The Final Station
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Critic Reviews for The Final Station
The Final Station is a 2D side-scrolling zombie survival game with enough challenging combat to offset its predictable pace.
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.
Two years after the PC relase, The Final Station arrives to Nintendo Switch retaining the good and bad ideas. A pixelated 2D adventure that mixes little exploration/action areas in an apocalyptic world with some micromanagement on a train. But, soon, the mechanics get repetitive, with an irregular storyline plagued with errors in its translation.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
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.
The Final Station has a great deal of promise, but repetitive gameplay elements can be tiring.
The Final Station is a unique journey among the current Switch library you will not want to skip on, especially if you managed to stay away from the original PC release up to this point. World building and plot is brilliantly delivered by numerous little details of which we have rarely seen developers explore with such efficiency to deliver so much tension and sense of urgency from the player. Despite linearity, when you do reach the end game you can immediately jump into the ‘The Only Traitor' DLC included in the Switch version, which will enable you to experience the same events under a new character. Make sure you don't miss out this train ride.
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.
While it may look simple and even a bit silly on the surface, The Final Station is quite the captivating game. The story and survival aspects have been blended wonderfully, and it leaves you with plenty to mull over long after the credits roll.
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