"Ticket to Ride" Review

The beloved railway-themed board game evolves in "Ticket to Ride," which delivers all the frenzied, competitive gameplay and removes the tedious setup, piece management and cleanup.

Another in a series of local multiplayer-focused PS4 exclusives, including the quiz game "Knowledge is Power" and murder mystery "Hidden Agenda," "Ticket to Ride."

After the initial hassle of having all players download the game-specific app and connecting to the same local WiFi network as your console, you dig in to the fast-paced rail building. The necessity of using phones or tablets rather than controllers makes it easy for larger groups to get in on the action without making the host splurge on hardware.

While the visuals are less than spectacular, they are adequate and don't get in the way. Developers Days of Wonder and Asmodee Digital , which are cognizant that the airtight gameplay is the main drawn, prioritize functionality above all else.

Like other PlayLink games, the more players who get involved, the better time you're in for, with the game acting as a conduit to elicit the ribbing and inside jokes that emerge when friends gather and set their wits on the line against one another.

"Ticket to Ride" is at its best when it goes off the rails, setting the room afire with angst, stress and laughs. It takes the party game concept to a new level, and makes you think twice before cracking open the old board game.
Publisher provided review code.