A nostalgic indie murder mystery game
Loco Motive is a free 2D pixelated adventure video game wherein you have to solve a crime on a train like in the Murder on the Orient Express novel. Developed by Robust Games, this indie point-and-click game is a short but satisfying murder mystery comedy made for the “AdvXJam 2020” contest. It’s got a colorful cast of characters, nostalgic gameplay mechanics, and hilarious dialogue.
Time to lawyer up
In Loco Motive, you play Arthur Ackerman, the personal lawyer of eccentric heiress Lady Unterwald. She’s invited you to join her family on her company’s prestigious luxury train for her retirement party. You two prepare her amended last will, but as she was about to announce who’s going to inherit her wealth, tragedy strikes. Now, you must figure out who may have reason to kill onboard the train.
The game’s controls are easy, as you’ll only use your mouse. To move around, click on the ground or walls. You can open your inventory by moving your mouse to the top of the screen. To equip items, you only need to click on them. You can use these items on other characters or objects. However, note that those with an eye icon can’t be interacted with. You can also combine them to make new items. To unequip, use the right-click.
The graphics and overall art style of this game will immediately remind you of classic point-and-click games—such as those from LucasArts and Sierra Entertainment. You have to keenly explore around, collect any items, and try to use them on anything you can interact with, as the game doesn’t really repeat hints on what to do next. It’s quite a nostalgic trip for an indie game. However, you may encounter audio issues wherein the music will cut off.
A wonderful love letter
Overall, Loco Motive is a great short homage to the classic titles of the point-and-click adventure genre. It has all of the iconic elements that made this genre a treat to fans. While there are no settings other than the volume, and you may find the audio cutting off at times, the gameplay is solid and complements the witty writing. This is a highly recommended indie game for murder mystery fans.
