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Cosmic Express

Cosmic Express Game Cover
88%Game Brain Score
gameplay, graphics
story, grinding
91% User Score Based on 430 reviews
Critic Score 75%Based on 2 reviews

Platforms

Nintendo SwitchLinuxPCTabletAndroidMac OSPhoneiPadMobile PlatformiPhoneWindows
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Cosmic Express Game Cover

About

Cosmic Express is a single player casual action adventure game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by Draknek & Friends and was released on March 16, 2017. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and very positive reviews from players.

Plan the train route for the universe's most awkward space colony!

Genres & Tags
Play Modes
Cosmic Express screenshot
Cosmic Express screenshot
Cosmic Express screenshot
Cosmic Express screenshot
Skip User Reviews

91%
Audience ScoreBased on 430 reviews
gameplay21 positive mentions
grinding2 negative mentions
  • Charming and cute visual style with soothing ambient music and pleasant sound effects.
  • Well-crafted and cleverly designed puzzles with a gradual and varied difficulty curve.
  • Simple mechanics that are easy to learn but offer deep and satisfying brain-teasing challenges.
  • Some levels become frustratingly difficult, relying heavily on trial and error rather than pure logical deduction.
  • Later stages and bonus puzzles can feel repetitive, overly complex, and exhausting to solve without hints.
  • Interface and controls feel better suited for touch devices; lack of hint system and some design elements may hinder player experience.
  • gameplay
    104 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay centers on a simple, elegant core mechanic of drawing non-overlapping tracks to transport passengers, with new mechanics gradually introduced to add fresh challenges and depth. While the puzzles start accessible and cleverly teach mechanics, they become increasingly fiendish, requiring careful critical thinking, though sometimes leading to frustration due to trial-and-error and very specific solutions. Overall, the game is praised for extracting surprising complexity from minimal mechanics, offering a balanced difficulty curve and engaging, varied puzzle designs.

    • “Very clever problems, elegant mechanics and intuitive UI.”
    • “The gameplay is very elegant in its simplicity yet manages to offer peak problem solving and critical thinking.”
    • “One of the best puzzle games I've ever played, maybe the best if I consider all the things I find important in puzzle games - great mechanics, good introductions of all of them, great variation of puzzles with each one revealing more things of how to think with puzzles, great progression in difficulty.”
    • “The gameplay is extremely simple, you just draw a single rail.”
    • “New mechanics are introduced, but they don't really spice up the game at all, nor are they really mindblowing like in some games.”
    • “Most puzzles feel either too easy or too difficult, and the trial-and-error gameplay can be frustrating.”
  • graphics
    66 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game features simple yet charming and cute graphics with a minimalist, stylized art style that is both aesthetically pleasing and functional across devices. While the visuals are not highly detailed or customizable, they effectively complement the puzzle design and overall relaxing atmosphere, enhanced by fitting sound and music. Some users note occasional issues with graphics settings, but generally praise the game's appealing, cozy aesthetic.

    • “From the moment you embark on your cosmic journey, you're greeted by vibrant, hand-drawn graphics that breathe life into every level.”
    • “The graphics and sound add considerably to the experience.”
    • “Simple, but aesthetically pleasing audiovisuals, unobtrusive controls, and a wealth of excellent puzzles.”
    • “There's no options to change the resolution for the mobile app or customise the graphics settings.”
    • “There's no way for gamers to try to improve the low quality mobile phone graphics.”
    • “Clicking on graphics settings closes the game completely and brings up unity's resolution changer, which should come up on startup normally.”
  • music
    35 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is generally praised for being ambient, soothing, and fitting the cosmic puzzle theme, providing a calming backdrop that helps players stay focused during challenging levels. While some find it minimal or repetitive to the point of monotony, others appreciate its unobtrusive and relaxing nature, with volume controls allowing players to customize their audio experience. Overall, the soundtrack complements the gameplay without overwhelming it, enhancing the game's atmosphere and charm.

    • “Extremely well done puzzler that hits all the right notes: tough but fair, simple and clear ruleset, charming art style, delightful music ... the only downside is realizing that there are bunch of people out there in the world clearly smarter than me (they've finished puzzles I cannot!).”
    • “Plus, the serene, ambient soundtrack provides a soothing backdrop to your journey, making it easy to lose track of time as you get lost in this cosmic conundrum.”
    • “The calming music goes a long way to help you keep your cool as you get stuck on the more difficult puzzles for an extended period of time.”
    • “- The soundtrack didn't do much to ease the monotony; just a lot of space-y sounding ambient music.”
    • “A little visual flair or a stronger soundtrack would have made Cosmic Express a much stronger title, but as it stands, it's a competent puzzle game with absolutely no bells or whistles.”
    • “- A minor gripe, but after a while the ambient music started to become irritating.”
  • story
    10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story in this game is minimal and primarily serves as a basic framework, casting the player as a cosmic train conductor transporting alien passengers across galaxies. While some find it lacking depth and plot, others appreciate the simple premise paired with engaging gameplay. Overall, narrative elements are sparse and mostly functional rather than immersive.

    • “The story frames you as a conductor in charge of transporting alien colonists to their new homes aboard the cosmic express.”
    • “You play as a cosmic train driver who must collect and deliver alien passengers of different races through various galaxies.”
    • “I loved the story and loved the gameplay.”
    • “There isn't a whiff of story outside the framing, which pits you as a conductor in charge of transporting alien colonists to their new homes courtesy of the cosmic express.”
    • “There is no plot really; you play as a cosmic train driver that has to collect and deliver alien passengers of different races through different galaxies.”
    • “No story.”
  • replayability
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game offers solid replayability due to a large number of challenging levels and the difficulty in recalling puzzle solutions, although some users find its replay value somewhat limited overall.

    • “I cannot remember my solutions to each puzzle, so it's certainly replayable as well!”
    • “Although the replay value is limited, there are more than enough levels to justify the price, and the quality and challenge are top notch.”
  • optimization
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game runs smoothly with no technical issues, providing a stable performance overall; however, users wish for better optimization specifically for controllers and the Steam Deck.

    • “Overall the game is just lovely - great design, sufficiently challenging, enough levels, and it runs smoothly (no technical problems whatsoever).”
    • “Overall impressions and performance.”
    • “I just wished the game was more optimized for controllers and Steam Deck.”
  • grinding
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Grinding in the game is generally seen as tedious by some users, requiring significant time investment, while others appreciate that the game explores key mechanics thoroughly without becoming monotonous.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Tedious.”
  • atmosphere
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere is effectively crafted through a minimal, eerie soundtrack and well-designed art, creating a relaxing yet immersive environment that enhances the puzzle-solving experience without being intrusive.

    • “The eerie soundtrack is minimal, sufficient to build atmosphere without being intrusive.”
    • “It has a very relaxed atmosphere, allowing you to calmly take your time in finding your way through its tricky puzzles.”
    • “The art is well done, the music is atmospheric.”
  • stability
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game is highly stable, running smoothly without any bugs or glitches, and performs well on Linux systems.

  • humor
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Users find the game's humor enjoyable, particularly appreciating the amusing passenger noises that add a comedic touch.

    • “Funny game.”
    • “The noises all the passengers make are quite funny.”
  • monetization
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization of Cosmic Express is criticized as a cash grab, with users feeling it is a simplistic mobile app poorly marketed as a full PC game. This perception stems from its basic gameplay and the impression that it was primarily designed for mobile, making its Steam release seem exploitative.

    • “Cosmic Express is a mobile app that's been dumped on Steam as if it were a real PC game (it's not). It's a cash grab from greedy mobile developers.”
  • emotional
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Users found the emotional experience rewarding and engaging, feeling a sense of accomplishment and intelligence when solving puzzles despite initial uncertainty.

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75%Critics’ scoreBased on 2 critic reviews
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15h Median play time
21h Average play time
8h Main story
15h Completionist
10-50h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Cosmic Express is a casual action adventure game with science fiction theme.

Cosmic Express is available on Nintendo Switch, PC, Mac OS, Phone and others.

The main story can be completed in around 8 hours, while the entire game is estimated to take about 15 hours to finish. On average players spend around 21 hours playing Cosmic Express.

Cosmic Express was released on March 16, 2017.

Cosmic Express was developed by Draknek & Friends.

Cosmic Express has received very positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its story.

Cosmic Express is a single player game.

Similar games include Railbound, Snakebird, Baba Is You, LYNE, Stephen's Sausage Roll and others.