Loco Motive
Genres: Puzzle, Mystery, Point & Click, Story Rich, Adventure
Release Date: 21-11-2024
Developer: Robust Games
Our verdict
8.5/10
- Difficulty: Medium
- Players: 1
- Playtime: 7–10 h
Loco Motive is a comedy murder mystery in the style of classic pixel-art point-and-click adventures. A wealthy heiress is killed aboard a 1930s luxury steam train, and you switch between three suspects, a lawyer, a crime novelist turned detective and an undercover spy, to clear their names. It suits players who grew up on LucasArts adventures or want a light, story-led puzzle game.
Players rate it very positively, with over 90% of nearly a thousand reviews in favour. The pixel animation and full voice cast come up again and again, along with comparisons to Monkey Island and Murder on the Orient Express. Most reviewers found the item-combination puzzles fair and rarely got stuck for long, helped by an in-game telephone hint line. Runs usually take around seven to ten hours across three acts.
The criticism is familiar for the genre: a few solutions feel like guessing the designers' logic, some searches across the whole train are tedious, and the humour does not land for everyone. A couple of players hit a soft-lock or inventory glitches. Recommended for point-and-click fans, even at full price; those after hard logic puzzles may find it too gentle.
Pros
- Detailed pixel animation and a full, well-cast voice track
- Three playable suspects with interlinking stories on one train
- Telephone hint line nudges you without spoiling
Cons
- Some item combinations feel like guessing the designer's logic
- Train-wide hunts for unknown items can drag
- Little replay value once the mystery is solved
About
Welcome aboard the Reuss Express, a journey of a life-time derailed by an unexpected assassination.
On the eve of a landmark speech by the wealthy heiress Lady Unterwald, a straight-laced lawyer, a crime novelist-turned rookie detective, and an undercover spy find themselves embroiled in a murder, a mystery, and worst of all…
an adventure! Now stuck onboard a luxurious steam train, within stabbing distance of a cold-blooded killer, the race is on to prove their innocence once and for all!
Play as Diana, Arthur and Herman to unwrap the mystery and put your point and click puzzle-solving skills to the test...
Take control of three characters aboard a 1930s steam train, in an interlinking comedy adventure!
Uncover a deadly mystery, full of twists, turns and slapstick humour
Meet a train-full of quirky and somewhat suspicious fellow passengers
Stop at nothing to solve item-based puzzles, that won’t leave you head-scratching for hours
Choose how you play — enjoy full controller support with direct character control, or use mouse & keyboard for a classic experience
Beautifully detailed pixel art — bursting with charm and character!
A little nudge in the right direction when needed - Telephone for assistance with an in-game hint call-line!
An original soundtrack from composer Paul Zimmermann (Wildfrost, Space Haven)
Full Voice Acting with an all-star cast! (Sean Chiplock, Kaitlyn Robrock, Samantha Béart, Jim Meskimen & More!)
Verified on Steam Deck | Steam Machine
