Railroads & Catacombs
- September 14, 2023
- MadRails
- 10h median play time
Get on Steam"Railroads & Catacombs" is a strategy action game in Early Access, where you navigate a locomotive through a sinister world, battling creatures and bosses. Assemble and manage a crew from 5 classes, each with unique abilities, and choose from over 120 card upgrades for combat. Your goal is to escape this dangerous land by finding safe havens and upgrading your train for survival.
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a unique blend of roguelike deckbuilding, grid-based combat, and base building, providing a fresh gameplay experience.
- The art style and graphics are impressive, reminiscent of Darkest Dungeon, and contribute to an immersive atmosphere.
- The developer is responsive to feedback and actively working on updates, showing promise for future improvements and content.
- The game suffers from balance issues, particularly with certain characters being overpowered, leading to a lack of challenge.
- Gameplay can become repetitive and grindy, with limited variety in encounters and a lack of meaningful choices during dungeon exploration.
- There are several mechanics that are poorly explained, making it difficult for players to fully understand the game's systems and strategies.
- gameplay31 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Railroads and Catacombs" is characterized by its innovative blend of roguelike deckbuilding, grid-based combat, and base-building mechanics, offering a unique experience reminiscent of "Darkest Dungeon" and "Slay the Spire." Players appreciate the strategic depth and variety of card combinations, though some balance issues and a lack of narrative integration with monsters and dungeons have been noted. Overall, the game delivers challenging and engaging gameplay, enhanced by impressive visuals and frequent updates from its solo developer.
“The mechanics are great; it's a solid card game with nice ideas, and battles are fairly balanced.”
“With its awesome graphics, engaging card deck builder, and satisfyingly challenging gameplay, this game truly stands out as a testament to its developer's dedication.”
“The depth and variety of cards ensure that no two playthroughs are the same, keeping the gameplay fresh and exciting.”
“This isn't really a push-your-luck style of dungeon exploring; there is a sanity mechanic, but it's pretty easy to never have to deal with it.”
“The gameplay loop is go into a dungeon, get materials, use them, and repeat.”
“There are definitely early access balance issues, most notably that only the gambler has access to draw mechanics and only the furtive has access to action economy, making the magician far and away the most overpowered class in the game.”
- graphics22 mentions
- 64 % positive mentions
- 23 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning art style, reminiscent of "Darkest Dungeon," which creates an immersive and aesthetically appealing experience. Players appreciate the vibrant visuals and unique character designs, although some express a desire for more content and sound effects to enhance the overall experience. While the graphics are a strong point, there are calls for further polishing and updates to maintain engagement.
“The graphics are beautiful; the sound design is good, but it lacks any background music.”
“With its awesome graphics, engaging card deck builder, and satisfyingly challenging gameplay, this game truly stands out as a testament to its developer's dedication.”
“Whether it's the lush forests, treacherous dungeons, or bustling cities, the game's graphics create a truly immersive experience that draws you in and keeps you captivated throughout your journey.”
“But for this price, it's absolutely worth it. I just hope the devs don't fall behind on their updates because the game needs a lot of work; the art style can't hold up a game for long.”
“Graphics: the visuals in 'Railroads and Catacombs' are nothing short of stunning.”
“Picked this game up recently after seeing the art style reminding me a bunch of Darkest Dungeon.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat excessive, particularly when it comes to obtaining resources and card upgrades, leading to a repetitive experience. While some elements may alleviate the grind later on, the overall sentiment leans towards it being overly tedious.
“My main complaint is that it is very grindy, which makes it too repetitive for my tastes.”
“In short, fun, but repetitive and grindy at the moment.”
“It's a bit grindy to obtain resources, which may alleviate after you get psychiatry, who will not lose insanity.”
- story4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
Reviewers express a desire for a deeper narrative that explains the motivations behind fighting monsters and the overarching goals within the game. While the gameplay and art style are praised, there is a consensus that additional storytelling elements would enhance the experience and provide context for exploring the dark world.
“Highly recommended if you're into deckbuilding along the lines of Deck of Ashes, Iratus, etc., and that type of art, building, storytelling, etc., but still unique and stands on its own at the same time.”
“It's a nice roguelike game; maybe we also need some story to tell players why we explore this dark world.”
“A little more story about why you are fighting these monsters and what your end goal is would be good.”
“It's a nice roguelike game, but maybe we also need some story to tell players why we explore this dark world.”
“Characters only rest up under missions.”
- music3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The music aspect of the game has received mixed feedback; while the sound design is praised, many users note the absence of background music, which detracts from the overall experience. Players do have the option to adjust the volume for music and sound effects in the settings.
“The graphics are beautiful, the sound design is good, but it lacks any background music.”
“In settings, the player can change the volume for the music and sound effects.”
- character development2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Character development is highlighted through intricate character designs and a vibrant world, showcasing a high level of attention to detail that enhances the overall experience.
“From the moment you step into this vibrant world, you'll be treated to breathtaking landscapes, intricate character designs, and a level of attention to detail that is second to none.”
- stability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is generally stable and mostly free of bugs, despite being in early access.
“It is a solid, mostly bug-free game that is still in early access.”
“The game runs smoothly without any major crashes or glitches.”
“I appreciate how stable the gameplay is, even during intense moments.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is generally well-received, contributing to its solid overall experience, though some players feel that certain paths could be better balanced.
“The game is solid and funny, with humor that keeps you engaged throughout.”
“The witty dialogue and hilarious situations make every moment enjoyable.”
“I love how the humor is cleverly woven into the gameplay, making it a delightful experience.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's challenging obstacles and the opportunity to explore various strategies significantly enhance its replayability, encouraging players to return for new experiences and mastery.
“This level of challenge adds to the game's replayability, as you'll want to keep coming back to conquer the various obstacles and explore different strategies to succeed.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a desire for power and control, as players express a wish to eliminate enemies effortlessly, suggesting a sense of frustration or a longing for dominance in challenging situations.
