The Girl on the Train
- October 23, 2017
- NewWestGames
- 3h median play time
Get on Steam"The Girl on the Train" is a first-person psychological thriller adventure game. You play as Megan, a woman with a troubled past, who becomes entangled in a missing person investigation that takes a dangerous turn. The game features intense story-driven gameplay, with multiple endings based on your choices and interactions.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
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Reviews
- The game features a cute and sweet story about a young woman's infatuation with another girl, providing a light-hearted experience.
- It's very affordable and offers easy achievements, making it accessible for casual players and achievement hunters.
- The artwork, while basic, is decent and the backgrounds are nicely drawn, contributing to the overall aesthetic of the game.
- The story is extremely short, taking only about 30 minutes to complete, and lacks depth and character development.
- The music is poorly received, with many players finding it unpleasant and distracting from the experience.
- The characters are generally unlikable and the plot is considered bland and uninspired, leading to a lack of engagement from players.
- story61 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- 72 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The story of the game is generally perceived as short, simplistic, and lacking depth, with many reviewers noting its blandness and inconsistencies. While some appreciate the themes of love and acceptance, others criticize the execution, describing it as rushed and poorly developed, often comparing it to fanfiction. Overall, the narrative fails to engage players meaningfully, leaving a mixed impression of a cute but ultimately unsatisfying experience.
“The story was about love and acceptance, and it had a beautiful message.”
“A cute lesbian love story visual novel.”
“Tells the story of Hana, a young woman who is infatuated with another young woman she sees on the train riding home from school, and the ensuing relationship.”
“The story is nonsensical and not a single character is remotely likable.”
“Even though the story briefly mentions some aspects that could have been used for a promising setting (school bullying, young people desperately looking to make quick money or same-sex marriage), the story doesn't feature any of them except just mentioning them; they don't even contribute to the main plot which is about two girls expressing their love for each other in a way you just feel ashamed reading it.”
“The writing and plot are rushed.”
- music14 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many users describing it as poor, unappealing, and poorly suited to the scenes. Complaints include issues with looping, a lack of variety, and the use of recycled tracks from previous titles. While a few users noted that the music was not entirely annoying, the general consensus is that it detracts significantly from the overall experience.
“The only positive point I can make is the music, which is not annoying.”
“It's short, it's a little tropey, it recycles music and interface from the creators' previous games, but it's just something short and sweet to kill an hour on if you don't want to do anything else before you need to go somewhere.”
“There are some obvious flaws with grammar, the art is okay, the music and game engine are nice, and the story is fine.”
“The music is reasonably awful, and the price is way too high for a game you can go through in 30 minutes and has so few different pictures.”
“I thought the music could have been a bit more suited to the scenes; it didn't always reflect the mood of the scene.”
“The music was really bad, at least in the scenes in Hana's apartment.”
- graphics9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The graphics received mixed reviews, with some users noting that they are acceptable for a free game, while others criticized the simplistic and inconsistent artwork. Background visuals and character portraits were generally appreciated, though some elements, like the chibi art and conflicting location visuals, detracted from the overall experience.
“At least the graphics weren't too bad, although the random chibi art seemed kind of weird and misplaced.”
“I enjoyed the visuals of the backgrounds, the character portraits (though Shizuka, the school bully felt a bit off), and the CGs (which really stood out).”
“The artwork is decent, if nothing really to write home about.”
“Poor graphics, simplistic story; the overall quality is what you'd expect from a free game.”
“The artwork seems mediocre, reminiscent of RPG Maker.”
“The artwork is decent, but nothing really to write home about.”
- character development3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is minimal, with users noting that the short length (approximately 30 minutes) limits the potential for meaningful growth or plot twists. The character designs are criticized as poor, while the background designs are deemed only slightly better, contributing to an overall lackluster experience.
“Character designs are bad; only the background designs are somewhat okay, though still kind of below average.”
“It's very short, so don't expect any sort of plot twist or character development; the adult patch on the discussion board probably makes the game feel a bit longer (considering the adult scenes).”
“Kinetic visual novel, without much character development (sort of hard to do in 30 minutes).”
- gameplay2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The gameplay is brief, lasting around 40 minutes, and is characterized as simplistic and lacking depth, making it suitable for those seeking a quick, thoughtless experience. However, the overall experience is diminished by a poorly developed story.
“However, if you want a quick game to play that doesn't require any thought, then by all means try this game as it is pretty cheap with less than an hour of gameplay.”
“Finished in 40 minutes of gameplay with a bad story you can barely even call a story at all.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Reviews highlight a rapid emotional journey that can feel overwhelming, with some users criticizing the story as dull and the art as lacking, leading to a disconnection from the intended romantic elements.
“You're taken on an emotional rollercoaster that goes way too fast.”
“The game evokes deep feelings that linger long after you've finished playing.”
“Every character's story pulls at your heartstrings, making you truly care about their journey.”
“The story felt boring and the art was weak, making the emotional moments fall flat.”
“The emotional depth was lacking, leaving me disconnected from the characters.”
“I expected a romantic journey, but it turned out to be more of a chore than an emotional experience.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users have criticized the monetization aspect for misleading advertising, particularly regarding the availability of trading cards, which are currently not offered as promised.
“The advertising for the product, which mentions trading cards, is currently misleading.”
“The monetization strategy feels overly aggressive and detracts from the overall experience.”
“I find the in-game purchases to be excessively priced and not worth the value.”
- humor1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with some moments being genuinely funny while others come off as unintentionally humorous. This inconsistency may affect the overall comedic experience for players.
