The Ouroboros Express

About

"The Ouroboros Express" is a narrative-driven game where you play as journalist Vivienne Sanssouci, investigating the mysterious secrets of the Ouroboros Express and its eccentric passengers. Featuring full voice-acting, multiple diverse love interests, and multiple endings, your choices and interactions will affect the outcome of your journey in this 50,000+ word adventure. The two stats-raising systems, Attraction and Cosmic Decay, will also impact your story.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

70%

Audience ScoreBased on 20 reviews

story4 positive mentions

The game features a gripping narrative with deep character development and multiple endings, making it highly replayable.
The voice acting and character designs are impressive, adding personality and charm to the vibrant cast.
The unique setting and balance of humor, romance, and heavy themes create an engaging experience for visual novel fans.

The pacing is slow, and some players found the dialogue unskippable and tedious, detracting from the overall experience.
Despite its mysterious premise, many felt the story lacked real mystery and was overly dramatic and cliché.
Accessibility options for flashing lights were unclear, causing concern for players with photosensitivity.

story
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
50%
21%
The story is characterized by rich drama, mystery, and psychological horror, with well-crafted dialogue that enhances character development. However, many players find it lacking in depth and engagement, describing it as boring and failing to meet the expectations of a compelling visual novel. Ultimately, it may appeal more to those seeking a dating sim with a mysterious narrative rather than a traditional mystery-solving experience.
- “The story is rich in drama, mystery, and psychological horror.”
- “Dialogue lines are carefully crafted to suit each character and augment the story.”
- “I didn't use this option the first playthrough to keep the experience as immersive as possible, but it really came in handy on subsequent playthroughs when I was trying to see more of the story options.”
- “I wouldn’t know because the story is so mind-numbingly boring it’s hard to care.”
- “Despite being mysterious, there isn't much mystery to solve; things are just explained as time goes on, and most of the story is romance-based by the end.”
- “Would recommend if you are looking for a dating sim with a mysterious story, not a visual novel where you solve a mystery.”
humor
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The game's humor is described as a blend of quirky and weird elements, with a unique setting and colorful characters that balance thought-provoking themes with lightheartedness. While some find it amusing and appreciate the handmade drawings and historical references, others feel it lacks cleverness and traditional humor. Overall, it offers a distinctive comedic experience that may not resonate with everyone.
- “I find this game very fun and amusing so far, especially the handmade drawings, plot, and funny history references.”
- “Unique setting with colorful characters that takes on heavy, thought-provoking themes with a perfect balance of humor and romance.”
- “It's not clever, it's not funny, it's just weird.”
- “It's not clever, it's not funny, it's just weird.”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is highly praised for its deep character development and unexpected narrative twists, making it a standout in interactive fiction. Additionally, the character designs are noted as impressive, enhancing the overall experience.
- “If you enjoy interactive fiction with deep character development and unexpected turns, this game is a must-try!”
- “Great character designs too.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its engaging design and the integration of player choices that lead to multiple endings, creating an exciting experience for visual novel enthusiasts.
- “The atmospheric design, mixed with choices that lead to various endings, makes it an exciting ride for visual novel fans.”
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The music and sound design are highly praised for their ability to immerse players in the game's unique and surreal environment, enhancing the overall experience.
- “The music and sound design do a great job of immersing the player in this bizarre setting beyond the normal plane of existence.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
The game offers high replayability due to its branching dialogue and multiple endings, encouraging players to explore different choices and outcomes.
- “The branching dialogue and multiple endings make it incredibly replayable.”
- “With various choices and outcomes, the game offers a high level of replayability.”
- “The different paths and endings encourage players to experience the game multiple times.”
graphics
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
The graphics are praised for their aesthetically pleasing backdrops, featuring detailed train environments and a diverse array of passengers, enhancing the overall visual experience.
- “The game features aesthetically pleasing backdrops of trains and a variety of passengers.”
- “The graphics are stunning, with beautifully designed train environments and diverse character models.”
- “The visuals are captivating, showcasing intricate details in the train settings and the unique appearances of different passengers.”