Dreadline Express presents a grim scenario: players awaken aboard the last human train, a solitary carriage hurtling into an alien sunset as eldritch tentacles press against the windows. A voice announces the player has been chosen by lottery for sacrifice, signing off with "All hail the Supreme Engineer." This ominous start quickly gives way to a novel game mechanic that has been praised as one of the most intriguing systems encountered.
Players will discover tools that facilitate escape, presented as a unique set of tarot-like cards. Interacting with elements in the environment yields these cards, which in turn unlock new conversational paths and narrative revelations. For instance, examining a burning candle grants the 'Light' card. Holding this card while interacting with a carved table allows the player to discover a memorial to Theresa Mather, unlocking the 'Daughter' card. A diary entry about Rose Mather reveals the 'Wife' card, and combining these leads to a locked suitcase containing documents that identify the player as Samuel Mather and provide the 'Apothecary' card.
This card system expands significantly upon encountering other passengers. An old man surrounded by empty bottles, for example, is initially dismissive. However, presenting the 'Apothecary' card allows the player to introduce themselves as Samuel, prompting the man, Garret Willcott, a former judge, to respond more openly. Further interactions, such as combining the 'Apothecary' and 'Wife' cards, or presenting the 'Judge' card, unlock deeper dialogue and personal histories.
The cards function as a vocabulary that expands the player's ability to question the game's world and characters, echoing the keyword search mechanic of Her Story. This system allows players to prompt new revelations and steer the narrative in distinct directions, a departure from games where the story is already fixed.
An example of this branching narrative can be seen with the passenger Euler, who is plagued by a noise. Players can offer him a 'laudanum' card, which calms him but leaves him unresponsive, or a pair of knitting needles. Euler uses the needles to pierce his eardrums, rendering him deaf to the noise and willing to communicate. The full version of Dreadline Express is scheduled for release on October 16th, and a demo is available on Steam.