“Before beginning, I should mention in the interest of fairness
that I have proven to be horrible at Railroad Tycoon II for Linux.
I played this game for a full six hours before I ever made a dime
for my shareholders, and I still haven’t come anywhere near to the
multi-millions necessary to complete most scenarios. My ineptitude
at the game is a combination of factors, some my fault and some the
game’s fault — more on this in a little while.”
“As I pulled the Railroad Tycoon II: Gold Edition retail box
from the shipping packaging I’d received, my impressions were very
good. I got ahold of a copy of the Windows version for comparison,
and can say authoritatively that the two are almost identical in
every way, the only difference being the “Runs on Linux!” sticker
on the front of the Linux box and the Linux-oriented installation
instructions in the user’s manual. In addition to the user’s
manual, the box contains a handsome jewel case for the game CD and
a couple of large reference cards with helpful information on game
items and industries on it.”
“Basic gameplay in Railroad Tycoon II is simple. In classic
strategy simulation fashion, there is a large, flat, terraformed
surface (usually known as the “map” in the game) with geographical
features on it: hills, trees, rivers and most importantly in this
game cities, towns, and manufacturing facilities. In scenario play,
the goal is generally to make a given amount of money within a
prescribed amount of time with your railroad. In campaign
play, the goal is structural or functional rather than monetary —
for example, a campaign called “Mother Russia” requires the player
to keep the railroads running in order to supply military depots in
the face of German aggression during the war. Multiplayer gameplay
is also available.”