Conductor

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Conductor is a single-player, action-adventure VR game set in a post-Industrial apocalypse. As the Conductor, you must control a locomotive, using your gravity cannon to solve puzzles and defend against Overcorp. Visit unique stations, manipulate the environment, and experience a compelling visual and musical atmosphere in this 1.5-2.5 hour teleportation-based puzzle-action game.

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

95%

Audience ScoreBased on 200 reviews

story16 positive mentions

stability8 negative mentions

Engaging and fun puzzles that strike a good balance between challenge and accessibility.
Atmospheric setting with a unique train mechanic that enhances the gameplay experience.
Runs well on various PC setups, making it accessible to a wider audience.

Short playtime of around 1.5 to 2 hours, which may leave players wanting more.
Some technical issues, including frame rate drops and occasional bugs with object interactions.
Limited combat mechanics that feel clunky and do not add much to the overall experience.

story
53 mentions
30 % positive mentions
64 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally described as minimal and vague, with players noting that while there are some intriguing elements and atmospheric world-building, the narrative often feels thin and underdeveloped. Many reviews highlight that the focus is primarily on puzzle-solving, with the story serving as a subtle backdrop rather than a driving force, leading to mixed feelings about its depth and engagement. Overall, while the story has its moments, players express a desire for a more fleshed-out narrative that could enhance the gameplay experience.
- “It's a cool game to chill and play in your own time, to watch and listen to the world around you, to piece together a hidden story, and solve some puzzles.”
- “The story is subtly added to the game, and develops well given that this is a short game focusing on puzzle-solving.”
- “The puzzles themselves create a cool story and help maintain the believability and immersion of the dystopian world that is presented.”
- “Some puzzles are not that intuitive, and the story ends really abruptly.”
- “There are bits of story every now and again but you can ignore them as there is no payoff at all.”
- “Despite the fair amount of story given to the player, the world never really builds on the dialogue to make the game more interesting; it just exists.”
graphics
49 mentions
31 % positive mentions
63 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally described as simple yet effective, with a minimalist art style that enhances the immersive experience, particularly in VR. While some players noted performance issues and a lack of detail compared to more graphically intensive titles, many appreciated the game's atmospheric visuals and how they complement the engaging puzzles. Overall, the consensus is that the graphics serve the gameplay well, proving that strong mechanics can outweigh the need for high-end visuals.
- “The graphics are amazing and immersive.”
- “Something about these graphics makes this VR game in particular look better than any other VR game I've played.”
- “The visuals are simplistic but very polished; everything is clean and readable, and the lighting looks great.”
- “Huge performance and graphic issues; I'm experiencing significant stutters that make the game not enjoyable to play at all.”
- “The graphics are rudimentary, but they serve to illustrate the large interactable 'puzzle pieces' of the game well.”
- “The visuals do not synergize with the audio; the cartoonish graphics are accompanied by creepy and annoying sounds that don't set the scene.”
atmosphere
43 mentions
74 % positive mentions
19 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and eerie qualities, enhanced by excellent music and sound design that evoke suspense and a sense of unease. Players appreciate the combination of simple yet effective environments, creative lighting, and ambient sounds that contribute to a captivating experience, often leading to moments of genuine spookiness. Overall, the atmosphere is described as both engaging and atmospheric, making it a standout feature of the game.
- “Even gave me a little spook despite nothing particularly graphic or jump scary, it's just very atmospheric.”
- “It drips with mood and atmosphere, and the lighting is superb.”
- “The game actually gave me goosebumps now and then because of the atmosphere - all around you is dark woods and every now and then there is a rustle of leaves and you can turn on the radio on the train and tune in to a great rhythmic track that helps add to the atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere is surreal and melancholy, and makes the world feel ten times bigger and emptier than what is actually shown.”
- “Enemy drones seem unnecessary; they mostly just spoil the atmosphere of the game.”
gameplay
35 mentions
40 % positive mentions
51 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a unique train mechanic that enhances puzzle-solving in a VR environment, providing a fun and engaging experience. While the puzzles are generally well-received, some players noted issues with controls and bugs that detracted from the overall enjoyment. The atmosphere and graphics are praised, but there are calls for more depth in both gameplay and story integration.
- “Solid mechanics, interesting storyline, not too much story to get in the way of the gameplay.”
- “The gameplay loop consists of puzzles of varied difficulty that would hinder your progress on the 'train track,' and once solved, would allow you to move to the next area.”
- “If you appreciate engaging puzzles with some adventuring/locked room experiences, etc., grab this game immediately, and if possible at full price because I almost feel guilty for not paying more.”
- “A little weak in gameplay, as the controls are hard to manage.”
- “The main gameplay element (the puzzles) have no failure conditions.”
- “My overall experience with this game is fairly good, but I came out of it sour because there are bugs, obnoxious physics, and annoying mechanics that add nothing to the game.”
music
15 mentions
60 % positive mentions
20 % neutral mentions
20 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for enhancing the atmosphere, with a soothing soundtrack that complements the gameplay experience. However, some players express a desire for more variety, as the limited number of tracks can become repetitive. Overall, while the music contributes positively to the game's ambiance, there is a call for additional tracks and ambient sounds to enrich the experience further.
- “Wonderful music and atmosphere, I always recommend it to folks just getting into VR especially.”
- “Conductor is a comfy little puzzle game with comfy music and an enjoyable atmosphere.”
- “Good music, fun game mechanics, interesting atmosphere.”
- “Fun puzzles and an interesting storyline, but I will lose my mind if I have to listen to one of the two songs available ever again.”
- “There are three music tracks in the game that run on a radio, which sound great; otherwise, the game seems to lack ambient sounds.”
- “I certainly think the experience was worth every penny, but I would have paid three times as much for more stations, more music, more story, and more secrets.”
stability
8 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game has been widely criticized for its instability, with numerous reports of bugs and glitches affecting gameplay, such as random character falls and problematic item interactions. While some players noted that these issues were not game-breaking, the overall experience is marred by a lack of polish and control responsiveness.
- “But the game is buggy and janky as hell.”
- “Negatives: this game could get pretty buggy.”
- “The item interaction can be a bit buggy at times when there is seemingly a conflict in collision which should be looked into.”
replayability
6 mentions
33 % positive mentions
17 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
Overall, the game is noted for its short playtime of around 1.5 hours and a lack of significant replayability. While some users suggest that community content through workshop support could enhance replay value, many agree that the experience, despite its brevity, is still enjoyable and worth the price.
- “If you added workshop support, then maybe we could see some community content that would add good replayability to the game.”
- “These developers took their last game, Abode, my previous favorite escape room, and created an awesome puzzling adventure that refined everything they had learned there to create one of my favorite games in general, regardless of it not being a replayable experience.”
- “It's really short with a playtime of 1.5 hours and no real replayability.”
- “Not a lot of replay value.”
- “These developers took their last game, my previous favorite escape room, and created an awesome puzzling adventure that refined everything they had learned there to create one of my favorite games in general, regardless of it not being a replayable experience.”
optimization
3 mentions
33 % positive mentions
-33 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has been criticized for significant performance and graphical issues, leading to frustrating stutters that detract from the overall enjoyment. Although a patch was released claiming to improve performance, players have noted that these improvements are insufficient, particularly in more cluttered areas.
- “There has been a patch since I've played the game that says it brings some performance improvements; however, I've already finished the more cluttered areas that show those problems when writing this review.”
- “Huge performance and graphic issues; I'm experiencing significant stutters that make the game not enjoyable to play at all.”
- “There has been a patch since I last played the game that claims to bring some performance improvements; however, I've already finished the more cluttered areas that exhibit those problems while writing this review.”
- “The voice acting is nice to have, but the performances are not great.”
emotional
1 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Users express that the emotional engagement in the game is hindered by the overly sensitive teleportation mechanic, which can disrupt immersion by activating unintentionally with a simple touch of the thumbpad.
grinding
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of operating the steam locomotive to be somewhat tedious, though they appreciate the enjoyment provided by the puzzles in the game.
humor
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is derived from its immersive mechanics and the spontaneous, often absurd interactions that arise during gameplay, particularly in multiplayer settings. Players report experiencing a range of hilarious moments that enhance the overall enjoyment and engagement with the game.
- “Playing this with three people was a blast! At one point, I tried to take my conductor's cap off before swapping the VR headset, and my friend attempted to blow out a lit match. Many more hilarious events unfolded as a result of how real the world felt.”
- “The humor in this game is top-notch! The witty dialogue and funny character interactions kept us laughing throughout our playthrough.”
- “I couldn't stop chuckling at the absurd situations we found ourselves in. The game's comedic timing is perfect, making even the simplest tasks entertaining.”