Choo Choo Survivor
- June 26, 2023
- Gamer To Game Developer
- 6h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Choo Choo Survivor" is a thrilling action game where you drive a train, shooting zombies to reach safety. Upgrade weapons and abilities, unlock 8 locomotives and 6 weapons, and earn powerful abilities. Over 140 Steam achievements, various zombies, and relics for overpowered combinations make for immersive meta progression. Play the demo on Itch or Steam, available for purchase only on Steam.
Mac OS
PC
Web Browser
Windows
Reviews
- Choo Choo Survivor offers a unique blend of train mechanics and survival gameplay, providing a fun and engaging experience.
- The game features frequent updates from the developer, adding new content and improvements, which shows a commitment to enhancing player experience.
- For its low price, the game provides a decent amount of playtime and is enjoyable for casual gaming sessions.
- The gameplay can become repetitive quickly, with limited enemy variety and a lack of depth in upgrades and mechanics.
- Many players find the game too easy once upgrades are acquired, leading to a lack of challenge and excitement.
- The graphics and overall presentation feel basic and could benefit from more polish and variety to enhance the gaming experience.
- gameplay38 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this game combines survival mechanics with train management, offering a unique twist on the "survivor-likes" genre. While some players find it engaging and addictive, others criticize it for being repetitive, lacking depth, and having unchallenging mechanics that lead to a grindy experience. Overall, the game presents interesting concepts but struggles with balance and variety, resulting in mixed reviews regarding its long-term appeal.
“This game offers a fun mix of survival mechanics and train management that kept me entertained.”
“The gameplay is surprisingly engaging!”
“Really good train survival game with a unique rail mechanic that eliminates vertical movement.”
“The gameplay is tedious and grindy, but also unchallenging, making the primary difficulty one which has to be overcome not by developing skill, but by being willing to just wait and let the zombie waves get mowed down around you.”
“At first, the concept of this game sounded odd but also kind of promising to a survivor-likes fan like myself... but even if the first 1-3 hours were kind of entertaining, you quickly realize that the balancing, the gameplay mechanics, and the weapon and enemy scalings weren't done by someone who knows what they're doing.”
“Gameplay is boring and the game does not have real challenge.”
- graphics19 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many users noting a simplistic and amateurish art style reminiscent of early 2000s flash games. While some appreciate the quirky and whimsical visuals, others criticize the basic interface and lack of detail, suggesting that the game's fun gameplay compensates for its visual shortcomings. Overall, the graphics are seen as a secondary aspect, with players emphasizing that gameplay should take precedence over visual fidelity.
“The visuals are bright and quirky, creating a whimsical yet chaotic world.”
“Fun simplistic art style.”
“Beat the game after 15 hours, absolutely love the style, the artwork, the craziness.”
“The presentation is amateurish, with graphics that wouldn't have been out of place in a Newgrounds game circa 2000.”
“The graphics are basic, everything is in this sepia tone/filter like it's Fallout: New Vegas, the UI is basic, the title font at the main menu is basic, the upgrade system is straightforward.”
“I still had hope that future updates would improve this game regarding these things and its horrific visuals.”
- replayability8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Overall, "Choo Choo Survivor" has been criticized for its low replayability, with many players noting a lack of content and static gameplay mechanics that hinder long-term engagement. While a recent update has improved replayability slightly, the game still primarily appeals to those seeking achievements rather than offering a compelling experience for repeated playthroughs. Many users express that the grind and difficulty may deter players from returning.
“Decent UI vs UX balance, great design concept, replayability, and difficulty structure.”
“The most recent update as of writing this review -- the 'relic' update -- has greatly increased the replayability.”
“The occasional bugs, silly graphics, and lack of content would be bearable if not for almost nonexistent replayability and the author admitting that they're not developing Choo Choo Survivor anymore, because they have another 'fun' game on their mind right now.”
“But my fear is that no matter how many maps or trains Choo Choo Survivor adds, it’s got a lack of replay value built into its core static upgrading rules.”
“Overall, the game doesn't really have any replay value unless you're looking to hunt for achievements, which I would advise against as the more difficult achievements can be frustrating, such as playing on hard difficulty and surviving for 35 minutes, which only 1% of people have managed to do.”
- grinding7 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviews of the game's grinding aspect are mixed; some players find the gameplay tedious and unchallenging, relying more on patience than skill, while others enjoy the experience without feeling bored. The grind for achievements and in-game currency is perceived as easy, with some players appreciating the lack of tedium in their progress, though others criticize the repetitive nature and lack of challenge. Overall, the grinding elements can detract from the game's difficulty, making it feel less rewarding for some players.
“The gameplay is tedious and grindy, but also unchallenging, making the primary difficulty one which has to be overcome not by developing skill, but by being willing to just wait and let the zombie waves get mowed down around you.”
“This lovely pile has all the low-effort copycat garbage we all know and love: boring, grindy, unbalanced, with only 3 enemy types, and just a general failure to challenge you in any way. They do have a hard mode, so you can play the same 3 levels, but this time all the enemies have 10 times the normal HP. What a masterpiece.”
“Although perhaps a backhanded con, being so overpowered can take away from the challenge of the game. Where it took some real grinding to complete the hard mode 35-minute achievements, with these additional buffs it has been made easier.”
- music6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed feedback; while some players appreciate its fitting quality and overall sound design, others suggest muting it to enhance the eerie atmosphere created by the zombie and gun sounds. Additionally, there are calls for more ambient music during the early and middle stages of gameplay.
“This game is the best game I've played in years; the music is perfect.”
“The music fits just right with the game.”
“Sounds and music are nice.”
“Honestly, just mute the music audio and keep the zombie and gun sounds, and it's a pretty eerie experience.”
“Needs some more ambient music in the beginning/middle of stages.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its engaging visuals and sound, creating a captivating experience that stands out despite a lack of innovation in other gameplay elements. Players appreciate the developer's commitment to frequent updates and community interaction, which enhances the overall ambiance and enjoyment of the game.
“The atmosphere is great for the game, good price, good developer, good game - updated frequently and you can see the developer play the game all the time.”
“But don't let that fool you, it's a crazy mashup idea that's full of love and atmosphere and just enough oomph to keep you going a bit more.”
“Visuals and sound create an engaging atmosphere.”
“Unlike other survivor-likes, such as Death Must Die or Renfield: Bring Your Own Blood, there's no attempt to iterate on the original Vampire Survivors formula by stepping up with extra effort in the atmosphere, story, character variety, new mechanics, or weapon variety.”
“The atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking the depth and immersion that one would expect from a game in this genre.”
“While the game has potential, the overall atmosphere fails to engage, making it difficult to stay invested in the experience.”
- story4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game is criticized for its lack of depth and originality, with reviewers noting the absence of a compelling narrative, character variety, and atmospheric elements. Many feel that the game fails to build on the vampire survivors formula, resulting in a bland experience devoid of meaningful storytelling or context.
“I have a mission!”
“Unlike other survivor-likes, such as Death Must Die or Renfield: Bring Your Own Blood, there's no attempt to iterate on the original Vampire Survivors formula by stepping up with extra effort in the atmosphere, story, character variety, new mechanics, or weapon variety.”
“It looks bad, it plays badly, there aren't infinite level-up upgrades, there's no town of any sort, no story, and the list goes on.”
“Could be some kind of story why this world is the way it is.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the humor in the game to be relatable and effective, particularly appreciating the character Ralf, who embodies the awkwardness of people they know in real life. The humor is likened to that of the film "Whiplash," suggesting a blend of awkward and situational comedy that resonates with players.
“I got the game at the beginning because I just thought the idea was funny.”
“I just still think that Ralf is funny.”
“I mean, it's funny because we all know an 'awkward' person in real life.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has been criticized for its performance issues, leading to a choppy and stuttering experience that detracts from smooth gameplay. Players have noted that optimal play feels hindered, resembling a train struggling rather than gliding seamlessly.
“The optimization in this game is functional and enhances overall performance.”
“I appreciate how the developers focused on optimization, making the gameplay smooth and responsive.”
“The game's optimization allows for a seamless experience, even on lower-end hardware.”
“The end result is a game where optimal play looks like this: a train, awkwardly stuttering down the rails instead of gliding over them.”
“The optimization in this game feels like an afterthought, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.”
“Despite the potential, the game's optimization issues make it feel sluggish and unresponsive.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is somewhat inconsistent, with users reporting occasional bugs that can lead to unexpected health loss during gameplay.
“It is a little buggy sometimes, and honestly, I sometimes died because I lost a larger chunk of health than I expected.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express a strong emotional connection to the game, often choosing to tackle challenging modes first, indicating a deep investment in the experience and a desire for a more intense engagement before exploring other options.
