Announced during the recent 28 Games Later Showcase, publisher Shoreline Games and developer David Konecny‘s the first-person psychological horror “metroidbrainia” Dreadline Express, will launch for PC via Steam on October 16th. Ahead of the full game’s release, the demo for Dreadline Express is available now for a very limited time.
Part mystery, part exploration-driven horror, and intentionally full of riddles rather than telling players where they should go next, Dreadline Express puts you aboard the last remnant of a now-collapsed civilisation – a steam train populated by a handful of ominous survivors.
Inside every carriage hides another piece of the puzzle. Each passenger has their own story, their own motives and, perhaps, something they would rather keep hidden, buried deep down in their psyche. Some doors upon this train, it appears, may be better left closed.
“Dreadline Express is about giving players the freedom to be curious,” explains developer David Konecny. “I wanted to make a horror game where making it through comes from paying attention, making connections, and understanding the people and places around you, rather than simply following a trail of objectives. It’s strange, unsettling, and sometimes deliberately obtuse, and I’m incredibly excited that people will finally be able to board the train on October 16th.”
At the centre of it all is the game’s card-based narrative system. Discoveries, encounters and achievements become cards stored within an evolving album, allowing players to uncover connections, formulate new plans and open paths that previously appeared impossible. The more you understand about the train, its passengers and the world outside, the more options you have for deciding what happens next.