Game Info
Year
2025
Players
1-4
Age
14+
Playtime
110 min
Complexity
3.5/5
Collection
Mechanic profile
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Vibe profile
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Description
Cooperative investigation game where players survive cultists and prevent a dark ritual aboard the doomed Orient Express
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All mentions
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 3
This page: 3
Sentiment:
pos 3 ·
mix 0 ·
neu 0 ·
neg 0
Showing 1–3 of 3
Video E6oiIpWWiZk
Rules Teach at 2:37 sentiment: positive
video_pk 67414 · mention_pk 163537
Click to watch at 2:37 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Thematic rules integration makes the game easier to learn and remember.
- High variability and replayability due to random setup and scenario cards.
- Engaging narrative choices and a tense, challenging cooperative experience.
- Multiple ways to approach problems and player progression through skill upgrades.
- The core loop of investigating and managing threats is compelling.
- Expansions add significant replayability by introducing new investigators, suspects, and mechanics.
Cons
- The game can be overwhelming for new players without guidance.
- The possibility of losing due to overwhelming essence or running out of coffins.
- Some character abilities might feel less impactful depending on the game state.
Thematic elements
- Investigating cultists on a train journey
- A train travelling through the Dreamlands
- Thematic rules integration, narrative choices with cards
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- card drafting — Players choose skills and investigate cards.
- cooperative play — Players work together to achieve a common goal.
- Dice rolling — Dice are used to represent passenger states, but are not rolled.
- hand management — Players manage their character's skills, items, and stamina to take actions.
- Modular board — The train carriages are laid out randomly, creating variable setups.
- Push Your Luck — The conversation mechanic involves drawing tokens and deciding when to stop to avoid failure.
- Scenario Book — The game includes different scenarios that alter the game's setup and narrative.
- set collection — Players collect sets of tokens to gain information about suspects.
- Variable player powers — Each investigator has unique skills and abilities.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- This is a complex game, but a lot of the rules work thematically, and that means it's easier to teach and it's easier to remember.
- There's a huge amount of variability in this game. It certainly isn't a play once game.
- The downside of continuing makes me stop.
- We're going to want some more stuff.
- This is a game which you should not play or it's recommended that you do not play the campaign at the start.
- The most rewarding experience is when you familiarize yourself with the game and you played couple of rounds with the same group.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video gIMqgiew_tk
mle University Discussion at 0:59 sentiment: positive
video_pk 65970 · mention_pk 160227
Click to watch at 0:59 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Immersive and thematic design (curtains and train setting).
- Cooperative gameplay with deduction and tension.
- Thematic variety with monsters, cultists, and a vampire.
- Dynamic risk-reward decisions via train speed.
- Prototype components showcased; rules not final yet.
Cons
- Described as heavy complexity.
Thematic elements
- horror, cult rituals, and mystery deduction on a haunted train
- A train journey (the Orient Express) where investigators confront cultists, monsters, and a vampire in the dreamlands.
- investigators identify cultists through clues, talk to passengers, and follow logic rules to determine the culprits
Comparison games
- Nemesis
- Frost bunk
- destinies
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- advance the train — Advancing the train is a core action that can hinder players' progress.
- coffin pool and banishment — There are seven Coffins on the train; players can banish or push them behind the train to manage monsters.
- cooperative investigation and clues — Talking to passengers to gain information and drawing clues; matching clues can bust conversations.
- endgame deduction — At end, players must identify all cultists among suspects; one wrong answer loses, all correct wins.
- exploration of portals and essence — Portals become active and are charged with Essence; more Essence is created by insane passengers.
- locomotive speed action — Go to the locomotive to change the train speed; speed affects number of attempts and ease of survival.
- Main action — One main action to upgrade other actions, refresh cubes, and replenish stamina.
- monsters, cultists, and vampires — Monsters and cultists may attack, wound, drive insanity, or kill passengers; vampires are a particular danger.
- resource cubes and stamina — Cubes are spent and can be blocked until you rest, affecting future actions.
- two basic actions per turn — On your turn you may take up to two basic actions, spending a stamina for each.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- The game plays one to four players with mechanics such as cooperative play action retrieval and puzzle deduction.
- You carry seven Coffins on the train just in case.
- The game goes to Great length to feel immersive and thematic right down to the curtains on the Windows which are as cute as they are relevant to gameplay.
- the investigators must now work to uncover the cultists to ensure the train arrives safely at its destination
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video g6T2TRO3I0w
Board Stepid Discussion at 11:41 sentiment: positive
video_pk 39556 · mention_pk 119427
Click to watch at 11:41 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- distinct theme and atmosphere
Cons
- learning curve for new players
Thematic elements
- horror/detective deduction
- murder mystery aboard a luxury train
- cooperative/deductive play with thematic flavor
Comparison games
- Mysterium
- Descent: Legends of the Dark
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- cooperative deduction — players collaborate or compete to uncover clues and solve the mystery
- deduction — players collaborate or compete to uncover clues and solve the mystery
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- it's going to be the hit of the Q4 next year
- absolute topnotch game we are super excited to play that again
- production quality is phenomenal
- one versus one asymmetric
- it's a fan service game if you like Mass Effect
- we're going to pre-order it because it's a great price point
- Dirty Harry
- World Order my goodness that sounds amazing
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
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