Dark Train

About

In Dark Train, you explore a mysterious, mechanical world aboard a massive, sentient locomotive. Solve puzzles, discover secrets, and interact with the machine's unique inhabitants as you journey through a beautifully bizarre landscape. This atmospheric adventure game showcases a distinctive art style and immersive audio, offering a truly unique gaming experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

71%

Audience ScoreBased on 93 reviews

gameplay7 positive mentions

grinding1 negative mentions

Dark Train features stunning visuals and a unique art style, crafted from paper cutouts, which creates an immersive atmosphere.
The game offers a challenging and rewarding experience, encouraging players to explore and discover solutions to puzzles without hand-holding.
It has a captivating story and intriguing gameplay mechanics that keep players engaged, with a sense of wonder and discovery throughout.

The game lacks clear instructions or guidance, making it difficult for players to understand the mechanics and objectives, leading to frustration.
Controls can be clunky and imprecise, often resulting in pixel hunting and inconsistent interactions that detract from the gameplay experience.
Many players find the puzzles to be overly cryptic and illogical, which can lead to a sense of aimlessness and dissatisfaction.

gameplay
46 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
72%
13%
The gameplay of "Dark Train" is characterized by its unique mechanics and exploration-based puzzles, but it suffers from inconsistent controls and a lack of clear instructions, leading to a frustrating experience for many players. While the stunning visuals and atmospheric design are praised, the trial-and-error nature of the gameplay can detract from the overall enjoyment, making it challenging to fully engage with the mechanics without external guidance. Despite these issues, some players find the innovative gameplay rewarding once they grasp the mechanics, highlighting the game's potential for those willing to invest time in understanding its complexities.
- “Great, rich, intriguing universe, multiple gameplay mechanics, complex puzzles, difficult but not frustrating, many endings (at least I think so? or maybe I'm just very bad at this and ended the game prematurely xd), and very nice art!”
- “The gameplay focuses on exploring every nook and cranny of the train and the city you are driving through, while solving some light puzzles.”
- “The gameplay is a nice deviation from the typical point-and-click style games you would usually see in this genre, and best of all it is just a blast to play through.”
- “The game requires you to constantly stumble into one-shot mechanics by mere chance.”
- “There is almost no instruction on the mechanics of this game; it involves a lot of trial and error.”
- “The game mechanics and controls are really poor.”
graphics
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
42%
8%
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their stunning visuals and unique art style, often described as a blend of gothic steampunk and handmade animation reminiscent of classic Czech films. While the aesthetics are praised for creating an engaging atmosphere, some reviews note that the gameplay mechanics can detract from the overall experience, leading to frustration despite the impressive visuals. Overall, the game's graphics are highlighted as a standout feature, contributing significantly to its appeal.
- “Absolutely love the graphic style, it's amazing.”
- “The visuals make this game incredible because everything looks like it was made from... paper!”
- “The visuals are very well made and create the right mood.”
- “I love how the materiality of the game shows itself - torn/crumpled paper, thin/thick paper, paper layers actively used as a design vehicle; it is not just about art style, it's at the core of gameplay.”
- “After my eyes have become accustomed to the aesthetic beauty, I started wondering what to do: what's this game about?”
story
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
61%
13%
The game's story receives mixed reviews, with some players praising its unique and atmospheric storytelling that unfolds through environmental details and exploration, while others criticize the lack of clarity and coherence, often feeling lost or disengaged. Many noted that understanding the narrative requires external resources, which detracts from the overall experience. Overall, the storytelling is seen as a double-edged sword, offering intriguing elements for some while leaving others frustrated by its ambiguity and disconnection from gameplay.
- “The story is told through the environment and blueprints you discover while playing.”
- “We were amazed by the atmosphere, slowly revealed story, but mostly by the game design with all the details.”
- “The storytelling is unique and makes you want to put storylines where there may not be any storylines there, but regardless you feel empowered by just how intelligent it makes you feel.”
- “Apparently it is some sort of fantastical allegorical metaphor, but I am still at a loss to describe the backstory.”
- “There is absolutely no backstory, or story at all (at least until the part I've played so far), even if there is, it brings no interest to me.”
- “Here we have four problems: 1) players are not supposed to search for external resources in order to understand and get involved with the game experience; 2) it's better to avoid frustrating, unclear, and annoying gameplay; 3) if a game artist has something to express, he must be able to express it through the artwork itself, with no need to explain gameplay, story, or contents outside the artwork; 4) form and content, gameplay and story, they have to be coherent and well integrated.”
atmosphere
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
79%
5%
16%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its stunning visuals, dark and immersive soundscapes, and unique design, creating a captivating experience that draws players in. Many reviewers highlight the game's ability to evoke strong emotions and a sense of mystery, making it a standout feature despite mixed opinions on gameplay mechanics. Overall, the atmosphere is consistently described as a major strength, enhancing the overall enjoyment of the game.
- “It has a superb atmosphere and matching soundscape.”
- “Brilliant atmosphere and feel.”
- “It's worth playing Dark Train simply to absorb the delicious atmosphere; Dark Train is replayable simply for that experience.”
- “We were amazed by the atmosphere, slowly revealed story, but mostly by the game design with all the details.”
- “It does not matter to me if the assets were made out of paper, but what matters to me is the atmosphere, and this game has atmosphere indeed.”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
50%
The music in the game is highly praised for its eerie and immersive quality, complementing the gothic noir steampunk art style. Reviewers recommend purchasing the soundtrack, highlighting its significant contribution to the overall atmosphere of the game.
- “The art and music/sound is very immersive.”
- “The art sure is nice with a sort of gothic noir steampunk setting and an eerie soundtrack.”
- “Great soundtrack!”
- “The art is nice with a sort of gothic noir steampunk setting and an eerie soundtrack.”
- “Buying a soundtrack is highly recommended!”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features several unexpected emotional moments that resonate with players, enhancing their overall perception and appreciation of the experience.
- “It had a few emotional moments, which surprised me and made me think more highly of the game right away.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express a sense of determination in overcoming challenging grinding sections, such as the tornado room, indicating that while grinding can be arduous, it often leads to a satisfying sense of achievement upon completion.
- “The tornado room, however... well, I passed it, obstinately, yet I knew, grinding through it, that it would be the last.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
200%
300%
Players find "Dark Train" highly replayable due to its captivating atmosphere, making it worthwhile to experience multiple times. The immersive environment encourages players to return for the unique ambiance it offers.
- “The variety of choices and paths in the game makes each playthrough feel fresh and exciting.”
- “With multiple endings and hidden secrets, I find myself coming back to explore every possibility.”
- “It's worth playing Dark Train simply to absorb the delicious atmosphere; Dark Train is replayable simply for that experience.”
- “After completing the game once, I found little incentive to go back. The lack of varied outcomes makes replaying feel pointless.”
- “While the game has a captivating story, the linear gameplay means there's not much to discover on subsequent playthroughs.”

80%Critics’ scoreBased on 1 critic reviews

Dark Train Review - KeenGamer
Keengamer.com
80%

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