Well, this is a piece of downloadable content that’s been a long time coming! First announced for Train Sim World 4 back in 2024, the Tadami Line: Aizu-Wakamatsu – Tadami Route Add-On has finally arrived for Train Sim World 7! Fans have been clamouring for a Japanese route for years at this point, with each yearly release bringing disappointment with the absence of the Tadami Line.
At £29.99, it’s by no means cheap. But is this trip worth the ticker price?
Train Sim World Finally Arrives in Japan!
With so much downloadable content available across the series, it can be difficult to pick a favourite route. I personally enjoy lines that I’ve travelled on in real life. How about you, fellow Train Sim World fans? Which route do you find yourselves going back to again and again? Let me know in the comments, but for now, it’s time for this review to depart the station!
Gameplay
Fundamentally, the gameplay remains unchanged. You’re still going from one station to the next, delivering and picking up passengers. However, the locomotive itself feels unlike anything I’ve driven in a Train Sim World game before. The KiHa 40, a 1970s diesel railcar, has a few quirks about it that made it genuinely fun to drive.
For starters, you need to swap the master handle between three different points in the driver cabin. You’ll have to activate the cab selector before removing the handle and plugging it into the engine start switch. Once you’ve done that, plug it into the transmission, set the reverser, plug in the brake handle, and you’re off!
There are a few other switches and buttons to activate, but all in all this is a relatively simple loco to get to grips with. It’s more hands-on due to it being an older model, but learning how to operate it was relatively straightforward. As always, the guided tutorials are very helpful in getting your bearings, so make sure to check them out!
It’s certainly a slower experience, journeying through small towns and across the Japanese countryside at a max speed of around 65 km per hour. While that may deter some players, I actually liked the more relaxed pace, which let me take in the sights and sounds as opposed to flying down a route in an ICE 4.
Graphics & Audio
Visually, Tadami Line is a bit of a mixed bag. On the positive side, the tranquil environments can look stunning, especially during heavy snowstorms. The KiHa 40 itself has been meticulously recreated and looks great both inside and out. Unfortunately, it’s not all smooth sailing (smooth railing?), as I had constant graphical issues. From flickering shadows outside of the train to incredibly pixelated lighting hitting the windows when viewed from first-person, it can look rough at times. Certain buildings close to the track are sparsely detailed and low poly, which were rather immersion-breaking. Still, when you’re gliding along, passing under cherry blossoms, across stretches of farmland, and over valley bridges, it looks lovely. Tadami Line captures the essence of Fukushima Prefecture, even if there are some issues along the way.
Sound, something that is mostly high quality across all the Train Sim World games and add-ons, really adds to the atmosphere throughout the DLC. Everything from the squeaky brakes to the shrill alarm of the ATS alarm is done well. As are smaller touches, such as the sliding doors and peaceful, countryside ambient sounds. The only negative point is that I felt the engine sounds were a little muffled. I’m far from an expert in how trains sound, but when comparing it to real-life footage, it definitely didn’t sound quite as gruff.
Longevity
Tadami Line features 44 timetable services, 5 scenarios, and 2 training modules. The timetable services offer journeys of around 25-45 minutes, although none of them stretch the entire length of the approximately 88 km single-track line. The scenarios are based around different seasons and weather conditions. Nothing too complex, but nice to see Train Sim World 7‘s improved weather being showcased. Finally, the training modules give you a brief rundown of both the line itself, as well as how to operate the KiHa 40. As always, it’s interesting to learn about the history of the area the route is set in, and though it was only a short tutorial, it was still engaging.
Final Thoughts
Ultimately, I can only recommend Train Sim World 7: Tadami Line DLC for serious Train Sim World fans looking for a unique route. For the time it took to develop, and the amount Dovetail Games are charging, I did expect more. Granted, I still really enjoyed my time with it, and the KiHa 40 was great to drive across such a beautiful landscape.
Therefore, Train Sim World 7: Tadami Line DLC receives the Thumb Culture Silver Award.
Disclaimer: A code was received in order to write this review.
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