Nine months after the release in the Epic Games Store, Voidtrain made its way to Steam yesterday, on May 9th. In this co-op survival title, players control an interdimensional train either alone or in a group of up to four people. However, they must first build it.
What is Voidtrain about? To survive in the landscape of the so-called Voids, the Void
, one can play alone or with friends. Players upgrade their own train, craft weapons, and fight various enemies. There are unique locations, stations, and floating islands full of puzzles to explore.
Crafting fans might also be interested in Voidtrain, because: Players build their train, which races through space, from scratch. From a tiny handcar to a full train with multiple cars, including customizable visuals, storage spaces, workbenches, and decorations. Collecting resources to create useful constructs is also part of the mechanic’s daily life in the Void.
Customizable weapons and gear support the character in their fight for survival. Besides enemies like soldiers or sharks, the player encounters creatures that look like huge dragon-like snakes on their journey.
Opinions are divided
What do players say about Voidtrain so far? Since the game was released on Epic in August 2021, there are already several reviews. There are also some opinions available on Steam.
According to GameStar, the game does many things right and adheres to survival commandments. Frustration stems from the limited exploration around the train, since: One is tethered to a cable. The fact that players do not have to worry about an oxygen meter creates feelings of happiness.
The YouTuber Markiplier is impressed in a Let’s Play video. “This is cool. This is really cool,” he repeats several times while collecting materials to build. He had no idea what the game would be like. When he saw the trailer, he thought: “It seems to have a cool aesthetic.”
However, the Steam community sees it differently. Only 66% of the reviews so far are positive. The good performance and the suffocating atmosphere in the Void are particularly praised. A few users compare the survival title to Raft, “but in space, which is an interesting concept.”
Others criticize that Voidtrain becomes boring quickly and is too linear. A Steam user writes, “I wish there was a neutral review option for the game.” This is particularly bitter because Voidtrain was one of the most anticipated games on Steam before its release (via GameStar).
And I can fully agree with that.
However, not much else remains, as the “open world” feels rather linear at least at the beginning due to the rail system. I quickly found collecting resources to be repetitive, compounded by the incredibly small inventory. The storage chests with four slots each were not much help.
Due to the limited movement space, players are massively restricted in exploration. Flying islands and rocks are visible but not reachable. Overall, an interesting idea with an appealing aesthetic, but it remains questionable what further development will bring.
Good to know: When opening the game, a website opens where players can link their Steam account to the Epic Games account. Also, the game is still in early access status, even though it went into early access on Epic Games in August 2021.
Looking for more in the genre? On MeinMMO you can find the best survival games 2023 for PC, PlayStation, and Xbox.
