Developed by Robust Games and Published by Chucklefish, Loco Motive is a Comedy point-and-click Adventure game that follows amateur detectives as they try to solve a case on a train.
Adventure games, or clicky thingy games, have dived since the early years of PC gaming. What used to be a somewhat comedic attempt at testing one’s problem-solving skills has been reduced to an interactive comedy film.
Loco Motive is no different with easy puzzles and large portions of walking around, however, everything is forgiven when you give me a story that is absorbing, uproarious, and filled with quality voice acting.
An Easy Task to Play
You can’t blame the STUDIO for the lack of puzzles in this game. In the end, it’s the money you need to make over the actual effort behind the making of the game. Despite the niche beauty of something Loco Moco, it is, in the end, just that, a niche.
Once the nostalgia crowd have had their fill, you have to leave a game for the younger and dumber target audience to enjoy.
In short, If you are looking for a challenge then Loco Moco will not suffice. However, if you want a good laugh and enjoy some nicely written story, then it has your back.
Point and Laugh
After Multi Billionaire businesswoman heiress Lady Unterwald gets stabbed to death in the dark, Detective Herman Merman takes the case. Only to get scared and go hide inside a cupboard.
This leaves Paperwork-loving Lawyer Arthur Ackerman to find the motive and reveal any clues regarding the murder of Lady Unterwald. In his journey, he takes the help and often plays second-fiddle to, Diana Ostman and Detective Herman Merman.
So yes, it’s funny and it’s no joke.
The game has you walking through a hotel train hybrid, talking to people and finishing many little tasks. Always on the search of clues and answers.
Every single character you meet has many lines of changing dialogue depending on progression. Carefully crafted, each interaction is both knee-slap funny and intriguing to listen to. This comes down to the brilliant voice acting at play from many talented voice actors.
The game is split into parts that change every time the current objectives are met. Each part acts as a time jump and will allow all the characters to move around on the train. This gives the game a feeling of life that would have otherwise been lost.
Despite my issues with the game being too easy, I managed to stay invested due to the many characters this game has. From the bickering twins, angry cooks to the terrified doctor and frustrated Finance Manager, there is always someone to talk to and have a good laugh.
An Enjoyment all-Oval
Here’s what I will say to end it all. A game is not always what it should be. Sometimes, if not most of the time, it is the lack of what is envisioned that makes a game worth your while.
Of course, this does not excuse Loco Motive to have nothing more than easy, if not lazy, puzzles but it does paint a picture. Would better puzzles make this a better game? 100% But does the lack make it a worse game to play? No!
The story, the jokes and ear massaging voice acting, make LocoMotive something worth a recommendation.
And it is not clear yet, I enjoyed my time playing this game, regardless of the flaws that it had.
