Loco Motive from Chucklefish and Robust Games is a 2D old-school-infused whodunit point and click adventure on Nintendo Switch. Learn more in our Loco Motive review!
Loco Motive from Chucklefish and Robust Games is a 2D old-school-infused whodunit point and click adventure on Nintendo Switch. It’s an experience that will pay homage to the classics in the genre, such as, say, the beloved Monkey Island series or the Sam and Max adventures – you know, without going full Sam, Max, or both! Thanks to the screens and trailer in this Loco Motive review, the game’s pixel art style has certainly caught your attention, but you should appreciate the voice acting, which does a great job of making this world feel alive. The game began as a 2-week game jam as part of AdvXJam 2020 on itch.io. Adam and Joseph at Robust Chicken had such a great time working on it that they decided to turn the concept into a full game!
Loco Motive begins on a train, as aging heiress Lady Unterwalf is about to reveal who will inherit everything. Unfortunately, things don’t go as planned, and someone murders her in cold blood in front of everyone. Except we won’t be able to know who’s the one who did it because it happened while the train for the Reuss Express was going through a tunnel, so the crime occurred in total darkness. The three characters you’ll be playing as are a straight-laced lawyer, a crime novelist-turned-rookie detective, and an undercover spy – Arthur Ackerman (Sean Chiplock), Herman Merman (Brent Mukai), and Diana Ostman (Savy Des-Etages).
You’ll start your journey as Attorney Arthur Ackerman, who’s currently the main suspect in the heinous murder. After being interrogated by two police officers – which helps to set the mood for how this adventure will unravel – Arthur is left alone as they sort out some things. This is the perfect time for him to try and escape from this scenario… if it wasn’t for the fact that he’s currently chained to the desk! This is why you’ll be using this opportunity to learn the basics of Loco Motive so that you can get the hang of things.
With this game being a point and click experience, you’ll move your character with the left analog stick as you interact with points of interest or other characters by pressing the A button. You can press the L and R buttons to cycle between all the hotspots you can interact with to speed up the process. You can also use the right analog stick to change between hotspots. Run by pressing the ZL or ZR buttons.
What types of puzzles will you be working on solving during your time with Loco Motive? As to not spoil things, allow me to discuss the first one in the game, which involves Arthur Ackerman. As you’ve probably guessed by now, you will need to find a way to set Arthur free. You know, because he’s currently chained to a desk at the police station. After making sure that no one is listening to what you’re doing, it will be time to get started!
By looking at the room and interacting with the different hotspots, you’ll notice that one of them is for a trenchcoat on the left side of the screen, which just happens to have a set of keys. Odds are that one of those keys can open up the chains that are currently keeping you firmly in this interrogation room. Is there a way for you to reach those keys without making too much noise?
You’ll have to find some items that can aid you in completing this task, and you’re going to have to combine them! In the room, and within your reach, you can find a bunch of books, some cigarette buts, a trashcan, a newspaper, and a desk fan. By taking a step back and applying some classic Lucasfilm Games logic, you’ll realize you’re not desperate enough to go through the trash and will need to make do with the newspaper and desk fan.
Once you’ve grabbed them, press the Y button to open up your inventory. The next step will be to press the Y button on the newspaper or the desk fan, move the cursor to the other item, and press the A button to combine them. This will reward you with a crudely made air funnel. Use this item on the coat rack to gently knock over the umbrella. Now, use the umbrella to grab the keys. What will happen next? You’ll have to play the game to find out!
Loco Motive is a 2D old-school-infused whodunit point and click adventure that will pay homage to the classics in the genre such as, say, the beloved Monkey Island series, or the Sam and Max adventures – you know, without going full Sam, Max, or both! The story begins on a train, as aging heiress Lady Unterwalf is about to reveal who will inherit everything. Unfortunately, things don’t go as planned, and someone murders her in cold blood in front of everyone. Except we won’t be able to know who’s the one who did it because it happened while the train for the Reuss Express was going through a tunnel, so the crime occurred in total darkness.
The three characters you’ll be playing as are a straight-laced lawyer, a crime novelist-turned-rookie detective, and an undercover spy – Arthur Ackerman (Sean Chiplock), Herman Merman (Brent Mukai), and Diana Ostman (Savy Des-Etages). Will you be able to solve the mystery before it’s too late? Oh, and you’ll also have the option of activating Noir Mode, which will make it so that everything is displayed in black and white for that classic look and feel. Loco Motive is out on Nintendo Switch with a $17.99 price tag.
Disclaimer
This Loco Motive review is based on a Nintendo Switch copy provided by Chucklefish.
