by
Trainwatch
Developer Harvester Games • Publisher 11 bit studios • Release 2027 • Platforms PC
“STAY SOBER,” Trainwatch practically screams at me in red and bold. I’ve arrived, slowly and artfully, at the physical manifestation of nowhere. From what I can tell, the only things that exist here are the pile of red bricks known as the tower, the uncompromising railway tracks, and an endless, obscuring fog. Wrapped up in every fleck of PS2-era haze is cinematic flair, stressful tension, and oppressive boredom.
I’ve come to this place, which will be both my home and job, for the month of August. Why? I don’t have all the pieces of the puzzle to answer that, but a big part of it is love.
Before starting my train watching shift at the crossing — can you believe it, the title says it all? — I make a vital phone call. I have to apply a little percussive maintenance to the vending machine to get a coin for the payphone, but that’s neither here nor there. Abigail picks up on the other side. She’s rightfully angry with me (for some reason I, the player, do not know), and I vow I’m going to completely change my ways. I’ll prove it, I confidently exclaim to her, by calling every evening at nine and staying completely sober.
The conversation fills in a few narrative gaps, but also adds a sprinkling of stress. I really don’t want to let Abigail down, even though I have never seen her.
This will be difficult. Unlike my job, which consists entirely of picking up a phone at the right time and pushing a button.
The button in question closes the crossing arms when a train approaches the road crossing. If neglected, I may find blood on my hands. Or, at least that’s what I’m told because no one and nothing seems to exist for miles around. But I’m here to faithfully push the button on time.
Easy. I’m just gonna pop open the fridge to get a bite to ea…. Oh. It’s completely filled with beer. Just staring at me.
I grab one in a fury, intent on pouring it down the sink. But I can’t.
The sink is clogged beyond function. Beer in hand, I rush around trying to find a way to discard it. Failing that, I slam it back where it came from and decide the best course of action is to just never open the fridge again. That should work.
Though the demo isn’t long enough for me to try everything, I do get a sense of how difficult my easy task is going to be. On my first day, trains are expected at 10am and again at 6pm. It’s just enough time to get caught up doing something elsewhere. For example, I could play the singular game that exists on my archaic computer. I can rest in the comfy armchair (which has the useful ability to refill my stamina and sanity, all while fast-forwarding time). I could whip up something to eat in the kitchen (which usually necessitates a quick trip to the bathroom). But when the phone rings, I need to be there to answer the call.
Can I manage to mend my relationship with Abigail? Will I be able to resist the lure of the drinks in the fridge? Can I find a way to satisfy hunger, stamina, and sanity while life, time, and trains pass slowly by?
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