NOSTALGIC TRAIN

About

NOSTALGIC TRAIN is a single player simulation game with a mystery theme. It was developed by Tatamibeya 畳部屋 and was released on June 12, 2018. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

A self-described walking simulator with a story and free roam mode.The setting is a rural area of Japan near a train station.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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75%

Audience ScoreBased on 24 reviews

story4 positive mentions

graphics3 negative mentions

Beautifully designed Japanese village environment with immersive ambient sounds and scenery that evoke nostalgia and relaxation.
Unique narrative experience combining walking simulator and visual novel elements, delivering an eerie, mysterious, and emotionally engaging story.
Impressive achievement for a single developer; the game acts as a virtual cultural museum offering insight into Japanese history and lifestyle.

Gameplay is minimal and repetitive, mainly involving finding hidden light orbs and reading extensive, sometimes confusing text, which can disrupt story flow.
Technical issues including lack of key remapping, limited controller support, no graphics resolution options, and sometimes excessive or irritating ambient sounds.
Small map size and short experience that may leave players wishing for more exploration and interaction; some find the story awkwardly integrated and translations lacking.

story
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
70%
13%
The story is generally praised for its eerie, mysterious, and poetic atmosphere, unfolding through exploration and memory fragments in a short narrative-driven experience. However, criticisms highlight awkward storytelling, pacing issues due to gameplay interruptions, translation and readability problems, and a disconnect between the intense, dramatic narrative and the game's visual tone. Overall, while compelling for some, the story's delivery and language barriers may limit its impact for many players.
- “A short narrative-based game with simple mechanics, where you explore a Japanese village and collect memory fragments to complete the story.”
- “I enjoyed the mystery of the story and how it came together.”
- “The story mode is more than just a story, it is somewhere between poetry and memories of the past.”
- “The story is far too complex for such a dry delivery.”
- “Not only is the search process frustrating, it actually affects the flow of the story which is fatal for a visual novel like this.”
- “The storytelling is awkward.”
gameplay
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
54%
23%
The gameplay is largely minimal and unengaging, primarily consisting of simple exploration and collecting items with no action, puzzles, or innovative mechanics. It is often described as a walking simulator with a brief narrative focus, leading some players to find it tedious and lacking interactive depth. Overall, the gameplay experience is considered slow and not particularly rewarding.
- “A short narrative-based game with simple mechanics, where you explore a Japanese village and collect memory fragments to complete the story.”
- “Gameplay is a mixture of walking simulator (like Dear Esther) and visual novel.”
- “Just don't expect any action or puzzles; gameplay was about 3 hours, but I explored a lot and took screenshots, so it was a little longer for me.”
- “Even the menu is bad; everything has to be changed from the main menu, so if you want to adjust anything during gameplay, you have to quit and go back.”
- “The whole gameplay consists of finding light orbs, which is exactly as boring as it sounds.”
- “The story mode lasts for 3 to 4 hours, which doesn't sound too long, but halfway through I was begging for it to end because the gameplay was so painful!”
graphics
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
20%
60%
The graphics are generally decent but lack originality, relying on default engine assets. While visually pleasant, they don't offer the immersion expected for the genre. Additionally, the PC version features better visuals, though resolution settings cannot be adjusted.
- “Graphics: 8”
- “The graphics are okay, but they’re just the default assets from the engine, so there’s nothing original.”
- “PC version has better visuals.”
- “You cannot change graphics resolution.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The game is praised for its unique and immersive atmosphere, evoking a dreamy, nostalgic feel reminiscent of the visual novel Air. Its serene depiction of a timeless Japanese village and themes of friendship and reincarnation create a captivating experience, especially for fans of Japanese culture and history.
- “A beautiful little game, very atmospheric.”
- “The atmosphere in this game is quite unique.”
- “Those who like to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of a Japanese village forgotten by time and those who are interested in Japanese history and culture, like me, will find this game interesting.”
music
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The music is praised for enhancing the game's atmosphere, contributing to an engaging and immersive setting alongside interesting stories.
- “Nice setting with good music and some interesting stories.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game delivers a deeply emotional experience through a beautiful Japanese countryside setting and a touching story centered on themes of loss, balance, acceptance, karma, and death. Its engaging narrative resonates strongly with players, enhancing the overall impact.
- “It is very engaging with absolutely beautiful Japanese countryside scenery and an equally beautiful, emotional tale of loss, balance, acceptance, karma, and death.”