Voidtrain: Early Access Review

Imagine stepping onto a mysterious train that glides through strange floating islands and weird creatures. The setup was too intriguing to resist- exploring unknown lands, crafting tools, and defending my train from lurking dangers…

I played the game in October 2024 in Early Access state. When the game comes out with full release it might be a somewhat different experience, so please keep that in mind.

Starting out, I was positively impressed by the visual style of the game. Everything feels like moving through a dreamscape or an abstract painting – a bit eerie and surreal. But while the graphics and atmosphere are definitely engaging, the environments lack any real motion or life, giving the world a static, almost lifeless quality. Unlike other survival games where the environment is interactive, here it feels like a pretty but untouchable background.

One thing that stands out (and not in the best way) is the combat. Combat in Voidtrain is passable but gets old fast. You’re mainly stuck with a revolver, and though I collected various types of ammo, I didn’t encounter any other weapons. Facing waves of enemies with just a pistol quickly becomes repetitive, especially since the enemies lack variety and only grow in numbers. I kept hoping for a new weapon or a more strategic combat element, but after a while, it became clear that wasn’t in the cards.

Now, the game has these “secret reload” animations — quirky little details like a pet reloading your gun for you. It’s a fun touch at first, but after a few hours, even these unique animations start to drag due to the lack of any animation-cancel options. Watching my character pull out and put away tools for what feels like ages gets tiresome, especially during intense moments.

As for gameplay, it feels a lot like Raft, but on rails — literally. You start with a small platform and gradually expand, adding crafting stations, storage, and eventually more complex research equipment. Resources float by, and you can hop off to grab them, which is fun and brings a bit of excitement. However, resource management here feels stricter than in Raft. Instead of freeform exploration, you’re locked into a forward-only progression with limited resources, so there’s a constant pressure to make efficient choices.

The pets, which serve as workers gathering basic resources, were an underwhelming feature. They occupy space and offer minimal resource gain in return. At times, I even felt like they were more of a hindrance than a help, given how much room they take up on the train.

Then there’s the “Void Shark.” Much like Raft’s shark, this creature is a persistent annoyance, constantly attacking your train unless you spend valuable time and resources to fend it off. This mechanic felt more tedious than fun; every time I entered a new area, I knew I’d have to spend the first few minutes dealing with the shark just to keep it at bay.

However, not everything was a letdown. The customization and upgrading aspects of the train are satisfying, and reaching each new station allows you to expand your train further. In co-op, I can see this game being a bit more fun, as sharing tasks and resources could relieve some of the solo grind.

Pros:

• Unique, surreal visuals and atmosphere.
• Satisfying train customization and progression.
• Some fun co-op potential.

Cons:

• Repetitive combat with limited weapon variety.
• Static environment with little interaction.
• Tedious tasks (e.g., the Void Shark).
• Pet mechanics feel underwhelming.