Choo-Choo Charles: Derailing the Horror Genre
Next stop: Terror. But is it worth the ticket price?
last updated Nov 20, 2023
Choo-Choo Charles is a showcase of indie ingenuity with a concept that's as ridiculous as it is delightful.
Tick-Tock on the Clock, But the Horror Don't Stop
Imagine you're happily chugging along in your antique locomotive when a wild spider-train named Charles appears—sounds like the start of a bad joke, right? Choo-Choo Charles hilariously blends the everyday monotony of train maintenance with the heart-pounding thrill of surviving an arachnid death machine. The open-world adventure keeps you upgrading and strategizing, transforming your rusty relic into a fortified beast on rails. The game cleverly intertwines fetch quests and survival elements, ensuring the mundane task of gathering scrap is teamed with a dose of adrenaline every time Charles scuttles onto the scene. The combat system, focused around your train's upgradable weapons, adds variety to the encounters with the titular terror, though it's not without its bumps on the tracks—NPC interactions and stealth sequences could use a bit more engineering finesse.
Screeches, Screams, and Steam
The sonic landscape of Choo-Choo Charles is just as eerie as you'd expect from a game featuring a train with too many legs. The screech of metal on metal when Charles gives chase creates an alarm that might as well be signaling your impending doom. Similarly, your train's whistle becomes an unexpected psychological tool, playing a central role in creating suspense for the player and taunting for Charles. While the soundtrack isn't winning any Grammys, it perfectly sets the mood for a horror game where every rattle and horn could mean a new encounter with your eight-legged enemy. It's not all doom and gloom, though: the whimsical chime of scrap collected and the roar of your train's upgradable arsenal provide a satisfying auditory reward for your in-game efforts.
Pixel Prowess or Low-Res Distress?
Graphically, Choo-Choo Charles doesn't skimp on the spooky, with the exception of some NPC models that could have used a little more love (and mouth movement). Performance-wise, the game chugs along nicely with only occasional frame-rate derailments. While the game's world is visually immersive and detailed enough to maintain atmosphere, it's clear that an indie budget has its limitations. Some might even find the lack of polish adds charm to the horror, reminding us that we're just a game away from reality. The graphical simplicity makes you appreciate the creative gameplay mechanics even more—because let's face it, a giant spider-train doesn't need ray tracing to be terrifying.
STEAM RATING
Developer & Publisher
Two Star Games
Release Date
December 09, 2022
The Verdict
Choo-Choo Charles is a showcase of indie ingenuity with a concept that's as ridiculous as it is delightful. Simple yet effective gameplay, combined with a hilariously terrifying antagonist, offers hours of nerve-wracking fun. If you're willing to overlook the rough edges and embrace the spirit of indie gaming, this spider-infused railway escapade might just be your ticket to a thrillingly good time. Its world is ripe with tension, humor, and the all-too-human desire to blow things up that make the $19.99 price tag seem like a steal. All aboard for a journey into the absurd, where nightmares are made of train parts and spider legs.
