GAME REVIEW – Loco Motive (PC)

By Marty Mulrooney

Loco Motive is a point-and-click comedy adventure developed by Robust Games (an indie team based in London, UK) and published by Chucklefish (also based in London, UK). Set on board the Reuss Express, a 1930s express train, the player must take control of three unlikely heroes as they try to solve the murder of its owner, Lady Unterwald of the Wald-Bahn Rail Company.

This game is a dream come true for someone like me; I love classic 2D point-and-click adventures and trains of all shapes and sizes (especially steam locomotives!). Murder mysteries set on board trains will always draw inevitable comparisons with Murder on the Orient Express, but Loco Motive sets itself apart with its trio of quirky protagonists – all of whom will be played in turn, before working together during the game’s final chapters.

First up is Arthur Ackerman, a strait-laced American currently working as an estate lawyer for Lady Unterwald, whose train they are both riding on. He has just finalised the paperwork for her will when disaster strikes: an unseen murderer kills her in front of her entire family as the Reuss Express passes through a tunnel, momentarily plunging the carriage into darkness. Kind-hearted and affable, Arthur must toughen up, recover the will and find the killer as the Unterwald family start to circle like vultures.

If the plot sounds overly serious so far, rest assured: it really isn’t. Murder aside, the comedic tone is obviously inspired by classic ’90s LucasArts adventures such as Day of the Tentacle and Full Throttle – there is even a musical sting from the latter featured during a late-game motorbike sequence. Arthur is a well-meaning, not-quite-all-there fellow in the vein of Guybrush Threepwood, and his interactions with the other passengers are a continually amusing delight.

When Loco Motive eventually jumps back in time and switches to the next protagonist, it doubles down on the absurdist nature of the proceedings. Herman Merman (yes, that’s his actual name – and he likes to say it LOUD!) is a British crime novelist who fancies himself as a genuine detective, even though he has never worked on a real case. Outwardly brash yet inwardly crippled with self-doubt, Herman’s monumental ego makes chatting with the other passengers all over again funny in brand-new ways.

The next jump back in time, to take control of Diana Osterhagen – an undercover spy for the I.R.S.S. – is equally well handled and fun to experience, but saying anything more would reveal too much. In truth, the murder-mystery story of Loco Motive is perfectly serviceable, but the real enjoyment comes from the moment-to-moment puzzle-solving and interacting with the other passengers while controlling this unlikely trio of heroes.

The inventory-based puzzles are excellent, striking the perfect balance between difficulty level and serving up real ‘aha’ moments – and there is even an amusing in-game helpline that is manned by Herman’s arch nemesis, Dirk Chiselton. The constant domino effect as one puzzle cascades into another is compelling, and it’s refreshing to find a pixel-art adventure that emulates the classics beyond simply being a surface-level homage.

Special mention must be made for the voice cast, who are all consistently brilliant. There isn’t a dud among them, with the speech and general audio – including the jazz-infused soundtrack – bringing seriously impressive production values to the table. The graphics are equally impressive too, with the side-on view of the train as it chugs along never getting old. It even works perfectly on the Steam Deck with controller support, with the smaller screen making the art style truly shine.

However, not everything is perfect. As previously mentioned, the story is more serviceable than anything else – it’s all about the journey rather than the destination – and there are a variety of minor bugs that could very well rear their ugly heads. None of these bugs were game-breaking for me personally, but some still required loading an earlier save – a final patch to bring the technical quality in line with the audio-visual presentation would be greatly appreciated.

Thankfully, a few annoying glitches can be forgiven when the rest of the journey is such a pleasure ride. Adventure games never really went away, but the lofty heights reached by LucasArts during the studio’s golden years have seldom been reached since. Loco Motive isn’t quite the next Monkey Island, but it takes a bloody good stab at being an adventure cast in the same mould. Offering between 10 to 15 hours of gameplay for less than £20 here in the UK, this is one ticket to ride you won’t regret buying.

9 OUT OF 10