As a big fan of Japanese train simulators and being raised with "Densha de Go" and now enjoying the Train Sim games, along with the Sonic Powered Railway Nippon (aka Japan Rail Sim) series and Ongakukan's JR East Train Simulator.

With that being said, Yamanote Line has been a big part of densha games, may it be Densha de go (Switch release to the old PSP release) and it's the line I have ridden on the most, it was a "must buy" for me in that regard.

But before I review this DLC, it's important to note that this is not like Train Sim Classic or Train Sim World where you have multiple camera mode, nor are they 3D-based trains and backgrounds. This is streaming video.

What makes the JR EAST Train Simulator stand out that the video was recorded in HD and thus these DLC's will take a big chunk of your disk space, so make sure you have a TB or more of space because so far my JR EAST Train Simulator and DLC's are about 250GB. Also, the video is much more clearer and better than the Sonic Powered Railway Nippon games in terms of video.

In terms of gameplay, unlike Train Sim Classic or World, you are not going to be in charge of every button, switch like in those games which add to the intensity (and frustration). If you mess up, it's not the end of the world. As those other Train Simulators are brutal where you can put nearly two hours and one mess up and you lost, you have to start over gain.

Second, there is no gamification points. You are not aiming for a perfect grade, you are not aiming for points. There is no special stores or things to unlock with points. There are no hidden trains or courses.

JR EAST TRAIN SIMULATOR is for those who a) Used heavily to train JR staff b) for those who love Japanese rail/trains and the overall atmosphere

Is there a game to it? Yes, by trying to adjust speed and brake perfectly. Again, there are no points or grades, unlike other games where they make you grind before you can move on or you need to raise your level, this game, while you can fail, if you really mess up, more than likely even if you mess up a little, you can still play to your hearts content.

As for the Yamanote Line, it's not the most scenic. In fact, because it's a loop that gets to station to station, just like in real life, I think I am more excited when I am near Ikebukuro Station, Tokyo Station, Ueno Station, Shinjuku Station, Shibuya and so on because I go there so much. But for many people, it will look like tracks within a concrete jungle that some will not care for.

But of course, as a Kanto guy... a Tokyo guy, loved seeing the other trains and the Narita Express and the N700 passing by which was cool.

Now, I'm going to tackle a few things that I'm sure some may ask:

a) Does it have the jingles that Yamanote Line is known for? Nope. Neither does the Densha de Go games.

b) Do you see reactions if you brake hard for those inside the train . Nope. This is not like classic Densha de Go.

c) Can you open up all the past Yamanote Line vehicles? I don't think so. You ride the latest E235-0, but you do see the classic E-231-500. But no, you're not going to see old school 63 series, Tsurumi Line, 103 or the 205.

d) Why so expensive? I think many have been spoiled by STEAM because game DLC's go on sale all the time. But if you are a Japanese train fan, I can say this with confidence:

The Ongakukan DLC's are cheaper than KATO or TOMIX N-GAUGE and a little more than Takara Tomy Plarail and much less than Plarail Real Express.

So, is this DLC worth it? Yes, they all are so far. But if you are looking for more scenic, there are some that go by resort areas or beaches that are worth checking out.

But personally for me, Yamanote Line is a part of my life. Rarely do I get to see through the front of the train because Yamanote Line is so crowded that the best I have ever seen is if I'm near the window, but most of the time, all I see is someone's head or shoulder because I'm packed like a sardine inside the E235.

So, in many ways, yes... It's great to finally see what a conductor sees.

And last but not least, if you were wondering if you should plunk down money because you loved Train Sim World/Train Sim Classic or the Railway Nippon or RealPro, it's not the same type of game. This is more like a Train Simulator that is more about giving you the feels of riding on the actual train thanks to it's video and more focused on your speed and stops and less about the gamification of other train sims.

If you are a hardcore Japanese rail fan, then this DLC is worth it!

As a big fan of Japanese train simulators and being raised with "Densha de Go" and now enjoying the Train Sim games, along with the Sonic Powered Railway Nippon (aka Japan Rail Sim) series and Ongakukan's JR East Train Simulator. With that being said, Yamanote Line has been a big part of densha games, may it be Densha de go (Switch release to the old PSP release) and it's the line I have ridden on the most, it was a "must buy" for me in that regard. But before I review this DLC, it's important to note that this is not like Train Sim Classic or Train Sim World where you have multiple camera mode, nor are they 3D-based trains and backgrounds. This is streaming video. What makes the JR EAST Train Simulator stand out that the video was recorded in HD and thus these DLC's will take a big chunk of your disk space, so make sure you have a TB or more of space because so far my JR EAST Train Simulator and DLC's are about 250GB. Also, the video is much more clearer and better than the Sonic Powered Railway Nippon games in terms of video. In terms of gameplay, unlike Train Sim Classic or World, you are not going to be in charge of every button, switch like in those games which add to the intensity (and frustration). If you mess up, it's not the end of the world. As those other Train Simulators are brutal where you can put nearly two hours and one mess up and you lost, you have to start over gain. Second, there is no gamification points. You are not aiming for a perfect grade, you are not aiming for points. There is no special stores or things to unlock with points. There are no hidden trains or courses. JR EAST TRAIN SIMULATOR is for those who a) Used heavily to train JR staff b) for those who love Japanese rail/trains and the overall atmosphere Is there a game to it? Yes, by trying to adjust speed and brake perfectly. Again, there are no points or grades, unlike other games where they make you grind before you can move on or you need to raise your level, this game, while you can fail, if you really mess up, more than likely even if you mess up a little, you can still play to your hearts content. As for the Yamanote Line, it's not the most scenic. In fact, because it's a loop that gets to station to station, just like in real life, I think I am more excited when I am near Ikebukuro Station, Tokyo Station, Ueno Station, Shinjuku Station, Shibuya and so on because I go there so much. But for many people, it will look like tracks within a concrete jungle that some will not care for. But of course, as a Kanto guy... a Tokyo guy, loved seeing the other trains and the Narita Express and the N700 passing by which was cool. Now, I'm going to tackle a few things that I'm sure some may ask: a) Does it have the jingles that Yamanote Line is known for? Nope. Neither does the Densha de Go games. b) Do you see reactions if you brake hard for those inside the train . Nope. This is not like classic Densha de Go. c) Can you open up all the past Yamanote Line vehicles? I don't think so. You ride the latest E235-0, but you do see the classic E-231-500. But no, you're not going to see old school 63 series, Tsurumi Line, 103 or the 205. d) Why so expensive? I think many have been spoiled by STEAM because game DLC's go on sale all the time. But if you are a Japanese train fan, I can say this with confidence: The Ongakukan DLC's are cheaper than KATO or TOMIX N-GAUGE and a little more than Takara Tomy Plarail and much less than Plarail Real Express. So, is this DLC worth it? Yes, they all are so far. But if you are looking for more scenic, there are some that go by resort areas or beaches that are worth checking out. But personally for me, Yamanote Line is a part of my life. Rarely do I get to see through the front of the train because Yamanote Line is so crowded that the best I have ever seen is if I'm near the window, but most of the time, all I see is someone's head or shoulder because I'm packed like a sardine inside the E235. So, in many ways, yes... It's great to finally see what a conductor sees. And last but not least, if you were wondering if you should plunk down money because you loved Train Sim World/Train Sim Classic or the Railway Nippon or RealPro, it's not the same type of game. This is more like a Train Simulator that is more about giving you the feels of riding on the actual train thanks to it's video and more focused on your speed and stops and less about the gamification of other train sims. If you are a hardcore Japanese rail fan, then this DLC is worth it!