The Final Station Reviews
The Final Station is a decent train simulator with just enough craze to it that makes this title completely unique.
The Final Station challenges the player with scarcity and survival and weaves just enough context to make the world built around it interesting.
"There are some that would say there is nothing more soothing than riding the rails. You set off on a train and explore the countryside and relax, letting the world pass you by. If leisurely pursuits are your goal, then The Final Station from two man studio, Do My Best, and publisher tinyBuild may not be for you. If you're looking for an intense, 5-6 hour experience, then all aboard! The infected are coming."
I wish I had more nice things to say about The Final Station. It’s not a particularly great horror game, its story is initially interesting but ultimately disappointing, the exploration is nearly 100% linear, the combat is bare bones, and the train sequences are painful.
The Final Station is a simple game, which is always just compelling enough for its duration. I’ve come to think of it as an efficient, low budget horror movie: it has a high concept it can’t afford to show directly and so it wrings as much as it can from the mystery and the satisfaction of piecing the plot together from snippets. It’s only a shame that its action suffers more from never having a particularly interesting concept of its own.
'The Final Station' is a fascinating journey that ends a few stops too soon. Its ending ultimately raises more questions than answers, and I was left largely unfulfilled. This disappointment bleeds into the gameplay as well, as each facet of gameplay from the citizen management to the gunplay could've been fleshed out more. Despite these shortcomings, it's still an enjoyable five hour ride — just one that ends before it hits its stride.
The Final Station ends up being a linear game in the end, but this short train is worth riding at least once.
There’s few complex systems in place to either discover or manage and while that may feel like a misstep, Do My Best live up to their namesake when by setting the scene and giving even the most basic of pixel graphics feel like something far more grandiose and important in the wider scheme of things.
Overall, The Final Station is a contemplative slice of sci-fi horror. It might not be utterly original - spot the shades of Snowpiercer, Evangelion, and That Insidious Beast if you get the chance - and it can be ever so slight, but it rattles along at steady pace, taking you on a reflective journey, all the way to a gut-punching end.
The Final Station may be an exhilarating and atmospheric ride, but it's repetitive structure and shallow gameplay screeches it to a halt.
The Final Station is a great addition to the survival horror genre. Do My Best Games‘ debut title mixes competent gameplay with excellent storytelling and world building in order to create a compelling adventure that never overstays its welcome.
With how rare supplies are and how easy it is to die… even the simple act of opening a door becomes a terrifying experience
Overall, The Final Station isn’t adding anything too new or revolutionary to the zombie shooter formula gameplay wise, but at this point what really matters is your motivation and the atmosphere the game takes place in that helps a game succeed in this genre. Tiny Build packed The Final Station full of both of those things and the end result is a surprisingly genuinely suspenseful 2D experience that combines train maintenance with zombie slaying.
The Final Station has a nice look to it and the generous checkpoints mean you will worry more about supplies than a surprise death. It’s a bit short, clocking in at about five hours, but worth a look.
The Final Station has a great deal of promise, but repetitive gameplay elements can be tiring.
The Final Station has many things going on at the same time, and not all of them are successful. The overall experience is a fun one though and I can easily recommend getting this game, just make sure to be spare with bullets and medkits!
The disparity between the repetitive majority and the engaging finale did cause me to like The Final Station after it was said and done, but it’s not enough to overlook the significant flaws along the journey. Ambiguity is supposed to provide a level of intrigue, making players want to look further and explore dark corners, being rewarded for the risks they take to discover more. Instead, The Final Station hands out breadcrumbs without promise of a full loaf until the very end. Repetition and simplicity hold back what could otherwise be a fascinating survival horror indie,and a personal tale of interest about the train conductor. It’s worth taking a ride on this train once if not to see the promise the narrative holds, but don’t expect to want to hop on board with the mechanics again when you reach the final station.
The game is straightforward and fun except for the frustrating lack of instructions on how things work.
Its linearity and lack of challenge do the ideas at the core of The Final Station something of a disservice. It's not a bad way to spend a few hours, but ultimately this apocalyptic train ride comes off the rails pretty swiftly.