in a world that, if allowed, has the potential to convince even the most hardened outdoor 'trainspotter' to fire up their PC rather than head down to their local station. The package is a nice all-round train-based indulgence that has to be experienced to be fully appreciated, and as such I can recommend Rail Simulator without hesitation - if you enjoyed Train Simulator then you will positively revel in this new King of the Rails.

Reviewed by Reuben Glossop for AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).