A Game About Meeting Cool Weirdos At Train Stations

Travelling for the holidays, I spent a lot of time sitting in trains and waiting on platforms. In the real world, it’s a pretty dry affair. In The Endless Express, it’s full of charm. Strange sounds play as bright trains shuttle wobbling creatures to and fro. It’s relaxing and makes for a Cool Indie Game.

The Endless Express was made by Florian Veltman, Alexandre Taillefert, Martin Gugger, Felix Meunier and Baptiste Virot. It is a reimagined version of a 2014 game jam version of the game. The updated version changes the visuals to create a softer, more pastel tone as well as a dreamier soundtrack of ambient tunes.

The concept is pretty simple. You’ve missed your train stop. Get to your ever so nebulous destination. Along the way, you’ll find frog people who quote Heavy Rain and bump into Charon, ferryman of the underworld. Each new stop is full of strange sights and fun characters.

The Endless Express also has one of my most favourite interface twists I’ve ever encountered. A press of the escape key actually summons a “portal to self” that pops up. It’s a little door that leads down to a comfortable room where you can alter game options. It’s a cute little touch of smart game design.

You can play The Endless Express on your Mac, PC or Linux system. It’s a wonderful time and I highly recommend riding the rails.