Choo-Choo Charles, an open-world horror game where a Thomas the Tank Engine style evil spider-train is hunting you down, has been released on Steam.
Developer Two Star Games announced the release with the following video:
Initial reviews are mixed, ranging from “Very Positive” to “Bad”:
IGN gave the game 4/10:
Choo-Choo Charles is a silly mess of an adventure, with its joke of a premise falling short of ever delivering the punchline. Combat against the evil train is always tedious and repetitive, and running quests on foot is even more unappealing with awful stealth sections through dilapidated hallways. Throw in some annoying bugs and a lifeless, empty map, and this funny nugget of an idea disappoints in so many ways it actually makes me angry. Sadly, I have to recommend you choo-choose a different way to spend your time.
IGN
Gaming Nexus gave the game 7/10:
While it may not have a lengthy playtime or genre-defining mechanics, Choo-Choo Charles is nonetheless an impressive project created by a single person. If you’re craving some dumb spooky fun centered around upgrading your own train whilst trying to derail a demon spider locomotive (a very specific craving, indeed), then look no further.
Gaming Nexus
PC Invasion gave the game 5.5/10:
Choo-Choo Charles is undoubtedly an amusing concept. But it feels more like a semi-polished tech demo than a retail experience, which isn’t helped by the awful enemy logic.
PC Invasion
Twinfinite gave the game 1.5/5:
If you’re looking for a scary Spider Train experience that’ll get your heart rate going, you’re probably just better off watching that Spider-Man 2 scene where everyone keeps Peter Parker’s secret. At least that way, you’ll have seen a good movie instead of playing a video game that was simply made because the idea sounded good in theory.
Twinfinite
Destructoid gave the game 6.5/10:
Choo-Choo Charles could have been drawn out, fluffed up, or watered down in so many ways. Any additional brush strokes could have detracted from the bigger picture, but Two Star Games didn’t do that. Instead, they focused on delivering, and deliver they did. It’s small, tight, and its ambition doesn’t go beyond its central concept. Thankfully, that central concept is a pretty juicy morsel.
Destructoid
Metacritic currently has the game tracking at 53/100 from 7 critic reviews.
OpenCritic has the game tracking at 55/100 from 10 critic reviews.
In contrast, 1,100+ user reviews on Steam have the game tracking with a “Very Positive” rating.
Watch the Release Date trailer:
Choo-Choo Charles was released for PC on Steam December 10, 2022.
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