A Train to Piccadilly

Around about halfway into the game, I found myself thinking something like 'gee, the tone of this one reminds me of something else I've played, in a good way. I wonder..."

Then I took a closer look at the box.

Still, it's not remotely derivative; moreso, it's pleasantly reminiscent of some of the best, eeriest magical realism in games that have come before. It just works nicely.

In terms of structure, the three-fold parallel approach fits well and avoids any headaches; it's very merciful and allows the player to focus on puzzling. And goodness, the puzzling. These expect you to think on your feet, notice and examine everything, make some logical leaps, take breaks and backtrack, and think laterally. The parser is generally your friend throughout. Where this design approach doesn't work so well is in the intro 'action' scene and to a lesser extent in the finale; when the player is put under real or apparent time pressure I feel that things should be more closely cued.

It's a long ride but it's very satisfying to finish. I deliberately haven't said much about the story; I think it complements the puzzles and keeps the player attached, but of course many questions are left unanswered.