Here's a very quick review after a couple of hours play time.
Smooth download and install.
I had to screenshot the controls panel for the instructions. There is no manual.
Graphics
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It would not run in fullscreen at my desktop resolution (1600x1200)
The best I could get was windowed at 1280x1024
The only option for fullscreen is the desktop resolution and there are only 800x600, 1024x768, and 1280x1024 for the windowed resolutions.
Graphics are up to the job I would say, it is pretty much around the level of the early Trainz releases, but the shadows are better. The catenary posts cast shadows on the trains etc (there are no wires, just posts). There doesn't seem to be that much in the way of shadows beyond the catenary though, certainly the trains themselves don't appear to cast any.
The lights on the trains come on automatiacally in the tunnels, which is a nice touch
The downside being that going through a tunnel seems to affect which view setting you come out in on the other side, if you enter in 'chase' view you might be dropped in to 'free roam' as you leave.
Sounds
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There's some clickety-clak, and station announcements but that's about it. There is some in-game music but the first thing I did was turn that right down.
There is a 'cab signal' worked from the space bar but that didn't seem to achieve anything other than make a noise, perhaps it's supposed to be the horn.
Controls
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The camera views are;
'chase view' This is only from one angle, to the left and slightly behind the loco looking directly forward.
'Cab view' there is some limited left/right pan within the cab (right mouse button).
'free roam' There are forward, back, left, right controls but I found the most useful method was to hold down the 'forward' button and use the right mouse button held down to control direction. This allows one to fly around the map.
The right mouse button gives full pan/tilt control at your current location. The mouse wheel allows limited zoom in and out. I would like to have been able to zoom out much further as the view is limited, especially on the mountain maps. You cannot fly over the higher hills and have to fly down the valleys to get where you're going.
The locomotive controls are Reverse, Stop, Forward. There is no speed control, the speed depends on the locomotive used.
Points can be changed by clicking on the small building next to them. There is a green line showing the direction the point is set which changes to orange when the points are locked by an approcahing train and cannot be changed.
Gameplay
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Just like a model railway there is no automation at all, if you set a train to 'go' it will just keep going.
There are signals, and I came across a few red ones. When a signal is red the train will stop and you need to start the train moving again. I could see no particular reason for the red signals and I just started the train again.
Trains will come to a stop a short distance apart if they find themsleves heading towards each other and will sit there until you sort it out.
Each map has a depot where you can create the trains. There is a selection of locos and rolling stock and this is added to as you complete each level.
There are limited details about the locos, the only varying factor seeming to be the prices, the more expensive ones appear to be the faster ones, that's the only dfference I noticed. Coaches and rolling stock have differing capacities, again reflected in their cost. There are no steam locos as the game is set in the 1990-onwards period.
There is a limit of 5 coaches/wagons to a train and a maximum of 6 trains. This is not too much of a problem as overseeing two trains and keeping them moving taxed my brain and 6 would be hard work indeed.
There are passengers as well as 3 different types of cargo.
Each station or industry continually produces cargo and you are penalised if they become full before you remove some of it.
You get a warning that an industry is about to become full and clicking on it will take you to it on the map.
With the larger maps you then have the challenge of working out how you can get there. If you haven't already got a train of the correct type setup and ready to roll you won't make it in time anyway.
Once you have 'bought' an item of rolling stock and left the depot you can un-couple and couple stock to re-make the consists.
You earn money for delivering cargo and there is an extra mission (and bonus) in each level for moving cargo between specific locations in a given timeframe.
There are 20 missions. The first five I have completed and they did not provide too much of a challenge. The sixth mission has a much more complex map and this is the point at which my brain gave up on me.
What is really needed is a map of each mission so you can work out where you need to go.
I found myself flying around working out how I could get to the next station and which track I need to be on to ensure I was on the right side for the station/industry on the double track sections. By the time I worked that out I had got lost and couldn't find where I left my train.
Clicking the train number or pressing the number button for the train takes you to it, but then you have to remember how you worked out how to get from where you are to where you want to get.
Summary
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Performace was smooth, but there isn't really that much in there to tax any machine to be honest.
If you have £15 burning a hole in your pocket and a few hours with nothing else to do this is a little bit of fun. A set of maps would make life a lot easier and hopefully someone will make a set once the game is 'properly' released.
I had a search around the 'net and couldn't find any websites or forums where help was available. In fact this is probably the first review anyone has written on the game as I couldn't find one of those either.
I won't bother with screenshots, there's not much more to see than in the pics on the Auran shop page.
There's no map editor so all you get is what's in the box in the pre-made missions.
The final point I'd make. This is the same price as TC3, which only goes to show what an absolute bargain that is
Oh well, just have to buy it and see i guess