Choose Railway Empire 2
Choose Railway Empire 2 if you want a Strategy game with Multi-player, Steam Leaderboards, and Online Co-op. On Steam, it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. 1,044 Steam reviews back the pick.
Railway Empire 2 vs Locomotive Works
Railway Empire 2 and Locomotive Works both land in Simulation on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both are Simulation games on Steam. Railway Empire 2 (2023) is 4 years older than Locomotive Works (2027). Railway Empire 2 has co-op; Locomotive Works does not. No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Which should you pick?
Choose Locomotive Works
Choose Locomotive Works if you want an Early Access experience. On Steam, it's the newer release (2027) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Locomotive Works launched in 2027.
Both Railway Empire 2 and Locomotive Works sit in Simulation on Steam, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.
Side-by-side comparison
 Railway Empire 2 |  Locomotive Works | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2023 | 2027 |
| Genres | Strategy, Simulation | Simulation, Early Access |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Unrated |
| Price | 49.99 USD | Price unknown |
| Steam reviews | 74.1% positive (1,044 reviews) | — |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op | Single-player only |
| Developers | Gaming Minds Studios | Federation Interactive |
Side by side
- Both are Simulation games on Steam.
- Railway Empire 2 (2023) is 4 years older than Locomotive Works (2027).
- Railway Empire 2 has co-op; Locomotive Works does not.
- Railway Empire 2 is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Locomotive Works has no Deck rating yet.
Railway Empire 2 vs Locomotive Works — FAQ
- Should I play Railway Empire 2 or Locomotive Works first?
- If you want chronology, Railway Empire 2 (2023) came out before Locomotive Works (2027). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.
- Are Railway Empire 2 and Locomotive Works similar?
- They overlap on Simulation on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.
- Does Locomotive Works have multiplayer like Railway Empire 2?
- No. Railway Empire 2 supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op), while Locomotive Works is listed as single-player only.
- Does Railway Empire 2 run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Railway Empire 2 is rated Deck Verified by Valve. Locomotive Works doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.