Solo Developer's "Running Train" Becomes the Best-Reviewed Train Sim Ever

A single developer in Japan created Running Train in Early Access on Steam, and it now holds a 97% positive rating from over 1,200 reviews — with train sim veterans calling it the most beautiful and realistic train simulator ever made.

A train simulation game built entirely by one person has become the highest-rated train sim on Steam, stunning both enthusiasts and casual players with its photorealism and obsessive attention to detail.

Running Train, developed by the solo studio Novatetsu Games, entered Early Access on May 26, 2026, and has since gathered 1,267 reviews — 97% of them positive. The game recreates 40 kilometers of Japanese rail lines through countryside and towns, rendered with a level of visual fidelity that commenters on Hacker News describe as "practically photorealistic" for a one-person project.

The developer, who works alone from Japan, built the game's environments tile by tile, placing individual buildings, signs, trees, and track-side details that most players will never see from the driver's seat. According to Kotaku's review, the game rewards players for turning off the UI entirely and mastering real-world train operation techniques — precise speed control, braking, and station arrivals.

Beyond the driving simulation, Running Train also functions as what Kotaku's reviewer called "a model railway you can fly through," with a free-roaming camera that reveals the full scope of the handcrafted world. The developer plans to expand the route to 80–100 kilometers and add a passenger system and conductor mode before the full release, targeted for late 2027.

The game is priced at $18 and supports the Zuiki MASCON, a dedicated train-driving peripheral, which enthusiasts in the community have celebrated as a sign of the developer's commitment to authenticity.

Sources: Steam Store Page, Kotaku