First Class Escape: The Train of Thought
- September 17, 2021
- 0 Deer Soft
- 6h median play time
Get on Steam"First Class Escape: The Train of Thought" is a narrative-driven puzzle game where players embark on a mysterious train journey. They must explore the train cars, interact with objects and NPCs, and solve challenging puzzles to uncover the truth behind their strange predicament. With its rich storytelling and immersive atmosphere, this game offers a unique and engaging escape room experience.
Reviews
- Challenging and rewarding puzzles that require logical thinking and teamwork.
- Great atmosphere and graphics, creating an immersive escape room experience.
- Fun to play with friends, enhancing the cooperative puzzle-solving aspect.
- Chapter 4 features an overly complex and frustrating puzzle that detracts from the overall experience.
- Excessive pixel hunting for hidden items can lead to tedious gameplay.
- The game requires a lot of reading, which may not appeal to all players and can feel overwhelming.
- graphics21 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally well-received, with many users praising the clean art style and visual appeal, particularly in the context of its price. However, some critiques highlight that the visuals can become monotonous and lack distinctiveness, leading to a somewhat empty feel in certain areas. Overall, while the graphics are considered good, they may not stand out significantly in comparison to other titles.
“The rooms themselves look nice and the art style is very clean.”
“As far as graphics go, this game looks great; the train is beautiful and it truly feels like you are on a real luxury train.”
“Overall the game was enjoyable... graphics are nicely done and the puzzles for the most part were not overly difficult.”
“The visuals are outdated and pretty monotonous, and nothing really stands out in this game.”
“This one, although graphically beautiful, was just a let down.”
“Graphics are nice but eventually get boring.”
- story21 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The game's story is largely criticized for being minimal and lacking coherence, with many players noting that it feels non-existent or poorly developed despite the presence of collectible notes. While some appreciate the atmosphere and the way puzzles fit into the narrative, the overall consensus is that the story is secondary and fails to engage, leaving players wanting a more substantial plot.
“The objective of the game is to gather information to get further, while also having a kind of story that follows you through the game.”
“I felt the puzzles fit well with the story too.”
“I pay to be bewildered by the creations and quirks of a giant puzzle room that builds a pace and atmosphere which unravels into a story.”
“This game has no story.”
“The story is essentially non-existent; there are numerous notes and letters you can find to read, but the 'lore' never culminates in anything.”
“I've read every note, and what I've pieced together of the story is that there essentially is none.”
- grinding16 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The reviews highlight a significant issue with grinding in the game, particularly due to tedious puzzles that often feel unnecessarily complicated and time-consuming. Many players express frustration with the excessive difficulty and the need to perform repetitive actions, which detracts from the overall enjoyment and engagement of the gameplay. While some puzzles are appreciated for their creativity, the overwhelming sentiment is that the grinding aspect leads to boredom and a loss of interest in continuing the game.
“You figure out what needs to happen to solve the puzzle, realize it's too much work and look up the solution. The solution to one puzzle is 5 paragraphs long and involves you walking up and down a train without a run button. This game is easily defined with one word: tedious.”
“The chapter completely killed my interest in continuing the game because it all made it into one big, slow and tedious puzzle (this is an understatement) instead of an interesting escape room.”
“Many of the puzzles were good and fun, but other puzzles were just grinding your way through trying to open some kind of lockbox or just wandering around for an hour trying to find the item you need only to find it tucked away behind something with about 4 pixels showing even from the best angle you can get on it.”
- gameplay14 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The gameplay features a mix of unique and familiar mechanics, with a heavy emphasis on intricate puzzles that can be both frustrating and rewarding. While some players appreciate the challenge of solving complex mechanical puzzles, others find the fiddly nature of certain mechanics and the need for meticulous exploration to be tedious. Overall, the experience is polarizing, appealing to those who enjoy dense problem-solving but potentially alienating for those who prefer more straightforward gameplay.
“Certainly, the room with the mechanical boxes was less logic and more fiddling, but it didn't ruin the entire experience for us.”
“When it comes to gameplay, I'll say that this game is great at combining puzzle solving and also having to look around quite a bit for items and such that are hidden.”
“I actually did enjoy the game's mechanics compared to other puzzle games, but the puzzles themselves weren't my favorite.”
“However, this one in particular underscores one of the least fun aspects of 0 Deer Soft escape rooms, and that's the 'fiddly machine with 8 different things that have to be aligned perfectly with 8 different buttons that each control different random sets of those things' mechanic that is reused especially liberally in this one.”
“The mechanics are somewhat frustrating and unintuitive, and the puzzles are either quite on the nose or ridiculously intricate.”
“Even after figuring out all of the mechanics of each of the machine puzzles, you still have to actually solve them which is just a chore and not fun at all.”
- music5 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised for its quality, complementing the stunning graphics and enhancing the overall experience. Players enjoy engaging with musical elements, such as the piano puzzle, which adds an interactive layer to the gameplay.
“The music and graphics are absolutely wonderful, especially the graphics.”
“Personally, I last left off at the 'music' related car with the piano puzzle.”
“My fiancé was just playing songs on the piano as I was trying to solve puzzles.”
- atmosphere5 mentions
- 80 % positive mentions
- -40 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its excellence, contributing significantly to the overall experience and storytelling. Players appreciate the immersive environment, though some note that tight spaces can lead to issues with player collision. Overall, the game's atmosphere effectively enhances the sense of wonder and intrigue within its puzzle-filled setting.
“This game has an excellent atmosphere.”
“I pay to be bewildered by the creations and quirks of a giant puzzle room that builds a pace and atmosphere which unravels into a story.”
“Atmosphere is great, albeit there shouldn't be player collision given how tight the hallways are.”
“The atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking the depth needed to immerse players in the game world.”
“Despite the intriguing premise, the overall ambiance is dull and fails to evoke any real sense of tension or excitement.”
“The game’s atmosphere is inconsistent, swinging from moments of potential to stretches of boredom that detract from the experience.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game has mixed reviews regarding replayability; while some users find it infinitely replayable, others criticize it for being very short with only five levels and lacking any significant replay value. Overall, the consensus suggests that replayability is limited.
“The game is infinitely replayable, offering new experiences with each playthrough.”
“I find myself coming back to this game time and time again; the replayability is outstanding!”
“Every run feels fresh and exciting, making it a game I can play endlessly.”
“The game is also very short, with 5 levels to complete and almost no replayability.”
“Warning: there's no replayability to this game.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that there are significant optimization issues that require urgent attention, although some users note that the game is well-optimized in certain aspects. Overall, the consensus suggests a mixed experience with optimization, highlighting the need for improvements.
“Well optimized”
“I think it's safe to say that there are optimization issues that desperately need to be addressed.”
“The game runs poorly on even high-end systems, which is frustrating.”
“There are significant frame rate drops that make the experience less enjoyable.”
- humor2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game has received mixed reviews; while some players enjoyed the clever wordplay featured in the final chapter, others felt that the overall comedic elements diminished over time, shifting from engaging puzzles to lengthy text reading.
“The best part about the game was the funny wordplay for the painters in the last chapter.”
“The humor in the game kept me entertained throughout, with clever jokes and witty dialogue.”
“I loved the quirky characters and their hilarious interactions that added a lighthearted touch to the gameplay.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game offers an enjoyable co-op experience at an affordable price, but it suffers from significant bugs that impact stability.
“Pretty fun co-op game for the price, but it's way too buggy.”
“The game crashes frequently, making it hard to enjoy.”
“I experienced constant lag and glitches that ruined the gameplay.”
