Back at Gamescom this summer, I got to see an early version of Locomoto from Green Tile Digital. It’s a game that asks one simple question: what would Animal Crossing look like if it was on a train? The answer is a cosy and sleepy world full of characters (and cargo) that need moving from A to B.
Your train is your domain, and you’re able to decorate it however you want. Cosy games are a competitive market, which runs at a direct contradiction to their chill vibes. So will Locomoto have enough to stand out?
Train Sim – Or Not
Locomoto is light on the simulation side. This isn’t Train Simulator Classic with multiple buttons and levers and a manual the size of an encyclopedia required to start the engine. In Locomoto, you pull the lever, the train moves, and then your main task is to cater to your passengers. I can see what the developers were trying to do here – take away from the management aspect of the train for peak cosy vibes – but I’d still like to see the mechanics being a little deeper. You do get to shovel coal into the engine, but that’s about it.
Instead, you’re more a train conductor than a driver, chatting to your passengers about their day, finding out some local gossip, and completing tasks for them. They talk in Animal Crossing gibberish, as is tradition for these sorts of games. As you upgrade your train, you’ll be able to purchase new cosmetics and functional items, like a coffee machine or somewhere to keep some snacks for your passengers.
Note: I got a glimpse of some trains from later stages of the game, and it very much reminded me of the freedom you get when designing the interior of your Animal Crossing home.
Along The Tracks
Because the game is about running a train, exploration is fairly linear. The train can only stick to the track. You, however, are free to roam in various villages, fields, farms, and other locations. Each location is unique, and all seem worth visiting – if only to meet new villagers to receive quests. Overall, the art style is quite simplistic, but the character designs are enough to bring life to the various citizens who live along the train line. The game also has some light crafting elements, but you might need to visit workshops around the map before you can improve your station in your wagon.
Locomoto feels like one of those games where there’s always another task at hand. If it’s not picking up passengers, then it’s delivering cargo from station to station; if it’s not delivering cargo, then it’s upgrading your wagon with new fancy chairs or new windows. The last train game I played was Choo Choo Charles, and that was a very different experience entirely – mostly because of the giant spider death train chasing you across the map.
There’s definitely space in the market for a cosy train simulator. And while there are plenty of Animal Crossing-likes, to my knowledge, there’s never been one with a train thrown into the mix. I’m intrigued to see how much depth is added to the game before it releases, especially in regard to how big the map is and how many cosmetic items you can craft or find for your train. Will the game have enough to rival the sometimes bizarre charm of Animal Crossing? It’s hard to say before playing myself, but also, maybe just being a cute and cosy train game is enough to sell itself.
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