Final 12 months, the brand new horror sport Choo-Choo Charles went viral on-line because of an excellent trailer that teased a cat-and-mouse sport with an evil practice with spider legs. The practice itself was pure nightmare gas to behold, and the gameplay appeared intense and enjoyable and in contrast to some other sport on the market. Now, after enjoying it, I’m unhappy to say the precise sport isn’t practically as thrilling or scary as that preliminary trailer promised. However a minimum of it’s concerning the size of your common B-grade horror movie!
Again in October 2021, Choo-Choo Charles took the web by storm after its single dev uploaded a beautiful trailer showcasing a large, creepy spider practice chasing you and your locomotive throughout a scary-looking island. On the again of the tiny practice is a machine gun, letting you fend off the monster (aka Charles) till you’ve scavenged sufficient scrap and upgraded your practice sufficiently that you just’re able to face him in a one-on-one battle to the demise. Win and also you free the island from this monster. Lose, and also you die and Charles turns into extra highly effective. This can be a charming setup and it appeared fairly slick, so it’s not stunning the trailer unfold like wildfire through the spooky month of October. A 12 months later and I’ve now performed Choo-Choo Charles and, properly…it’s rather a lot like that trailer and never far more.
Visually, Choo-Choo Charles seems to be wonderful. I like the combination of low-res components with extra modern-looking grass, textures, and lighting. It lends it an odd environment that’s enhanced all of the extra by the creepy, desolate island and the odd individuals you meet on it. They’re all type of unsettling, with their funky-looking fashions and the way in which their mouths don’t transfer after they converse. It’s a great instance of a lone developer utilizing the constraints of what they will fairly do to contribute to, quite than detract from, a sport’s environment. There’s one thing likable about the way in which Choo-Choo Charles feels a bit slapped collectively in spots. The tough edges give it an artisanal high quality, making it really feel prefer it’s been made with one particular person’s ardour quite than being designed by committee.
Because the trailer indicated, the primary loop right here is driving your practice across the island, accumulating scrap that you just use to improve your practice, and looking down three eggs that may set off the massive closing battle with Charles. However earlier than you do this, it’s best to in all probability ensure you have upgraded your locomotive to go sooner, take extra injury, and have extra weapons. Once more, this setup is cool, and controlling your practice is each easy and enjoyable. Actually, it could be the very best a part of Choo-Choo Charles. The sport was at its greatest after I was strolling round my tiny, fast-moving yellow practice, retaining an eye fixed out for a large spider monster or the following speck of civilization.
G/O Media might get a fee
However sadly, a cool practice, attraction, and keenness can solely go to date, and rapidly the expertise turned from horror into boredom. The large downside is that Charles simply doesn’t actually issue into the sport that a lot. Not counting his scripted appearances within the ending battle and the opening intro, I solely encountered the monster practice thrice. The remainder of the time I used to be both wandering round alone whereas accumulating scrap or coping with the sport’s most important enemies: masked shotgunners who you need to sneak round.
The true disgrace is that the very best a part of this sport—driving a practice and escaping from Charles—is just a small a part of what you do. More often than not you might be being requested to stroll round on foot to gather eggs or full meh puzzles or aspect aims. And stealth in Choo-Choo Charles isn’t a lot enjoyable. By the point I received to the second egg, which is hidden in a big underground mine, I simply began working round and grabbing no matter I wanted to seize. No sneaking. And it labored. Guards are horrible pictures, you will have infinite stamina and they’re practically oblivious to noise. Was any of this enjoyable, although? Probably not!
About an hour into the sport, I noticed I had practically fully upgraded my practice, although roughly half the aspect quests remained untouched on the map. Round half-hour later I’d collected the final egg and activated the ultimate battle. After dying throughout it as soon as, I attempted once more and beat the sport.
It truly is a disgrace that Choo-Choo Charles isn’t greater, higher, or scarier. That preliminary trailer appeared so good, and the developer behind the game looks like a cool individual with fascinating, authentic concepts. There’s rather a lot to admire right here. The lockpicking mechanic is nice. The best way the island seems to be and sounds is spooky and ideal. And the lore round Charles (and that ending) have me excited for a sequel or spin-off sooner or later. So yeah, I hope they preserve making video games and sharing the method on YouTube.
However sadly, a reliance on dangerous stealth sections, an absence of scares, and an overabundance of improve supplies early on derail the sport and make it a quite lackluster, not very scary expertise.