Loco Motive

About

Loco Motive is a single player puzzle game with mystery and comedy themes. It was developed by Robust Games and was released on November 21, 2024. It received very positive reviews from players.

On the Reuss Express a passenger has been murdered, and you’re the prime suspects. Uncover a thrilling mystery and solve satisfying point and click puzzles to prove your innocence! A slapstick adventure, packed full of deadly surprises, shocking twists and larger than life characters!

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

+10

Skip User Reviews

94%

Audience ScoreBased on 802 reviews

story171 positive mentions

stability21 negative mentions

Excellent pixel art and animation with highly expressive and fluid character movements.
Outstanding voice acting that brings the quirky and humorous characters to life.
Engaging and witty writing paired with a lighthearted, fun story inspired by classic point-and-click adventures.

Some puzzles require unintuitive or overly specific item combinations that can frustrate players.
A few bugs and technical issues including occasional softlocks and freezing requiring manual saves.
The lengthy backtracking confined mostly to the train setting can feel repetitive and slow gameplay pacing.

story
336 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
51%
48%
1%
The story of this point-and-click game is a lighthearted murder mystery set aboard a 1930s luxury train, told through three distinct character perspectives that add depth and humor. While some players found the plot straightforward or occasionally fragmented by side quests, the witty writing, clever narrative structure, and charming characters largely kept the story engaging and enjoyable. The strong voice acting, nostalgic pixel art, and well-timed humor further enrich the narrative experience, making it a fun and captivating adventure despite minor pacing or puzzle-related critiques.
- “Set aboard the lavish Reuss Express during the 1930s, the game immediately establishes a playful yet intriguing tone, blending murder mystery, slapstick comedy, and character-driven storytelling into a tightly focused narrative experience.”
- “The story unfolds through the perspectives of three distinct protagonists, each bringing their own voice and worldview to the unfolding mystery.”
- “The story moves forward at a steady clip, and the rotating protagonist structure ensures that new revelations continue to emerge without overstaying their welcome.”
- “Loco motive feels like too much of a circus to ever really address the expectations of a murder mystery, and the end result is that the story itself (in an ostensibly narrative-driven game!) feels somehow like an afterthought - something that trundles along awkwardly, reshaping itself as needed to provide the setup for whatever joke comes next.”
- “Instead, you're running around on random errands that often have little to nothing to do with the mystery, just to clear out one logjam after the next, while the plot moves on - usually without you.”
- “At the end of the day, between the zaniness of the setting, the zaniness of the story, and the zaniness of the puzzles, I ended up feeling like the story could basically take any turn it wanted, whenever it wanted, and it'd make as much sense as anything else - and as a result, I pretty much stopped caring about it.”
humor
274 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
98%
2%
The humor in this point-and-click adventure game is widely praised for its sharp, witty, and nostalgic style reminiscent of classic LucasArts titles like Monkey Island and Grim Fandango. Players enjoy the clever writing, strong voice acting, and funny, well-developed characters that deliver both subtle and outright laughs without feeling forced. Though a few find the humor corny or repetitious, the majority celebrate its blend of clever dialogue, visual gags, and playful tone that enhances the engaging mystery and charming pixel art.
- “The writing is consistently sharp and playful, filled with witty exchanges, visual gags, and humorous misunderstandings that never stray too far from the central mystery.”
- “The entire adventure is filled with humorous twists, complemented by voice acting that perfectly fits the tone and brings every character to life, including the supporting cast.”
- “It's been a while since I've played a game that was just so naturally funny and effortlessly does so; it has such a wonderfully cartoonish slapstick energy that didn't feel dissonant and the wit on display is astounding.”
- “The 'jokes' in this game remind me of terrible sitcom ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ that we are reminded is supposed to be funny with a laugh track.”
- “Can we agree this is unfunny garbage?”
- “Unfortunately, it's just not funny.”
graphics
148 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
45%
2%
The game features charming and meticulously crafted pixel art graphics that evoke nostalgic point-and-click classics while incorporating smooth, modern animations and detailed environments. The art style is widely praised for its expressiveness, vibrant colors, and atmospheric design, including a unique noir mode, complemented by excellent voice acting that greatly enhances the immersive experience. Minor graphical glitches and occasional bugs do not significantly detract from the overall highly polished and visually delightful presentation.
- “Good little point-and-click adventure game with some excellent artwork, absolutely oozing with style.”
- “The visuals are great, and it's got lots of unique animations for interacting with things, as well as many intricate idle animations in the background.”
- “From the art style to the story and voice acting, this game had me grinning from ear to ear and giggling at my desk.”
- “A pet peeve of mine is when games use pixel art style and mix it with high-res fonts and pictures.”
- “The graphics, while fine, were not as sharp as I've seen pixel graphics.”
- “Very nice point-and-click adventure game that reminds me of the same type of games I played 30 years ago :) also the graphics is the same as in that age which probably isn't everyone's cup of tea.”
music
105 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
69%
28%
3%
The music in the game is widely praised for its jazzy, era-appropriate soundtrack that perfectly complements the 1930s setting, enhancing both comedic and suspenseful moments. Composed by Paul Zimmerman, the soundtrack is dynamic, engaging, and reminiscent of classic adventure game scores, contributing significantly to the game's lively and immersive atmosphere. Overall, the music, alongside stellar voice acting, is considered a standout feature that enriches the narrative and gameplay experience.
- “Complementing the visuals is a jazzy, era-appropriate soundtrack that enhances both comedic moments and tense investigative sequences, reinforcing the 1930s setting without feeling derivative.”
- “The music is, quite frankly, the best I've heard in a game since Monkey Island and Fate of Atlantis.”
- “The soundtrack was composed by Paul Zimmerman, who also did the music for Luna's Fishing Garden, Wildfrost, and a few others; and he knocked it out of the park with this one.”
- “The music is jazzy, appropriate to the period, and is not intrusive but pretty forgettable.”
- “- decent music: while not as praise-worthy as the above, it sets a decent tone and never gets irritating, which is a really important element in a puzzle game where you might be in the same area for a while trying to reason through a problem.”
- “Example a musical instrument case that I can't open until... whenever... two characters on screen literally talk about the item being out of place so okay let's examine it... oh we can't... well now what?”
gameplay
70 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
57%
6%
The gameplay in Loco Motive is a classic point-and-click adventure experience featuring exploration, dialogue, item collection, and puzzle-solving with a fresh mechanic of switching between multiple protagonists. While largely adhering to traditional genre conventions, the puzzles strike a balance between challenge and accessibility, though some players found occasional glitches, confusing item interactions, or leaps in logic frustrating. Overall, the gameplay is enjoyable and complemented by strong writing and voice acting, appealing mainly to fans of nostalgic adventure games.
- “Loco motive is a very funny point-and-click puzzle/adventure game, similar in tone and gameplay to the Monkey Island series.”
- “Gameplay adheres closely to traditional point-and-click conventions, emphasizing exploration, dialogue, item collection, and logical puzzle solving.”
- “The mechanics of switching between characters is fresh and fun.”
- “I did have an issue on two separate occasions where items went missing because of improper use of item sending mechanics (ex: losing a rusty pipe by flushing it while the current was the wrong direction, or putting something in a delivery shaft and it disappearing).”
- “Loco motive is just that: if you've played a point-and-click, if you've seen a vintage murder mystery, there's nothing new here - aside from perhaps the increasing roster of playable characters and a multitude of helpful hint mechanics (I only resorted to using a walkthrough once, and it was because I had missed a blatantly obvious object).”
- “Has a little bit of point and click obtuseness (including a couple parts where the solution was clear but the actual mechanic of how they want you to do it less clear i.e. needing to combine in inventory in certain order instead of using, or that sort of thing).”
stability
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
5%
95%
The game suffers from various bugs and glitches, including softlocks, interface issues, and visual layering problems, which can disrupt gameplay and progress. However, many reviewers note that these issues are being actively addressed through patches, and despite the stability problems, the game remains enjoyable. Players are advised to save frequently to avoid losing progress due to bugs.
- “It's been about 8 months since this game was released and it is still buggy.”
- “Upon release, I encountered 2 different softlock glitches that completely ruined the saves and forced me to restart the game each time.”
- “This game is buggy - I am hardlocked trying to give the horn back to Arista.”
atmosphere
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
72%
22%
6%
The game excels in creating a rich, engaging atmosphere through a blend of clever storytelling, witty dialogue, and superb voice acting. Its whimsical yet suspenseful music, beautiful pixel art, and expressive character animations perfectly complement the humor and intrigue of the narrative, resulting in an immersive and memorable adventure. Players consistently praise the harmonious combination of audio, visuals, and writing that elevates the overall experience.
- “The background music perfectly sets the tone, blending whimsical melodies with suspenseful undertones that match the game's quirky and mysterious atmosphere.”
- “Great voice acting and an ingeniously fitting soundtrack round off the beautiful pixel atmosphere.”
- “It strikes a delightful balance between whimsy and intrigue, creating an atmosphere that enhances every moment of gameplay.”
- “It starts with a comical Orient Express-like atmosphere that lasts quite a while, but then, when you think the game is over, the setting changes, revealing new, long, and beautiful sections.”
optimization
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
42%
The game delivers technically flawless optimization with smooth, bug-free performance throughout. Its overall experience is greatly enhanced by stellar voice acting and polished presentation, making it seamless and enjoyable to play.
- “Technically flawless from start to finish, no bugs encountered, smooth performance throughout.”
- “I don't think there was a single performance here that I would describe as anything less than great, the only exceptions being the ones that somehow managed to be even better.”
- “The voice acting is top-notch across the board, with each character brought to life with distinct and memorable performances.”
emotional
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's emotional impact is mixed, with some players finding it heartfelt and engaging, especially appreciating its humor and voice acting, while others feel it falls short in delivering deep emotional complexity. Overall, it succeeds as a lovely, nostalgic experience that balances lightheartedness with moments of genuine feeling.
- “I laughed, I cried—I spent an entire afternoon, and I regret none of it.”
- “The voice acting is superb, the puzzles are absolutely maddening, and the characters and story are just plain fun, engaging and heartfelt.”
- “In the end, Loco Motive is a heartfelt love letter to the golden age of point-and-click adventures.”
character development
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
Character development is highlighted by distinct, expressive, and well-animated character designs that bring the game's world to life. The art style and polished animations enhance the personality and charm of each character, contributing significantly to the game's overall appeal.
- “The art and animations are fantastic, each scene is packed with character and detail, with smooth transitions and expressive character designs that really bring the world to life.”
- “Character design and animation is just perfect; they actually spend enough time to animate and polish the characters.”
- “Let's start off with the art style, the character designs and animation are top tier, even though it definitely has subtle modern touches, it really captures the essence of the pixel-art from those early Monkey Island entries.”
replayability
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
The game offers limited replayability, primarily appealing to achievement hunters rather than through multiple endings or branching story choices. Its relatively short length and linear narrative reduce its incentive for multiple playthroughs, making replay value marginal beyond the first run.
- “There is a decent amount of replayability in the game, not for different endings, but for achievement hunters.”
- “It has replay value in form of (potentially) missed achievements.”
- “It's a relatively short game at about 10 hours with little replay value, but it's a fun ride while it lasts.”
- “Very short, 0 replay value.”
- “There are no true choices of how to proceed in the game, and it's not overtly entertaining as a story beyond one pass through, so the replay value is marginal until you forget the game a bit.”
- “It has replay value in the form of (potentially) missed achievements.”
grinding
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
20%
60%
Grinding in the game can become slow and tedious, especially in the middle stages, with some unintuitive puzzles contributing to the frustration. However, helpful features like highlighting all interactable items reduce the need for pixel-hunting, mitigating some of the grind. Overall, while it can feel mind-numbing at times, the experience remains engaging for those who enjoy a silly mystery.
- “All interactable items can be highlighted, so there is no grinding of pixel-hunting.”
- “It does get a little slow and tedious in the middle.”
- “A lot of puzzles are very unintuitive and tedious.”
- “After only a few hours of playing, it just got mind-numbingly tedious.”