Locomotion

Genre: 3D Puzzle

Players: 1

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Review:

(Note: Review code provided by the kind folks at Polyfox)

Locomotion is a family-friendly Puzzle game that feels very reminiscent of Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker in the way that each stage is a self-contained 3D puzzle of sorts that feels like a puzzle box to be deciphered. However, beyond that the gameplay here is notably different in its core mechanic of guiding a train along its tracks in a manner to get past each stage’s obstacles, collect all the gold, and reach the exit.

The presentation here is, in a word, adorable. While not on the same technical level as a game like Captain Toad, the sense of style that comes through here is nevertheless extremely appealing, with everything having a simple, cartoony look to it that works really well for the style of the game. There are some nice little details scattered throughout as well, such as the way that as your train changes throughout the game, so too do its little animations, and every location has its own wildlife lounging about and doing its own thing while you’re solving puzzles. However, while the visuals in this game are very good, what I found myself really enjoying was the sound in this game.

This game’s music seems to use just one basic musical tune, but it changes based on context and how far you are into the game, with it starting out as a twangy Wild West-style theme and picking up a drum roll percussion as you reach the stage’s exit, and then changing into something with a more tribal sound for the second stage, and so on. The music is catchy in its own right, and it’s fantastic how it has been worked into the rhythm of the game itself. Add to this the delightful character babble that’s comparable to what you’d find in games like Banjo-Kazooie and Yooka-Laylee, and this game overall nails the presentation.

In terms of gameplay, even though something as simple as guiding a train along its tracks seems like it must be pretty well-trod ground, the way it’s executed here still feels pretty fresh. At least until later stages in the game, players can go at their own pace when solving the puzzles. This is accomplished by moving their locomotive forward or backward at will, hooking onto or dropping off additional cars in both the front and rear, selecting and operating railroad switches independently, and spinning turntables while you’re on them. Add to this stage-based elements like pressure plates and passthrough switches, as well as the ways different cars interact with each other, and you have the majority of the mechanics you’ll be dealing with here. Much later in the game you gain the ability to set off explosives and even use some other stage-based elements, but through most of the game your main tool to approach puzzles will be knowing how to take various turnoffs to get where you want with the right cart and in the right order.

I have to admit, some of the puzzles here are delightfully clever, and one even had me and my partner both stumped for a good long while as we tried different approaches to figure it out. For the most part these puzzles aren’t terribly difficult, and can usually be overcome either through keen observation and deduction or simple trial and error, and one of the biggest joys of this game was that at multiple points I found myself reaching an epiphany and actually saying aloud “Ohhhh, I see now…”

There are a few complaints I do have here though. Firstly, the controls never quite feel natural, and even after hours of playing I found myself at times fumbling with them. There’s no option to reassign buttons here, but the bigger frustration is the movement of the train itself – players don’t control the train based on where it is relative to the camera, but by pushing up on the left stick to move it in the direction it’s facing and down to move it away from the direction it’s facing. This can be disorienting enough when you’re facing the train from the opposite direction, but it’s made even worse by the fact that some of these trains make it difficult to tell which way it’s facing. In addition to this, the camera controls feel a bit limited, and there are times when I wish it gave me more control over the camera’s movement.

Also, I should mention that players shouldn’t expect this game to do much with the unique features of the Nintendo Switch. No HD rumble, no use of the motion controls, and notably no use of the touchscreen, the latter seeming like it would be a pretty good way to either control the camera, the railroad switches, or both.

Finally, I should mention the game’s length. With 52 levels, this game clocks in at a few hours long, perhaps more if you get stuck at some point. I feel this is pretty fair for the game’s $11 price tag, though I have to mention that as with any game that lets you play with trains, I feel like this game would be worlds better with some sort of creation toolset – especially considering how great it would be to create and share puzzles with other players. Alas, no such luck. However, even without this, the content provided here is still overall pretty good for the price.

Overall, Locomotion is a solid 3D Puzzle game with a good concept, a fantastic presentation, and some clever puzzles, although it would have been much-improved if players were given more control options and some level creation tools. In particular, fans of Captain Toad Treasure Tracker looking for something with a similar feel will find this game manages to tap into that same sort of overall feeling while delivering unique gameplay all its own, and those who enjoy Puzzle games will find this to be a worthy addition to their Nintendo Switch library.

tl;dr – Locomotion is a family-friendly 3D Puzzle game that has players navigating self-contained 3D stages using a locomotive, looking over how each stage works and determining the best path and order to approach its challenges. The presentation here is absolutely adorable, and the puzzles themselves are often very clever, though the game could do with more control options. Fans of Puzzle games and Captain Toad in particular will definitely want to give this game a look.

Grade: B

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This game has been nominated for one or more of eShopperReviews 2020 Game Awards:

Runner-Up: Best Puzzle Game

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