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TR-49

I really enjoyed playing TR-49, but it’s too wrapped up in its characters for me to totally forgive the fact that I came away from it not caring about any of them. Still, the formula at the center of this one is a winner, and if you’ve already played some of the genre’s very best, TR-49 is absolutely still worth a look.
TR-49 Game Cover
91%Game Brain Score
story, gameplay
grinding, stability
95% User Score Based on 632 reviews
Critic Score 70%Based on 1 reviews

Platforms

PCMac OSSteam DeckWindows
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TR-49 Game Cover

About

TR-49 is a single player puzzle game with drama and mystery themes. It was developed by inkle Ltd and was released on January 21, 2026. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

TR-49 is a single-player mystery visual novel featuring an intriguing story set around a WWII-era machine housing a vast archive of obscure texts. Navigate its library, uncover hidden connections, and communicate with a mysterious voice to unravel secrets and prevent a looming catastrophe. The game offers atmospheric visuals, compelling mechanics, and a captivating soundtrack.

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TR-49 screenshot
TR-49 screenshot
TR-49 screenshot
TR-49 screenshot
TR-49 screenshot
TR-49 screenshot
TR-49 screenshot
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95%
Audience ScoreBased on 632 reviews
story117 positive mentions
grinding4 negative mentions
  • Engaging and immersive narrative that unfolds through clever puzzle mechanics.
  • Beautifully designed interface that enhances the experience of exploring the archive.
  • Strong voice acting and atmospheric sound design that contribute to the overall mood.
  • The constant dialogue can be distracting and disrupts the flow of reading and puzzle-solving.
  • Some puzzles may feel too easy or allow for brute-forcing, reducing the challenge.
  • The ending may leave some players wanting more clarity or resolution in the story.
  • story
    362 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story in this game is a complex and engaging narrative that unfolds through a mix of text entries and audio dialogues, drawing players into a web of mystery and intertextual connections reminiscent of titles like "Her Story" and "Return of the Obra Dinn." While many players appreciate the depth and atmosphere of the storytelling, some find it challenging to follow due to its non-linear structure and the simultaneous audio narrative, which can detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game is praised for its compelling themes and intricate plot, though it may require patience and active engagement to fully grasp the story's nuances.

    • “The story is mind-bending; I'm still not sure I get all of it, but it's awesome.”
    • “The atmosphere evoked by the visual and audio design is excellent, and the story is engaging yet doesn't overstay its welcome.”
    • “I really enjoyed this; the story was big enough to be a puzzle but not too big as to be overwhelming.”
    • “As you try to figure out what is going on in the pages you are reading, the audio story progresses at the same time, in its own way, and doesn't connect at all with what you are reading, making it hard to follow both the written story and the audio one.”
    • “Part I could be done without really understanding the story whatsoever, which can lead to a lot of frustration with Part II.”
    • “The story sucks, however, and the game tries hard to make it a central element.”
  • gameplay
    137 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of the game is characterized by a simple yet engaging mechanic centered around entering codes to unlock narrative entries, which creates a satisfying puzzle-solving experience. While some players found the mechanics initially frustrating or lacking clarity, many appreciated the depth of the narrative intertwined with the gameplay, leading to a rewarding exploration of interconnected stories. Overall, the game successfully blends investigation and deduction with a compelling atmosphere, though some players noted that the simplicity of the mechanics could become repetitive over time.

    • “It took me a bit to figure out the core mechanics, but once you do, it's a lot of fun.”
    • “The gameplay loop is simple -- you examine a database, finding new entries and new titles, and link them together.”
    • “The mechanics are great: the game is all about figuring out a mysterious machine's database IDs - each four-character ID code (two letters, two digits) corresponding to a book, article, or diary entry - from clues given in other database entries.”
    • “I think it is a flaw in a puzzle game to have a mechanic that hinders, and even completely blocks your progress the more errors you make.”
    • “Beyond the technical flaws, the gameplay loop lacks clarity and engagement.”
    • “Multiple times during my roughly four-hour playthrough, I was trying to decipher hidden clues in a revision when the radio prompted me to speak to William, disrupting the gameplay considerably and making the problem-solving quite frustrating.”
  • atmosphere
    49 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its engaging and immersive qualities, enhanced by excellent audio design, voice acting, and a unique visual aesthetic. Players appreciate the blend of melancholy and suspense, which effectively complements the compelling narrative and puzzle mechanics. Overall, the atmosphere is described as captivating, making the experience both intriguing and emotionally resonant.

    • “The atmosphere evoked by the visual and audio design is excellent, and the story is engaging yet doesn't overstay its welcome.”
    • “The atmosphere is superb -- the music is beautiful, and the interface feels very much appropriate for the type of vacuum tube machine it's trying to simulate.”
    • “Wonderful atmosphere and compellingly spooky mystery.”
    • “The atmosphere: melancholic.”
    • “In a game where clearly a bunch of effort went into the aesthetics and atmosphere, you have these big white boxes appear every 10 seconds.”
    • “How did inkle get so much atmosphere into a dark room and a whirring, clunking contraption?”
  • graphics
    17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game are generally praised for their beautiful and fitting art style, which enhances the atmospheric experience and complements the engaging storyline. While some users noted that the visuals are simple and not the main draw of the game, the overall aesthetic, including the lo-fi tech design, is appealing and contributes to the immersive gameplay. However, there are occasional performance issues, such as frame rate drops on certain devices, which can detract from the experience.

    • “Beautiful graphics and a riveting mystery storyline.”
    • “The art style definitely fits the aesthetic the game is going for, and the writing is exemplary.”
    • “Lovely story, great puzzles, stunning visuals.”
    • “Steam Deck performance was fine at first, but dipped to 30 fps or so after 15 minutes, despite not being a graphically intensive game.”
    • “In a game where clearly a bunch of effort went into the aesthetics and atmosphere, you have these big white boxes appear every 10 seconds.”
    • “Visuals are designed around a machine that is charmingly low tech, and I found the process of digging through the database and unlocking entries very satisfying.”
  • music
    13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game has received high praise for its atmospheric quality, enhancing the overall experience with eerie soundscapes and excellent voice acting. While some players found the music to be repetitive over extended play, the general consensus highlights its beauty and effectiveness in setting the mood, contributing significantly to the game's immersive environment. Inkle's attention to detail in sound design further solidifies their reputation for quality in storytelling and atmosphere.

    • “The atmosphere is superb -- the music is beautiful, and the interface feels very much appropriate for the type of vacuum tube machine it's trying to simulate.”
    • “Once again, Laurence Chapman does his magic, the music is fantastic and together with the sound effects creates a great atmosphere.”
    • “We get the writing (and music!) quality we expect from an Inkle title, but the unexpected tone shift (don't worry, there are still jokes and puns), the interactions, sound effects, haptics, art, UX design and general attention to detail all harmonize in a choir that sucked me into this mystery.”
    • “Sadly, I had to turn down the music as it was too loopy and repetitive after some hours.”
    • “There are fully voiced dialogues in the game and a very eerie atmospheric soundtrack.”
    • “We get the writing (and music!) quality we expect from an Inkle title, but the unexpected tone shift (don't worry, there are still jokes and puns) makes the music feel out of place.”
  • optimization
    7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The optimization of the game has received mixed feedback, with significant issues reported regarding the shift+tab overlay, which can cause system performance problems. While the game performs adequately on the Steam Deck initially, frame rates drop significantly after a short period, despite the game not being graphically demanding. Overall, while the audio and narrative elements are praised, the technical performance leaves much to be desired.

    • “Performance and controls on the Steam Deck are good; text may be a bit small for some people.”
    • “Well written, with strong voice acting performances, and a short playtime that feels appropriate to the game's scope and price point.”
    • “Furthermore, the shift+tab overlay performance is incredibly poor; attempting to access the discussion forums caused the overlay to hang and produced a system pinwheel, nearly crashing the computer.”
    • “Steam Deck performance was fine at first, but dipped to 30 fps or so after 15 minutes, despite not being a graphically intensive game.”
  • emotional
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game is noted for adding depth to the story, with a simple yet touching narrative that hints at a broader world. However, some players feel that despite the extensive voicework, the emotional impact is lacking, leaving an abstract experience. The narrative framing and voice acting provide grounding, enhancing the stakes of the puzzles and enriching the overall experience.

    • “I feel like this added some nice depth to the story and gave it an emotional backdrop that some other games of this kind lack.”
    • “The core story is simple and somewhat touching, with lots of hints of an interesting wider world at the edges, and ties to real-world elements and works of fiction.”
    • “Voice acting, particularly in radio exchanges, adds emotional grounding and helps balance the otherwise text-heavy experience, reminding players that the puzzle has real stakes within its fictional world.”
  • grinding
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat tedious, particularly due to excessive navigation and the repetitive nature of filling out entries. While helpful indicators assist in tracking progress, the overall experience can feel overwhelming and monotonous, especially during maze sections and when nearing completion.

    • “Typically, in games like this where you're filling out a number of entries, the closer you get to 100% the more tedious it becomes to find the minute details you've missed, but luckily this game has just enough helpful indicators to gently guide me in the right direction.”
    • “I can see that it is all here to give stakes to a threat that is otherwise obscured by the mundane interface of a text-only computer screen, but I found it tedious, considering just how much of it there is in short periods of time.”
    • “Only critique I had was it's a bit short and the maze section tedious.”
  • stability
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability is characterized by frequent visual glitches and misspellings, particularly when navigating the database, which some players find adds to the retro charm. However, these issues may detract from the experience for others seeking a smoother gameplay.

    • “The bulk of the game takes place on a retro screen while digits flash and change before your eyes; misspellings and visual glitches abound, intensifying if you try to brute-force your way through the database.”
    • “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly impossible to progress without losing your saved data.”
    • “I encountered numerous bugs that disrupted my gameplay experience, leading to frustrating moments and a lack of immersion.”
  • replayability
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's replayability is limited due to its narrative-driven nature, with players noting that once the plot is understood, there is little incentive to replay. However, some users mention that there are still multiple resolutions and discoveries to be made, offering a modest level of replay value.

    • “The only downside: voice acting (I respect their effort but sometimes it feels awkward), and close to zero replayability once you get a grasp of the entire plot.”
    • “The game is good, though it feels too short, and the 'information game' genre means replayability is not what you would expect from an inkle game.”
    • “There is perhaps a little less replay value than usual due to the nature of the genre, but still plenty to discover, and multiple resolutions to find.”
  • humor
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is characterized by a clever blend of dry academic tone and subtle wit, creating a unique atmosphere that combines speculation and unease. This deliberate crafting of each archive entry adds depth and engages players through its thoughtful comedic elements.

    • “Each archive entry feels deliberately crafted, often blending a dry academic tone with subtle humor, speculation, or unease.”
    • “The game's witty dialogue and clever puns kept me laughing throughout my playthrough.”
    • “I love how the humor is woven into the gameplay, making even the most mundane tasks entertaining.”
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70%Critics’ scoreBased on 1 critic reviews
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8h Median play time
8h Average play time
6-9h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs
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TR-49 code-breaking adventure has finally launched on iOS

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Frequently Asked Questions

TR-49 is a puzzle game with drama and mystery themes.

TR-49 is available on PC, Mac OS, Steam Deck and Windows.

On average players spend around 8 hours playing TR-49.

TR-49 was released on January 21, 2026.

TR-49 was developed by inkle Ltd.

TR-49 has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its grinding.

TR-49 is a single player game.

Similar games include The Roottrees are Dead, Return of the Obra Dinn, Chants of Sennaar, The Painscreek Killings, The Case of the Golden Idol and others.