This was a beautiful, very well written, stream of unique stories told within a dreamy environment that brought me somewhere between Spirited Away and The Polar Express.
Here's a more in depth review:
- First, the title screen and setting were really key in bringing a calm and dreamy mood. I spent a few minutes navigating in the train looking out the window and it was great to see the world that you had built for the game. While simple in terms of graphics, the water and lighting carried a lot of weight in providing a credible environment.
- The game is all about the various stories and characters you encounter. I really enjoyed listening in to the various stories, which were surprisingly very varied, both in terms of style, voices, theme, etc. The voice casting was impeccable, and I often found myself looking away from the screen, just hitting A over time as I listened to the characters share their thoughts or stories with me.
- The interactivity is where the game fell a bit short for me. At the various times I was asked to join in on the conversation, I was never quite sure about how my picked option would translate, and oftentimes it didn't quite translate into what I had in mind. For example, I was disappointed I wasn't able to pick the right option to describe the the personage representing Death at the end of the train, when I knew who they were and what they were doing.
- There were a few graphic glitches with lighting that were resolved by going to Firefox. I only saw the notice after the fact, but in Firefox things were very smooth. The train and environment were fairly detailed, but the 3d models for the characters felt like they had been done in a different style. It didn't take away from the game, but might be something nice to change down the line.
In any case, this was a real treat for people who like stories. It definitely is a game that requires someone to dedicate some time to appreciate it, just like reading a good book.
Awesome job on making such beautiful stories in such a short period of time!