Choo-Choo Charles

75%
Game Brain Score Based on 19,835 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Choo-Choo Charles Game Cover
Choo Choo Charles never takes itself seriously, but there's a fun game at its core with simple yet effective mechanics.
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In "Choo-Choo Charles," players navigate an open world, collecting resources and completing missions while avoiding a creepy, spider-like locomotive named Charles. The game features a day-night cycle and dynamic weather, adding to the eerie atmosphere. Your main goal is to upgrade your own train and take down Charles in a final showdown.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

75%
Audience ScoreBased on 19,835 reviews
story1,225 positive mentions
grinding142 negative mentions
  • story4,428 mentions

    The story of "Choo-Choo Charles" is generally described as simple and straightforward, revolving around the player's mission to defeat a monstrous spider-train named Charles. While some players appreciate the quirky and humorous elements, many criticize the narrative for being thin and lacking depth, often reduced to basic fetch quests that can feel repetitive. The game is relatively short, with most players completing the main story and side quests in about 2 to 4 hours, leading to mixed feelings about its value for the price. Overall, while the story has its entertaining moments and unique quests, it leaves players wanting more in terms of content and complexity.

    • “Amazing storyline, voice actors, and music; also very fun to play.”
    • “The story is weird and interesting long enough to hold your interest for the campaign, the core loop is fun, and the map is surprisingly large for what I expected.”
    • “The story was interesting, and the gameplay was easy to pick up and surprisingly entertaining.”
    • “The story is very barebones and left to imagination.”
    • “The quests are all fetch quests wandering back and forth across an uninteresting open world.”
    • “The side missions really add lore to the story.”
  • gameplay1,947 mentions

    The gameplay of "Choo-Choo Charles" is characterized by a unique train mechanic that allows players to traverse a spooky island while upgrading their locomotive and engaging in combat with the titular monster. However, many reviews highlight the game's short duration (approximately 2-4 hours) and repetitive fetch quests, with a significant number of players expressing disappointment in the poorly implemented stealth mechanics and lack of depth in gameplay variety. While the core concept is praised for its originality and charm, the overall execution leaves room for improvement, particularly in enhancing the stealth elements and expanding the game's content.

    • “Really intense gameplay, and kept me interested through the whole thing.”
    • “The gameplay is simple but fun, and even if it is not really a horror game, the atmosphere was creepy enough.”
    • “The gameplay loop of being hunted down by Charles and never being sure if he is about to chase you or not is so enjoyable and fighting him on the train is really fun.”
    • “The gameplay is mediocre with the fetch quests being simple and mindless and no real challenge to be found anywhere.”
    • “Extremely repetitive and boring gameplay loop.”
    • “The stealth mechanics for dealing with the cultists isn't very good.”
  • graphics1,140 mentions

    The graphics of "Choo-Choo Charles" have received mixed reviews, with many players praising the unique art style and atmospheric visuals that enhance the horror experience. However, some users noted performance issues, particularly on lower-end PCs, leading to lag and graphical glitches even at reduced settings. Overall, while the game features appealing aesthetics and solid graphics, it may require a more powerful system to fully enjoy its visual potential.

    • “10/10 the graphics and game resolution are amazing!”
    • “The graphics are insanely beautiful for such a unique game, with great atmosphere and colors that help it, sounds are good as well, thunders do have a good effect on the vibe of the zone and danger.”
    • “This game is amazing in terms of graphics and adrenaline rushing.”
    • “Mouths don't move, story is weird, graphics are that one art style that tries to be realistic but fails with everything looking like free assets.”
    • “The visuals are trash and the game runs poorly.”
    • “The game is way too laggy if you don't have a $1000+ computer; I got my computer for $800 but yet on the lowest graphics it's 1 fps.”
  • atmosphere590 mentions

    The atmosphere of "Choo-Choo Charles" is widely praised for its eerie and immersive qualities, effectively creating a sense of dread and paranoia throughout the gameplay. Players appreciate the combination of atmospheric visuals, haunting sound design, and the constant threat posed by the titular spider train, which keeps them on edge. While some critiques mention that the gameplay can become repetitive, the overall ambiance and unique setting contribute significantly to the game's appeal, making it a standout experience in the indie horror genre.

    • “The eerie and anxious atmosphere, combined with enemies that can spot and kill you on sight, keeps you on edge.”
    • “The atmosphere creates an underlying feeling of dread no matter what you do, with certain elements of its design utilizing train sounds to both pull you into the action and simultaneously put you on the edge of your seat.”
    • “The atmosphere is incredible and it built suspense.”
    • “There's a more tedious atmosphere than there is one of horror; the track system will have you doing loops unless you fully optimize your route, leveling your train is entirely lackluster, your weapons are far from balanced making only one of them actually useful, and above all the content for price really isn't balanced fairly.”
    • “The survival horror atmosphere quickly dissipates when you learn that there are no sneak attacks or ambushes from Charles, as he always announces his presence, and that you are completely safe from him inside all buildings.”
    • “Infact there is almost an absence of atmosphere which allows these moments to feel scary at all, and considering horror/thrill was the selling point of this game, it feels like a let down.”
  • humor473 mentions

    The humor in "Choo-Choo Charles" is a standout feature, blending absurdity and self-awareness to create a unique experience that balances horror and comedy. Players frequently mention the hilarity of the NPCs, particularly the "pickle lady," and the intentionally janky animations, such as characters speaking without moving their mouths, which add to the game's charm. While some found the humor hit-or-miss, many appreciated the quirky dialogue and the overall comedic tone, making it a fun and entertaining indie title.

    • “The game masterfully mixes horror and humor, maintaining tension while also delivering laughs.”
    • “Charles is both horrifying and hilarious in equal measures, keeping you on edge with how random he is and fast but also made me chuckle when he bounced my player character around like a beach ball the one time he caught me out in the open away from the train.”
    • “The npcs are funny and whimsical, the boss is terrifying, and the mechanics are smooth.”
    • “The plot has too many holes to even be considered anything but comedic, and it's really just not funny at all.”
    • “It's pretty clear some aspects of this game are meant to be satire and the game doesn't take itself seriously. I don't like calling things unfunny, but there weren't any actual attempts at jokes in the game; everything felt like the dev was trying to be as absurdist as possible.”
  • music318 mentions

    The music in "Choo-Choo Charles" is widely praised for its ability to enhance the game's eerie atmosphere and build tension during encounters with the titular character. Reviewers note that the minimal yet effective soundtrack, combined with ambient sounds, creates a sense of dread and anticipation, particularly when Charles is nearby. While some mention the limited variety of tracks, the overall sound design, including the ominous cues and sound effects, significantly contributes to the game's horror experience.

    • “The soundtrack works great with the atmosphere and the tension, knowing there's a spider-train running around the island, searching for you.”
    • “The music sets the mood well, and the sound effects are on point.”
    • “The music was incredible and even the ambient portions were creepier than I expected.”
    • “I made the mistake of assuming that the music was broken when it played for 10 minutes straight and I couldn't find him, assumed I was in the all clear - then died by vengeance from above.”
    • “Even though the scary music and the sound of Charles's choo lets you know when he's near, sometimes he catches you at the wrong time and there's really no way to fight him on foot and you really can't run away from him.”
    • “Also, the few times I did see Charles it wasn't super terrifying as you can tell he's coming when the music changes and you hear him in the distance, which you can hear pretty far away, and sense he just chases the train until you damage him enough; not really switching up his movement pattern, he loses his scare factor.”
  • replayability262 mentions

    The game's replayability is a contentious topic among players, with many noting its short playtime of around 2-5 hours and a general lack of substantial replay value. While some players find enjoyment in speedrunning or completing challenges, others criticize the repetitive gameplay and linear story, suggesting that the game would benefit from additional content or difficulty modes to enhance replayability. Overall, opinions vary widely, with some players enjoying the experience enough to replay it, while others feel it lacks the depth needed for multiple playthroughs.

    • “The game also doesn't take that long to beat but it is definitely super fun and has replayability value.”
    • “Replayability of this delectable installation of Choo Choo Charles will keep you on the edge of your seat and coming back again and again.”
    • “Amazing and fresh gameplay with tons of replay value.”
    • “Overall a competently made horror game but not much replay value.”
    • “This game is very fun but short and has no replay value.”
    • “Way too short, zero replayability.”
  • optimization200 mentions

    The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues such as stuttering, frame drops, and crashes, particularly on higher settings. While some users noted that the game runs smoothly on lower-end systems and praised its visuals, others criticized it for being poorly optimized, especially given its Unreal Engine foundation. Overall, while there are instances of good performance, the consensus leans towards a need for further optimization and bug fixes.

    • “The game is well optimized and runs smoothly for the most part, even during the intense scenes of the game.”
    • “I completed this game in one sitting, for a single developer game, it runs smoothly while looking pretty damn great.”
    • “This is a neat thriller game that's creepy, well optimized, and cheap.”
    • “The game is extremely badly optimized; I don't have an amazing computer but can run things like RDR2 on high settings with FSR.”
    • “Horrendous optimization; you'll need a pretty good computer for max graphics.”
    • “I like the game and all, but my only real problem is that it's not CPU and GPU optimized. This game isn't really demanding, but for some reason, it takes up like 90% of my CPU and 98% of my GPU, making my computer scream sometimes.”
  • grinding198 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game has been widely criticized for being tedious and repetitive, with many players noting that missions often feel simplistic and unengaging. Stealth sections and the need to return to the train for combat add to the frustration, making exploration and quest completion feel like a chore rather than an enjoyable experience. While some players found moments of fun, the overall sentiment is that the game requires excessive grinding, detracting from its potential enjoyment.

    • “The game's pacing felt good as well, not grindy at all and it was fun to explore.”
    • “Collecting all the paints wasn't too tedious like other games' collectibles.”
    • “Not too grindy, with a great ambiance all around.”
    • “There's a more tedious atmosphere than there is one of horror; the track system will have you doing loops unless you fully optimize your route. Leveling your train is entirely lackluster, your weapons are far from balanced making only one of them actually useful, and above all, the content for price really isn't balanced fairly.”
    • “The quests are just tedious and boring; all you do is go do something for someone and all you get are scraps, no accessories, no new weapons (except the flamethrower and the rocket launcher which are the only things you can get other than scraps).”
    • “The exploration is tedious too, so don't plan on looking around the map other than to complete objectives.”
  • stability168 mentions

    Overall, the game's stability is generally praised, with many players reporting minimal to no bugs or glitches during their playthroughs. While some users noted occasional minor visual issues and AI bugs, these did not significantly detract from the overall experience. Many players highlighted the game's smooth performance, even on older systems, making it a standout for its stability compared to other recent releases.

    • “It's also remarkably a bug-free game that runs super well with no slowdown.”
    • “If I have any praise to give, it's that it's a very polished indie game, no glitches or performance issues at all.”
    • “It's polished, (mostly) bug-free and runs really well.”
    • “Way too many glitches. I keep glitching out of my train in the end and I teleported 1045 meters away from my train. The game is way too small, not worth 20 bucks.”
    • “The game is also extremely buggy when doing missions because it either forgets to give you a key to something or just doesn't even mention it.”
    • “I keep seeing glitches and have tried multiple times to proceed with the game, but no matter what I do, I keep getting soft locked in the first cave and can't do anything about it.”
  • emotional54 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is a mixed bag, with some players feeling a strong connection to the protagonist's journey and the haunting atmosphere, while others found the emotional stakes lacking, particularly due to early character deaths. The tension created by the antagonist, Charles, effectively instills a sense of dread and vulnerability, enhancing the overall experience for many. However, some critiques highlight that the emotional impact could have been deeper with better character development and a more engaging story.

    • “As I unraveled the mysteries of the train and its haunted history, I found myself becoming emotionally invested in the protagonist's plight.”
    • “Truly a heartfelt moment in the entire game; me and John Smith cried a lot that night.”
    • “For what it means, having to get out and be away from my train definitely made me feel vulnerable - that any moment death would come on spidery legs.”
    • “You play for 2 1/2 hours for some semi-interesting gameplay with an extremely weak and boring story.”
  • character development26 mentions

    Character development in the game has received mixed reviews, with some praising the design of the main character, Charles, as exceptional and detailed, while others criticize the overall character designs as boring and lacking depth. Many players expressed a desire for more exploration and deeper character arcs, feeling that the brevity of the game left them wanting more. Overall, while the visuals and certain character designs are highlighted positively, the lack of engaging story and character development detracts from the experience for some players.

    • “This game is incredible; even though it's about a 3.7-hour long gameplay, it was still a very well put together game. The character design is phenomenal, especially Charles; the amount of detail put into this game is unreal.”
    • “I highly recommend this game. It's an amazing game for only $20.00, and is worth the money. It has an amazing fear constantly, great storyline, and fabulous character design and dialogue.”
    • “The character designs are boring (seriously dev, you can't take the time to even add a simple mouth movement when they're talking?), the island is boring... just everything other than Charles is boring and I can't see making a game and charging $20 for it banking on the main protagonist's design.”
    • “Character designs were awful; they didn't fit with the environment or the atmosphere that we were in at all.”
    • “The game's brevity left me yearning for more exploration and deeper character development.”
  • monetization14 mentions

    The monetization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players viewing the $20 price tag as a cash grab for a game that feels too short and underdeveloped. However, others appreciate the absence of in-game ads and microtransactions, praising the developers' hard work and encouraging support for the game despite its perceived shortcomings. Overall, opinions vary on whether the pricing reflects the game's value or if it falls into the category of a quick cash grab.

    • “Genuinely was looking forward to the game, but now it feels like an out of season Halloween cash grab that would have popped up for free five years ago.”
    • “It's a simple cash grab game.”
    • “While I don't think the game was meant to be a cash grab, it's just barely long enough to be pushed out of Steam's refund policy, released before giving it enough proper development time for the scope, costing way too much, getting increasingly less and smaller updates, and having a plushie announced of Charlie almost immediately after the game's release.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

58% average critic score

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Play time

4hMedian play time
4hAverage play time
3-5hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 306 analyzed playthroughs

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