The Last Express

[toblix]

I know there's a thread for this game, but it's in Idle Banter, which is crazy, because this has to be one of the most important games ever made.

I've played this for a while now. I'm past the second station on the map, closing in on the third, and there's just so much going on I'm starting to wonder what kind of system is in place to make all this stuff work at all. It seems everything – the conversations and movements of people around the train – is actually happening in real-time. At first I assumed there was some amount of triggers being used to ensure I was there at the right time to see the chef scalding his assistant or whatever, but the more I play the more it looks like I'm stumbling upon these events by pure luck. This is awesome and crazy. It looks like they've made graphics for everything, from all possible angles. I can stand right next to people to overhear their conversation, or I can move around like an idiot, or sit down and glance at them over my shoulder like I assume a smooth spy would. I know people have been praising The Last Express for its design, but it's also impressive from a technical standpoint.

My point, however, is that it seems there are so many variables in this game, either "winning" is nearly impossible, or the possibility space is not actually as big as I'm led to believe, and there are some mechanisms in place to nudge me back on track.

[ThunderPeel2001]

My point, however, is that it seems there are so many variables in this game, either "winning" is nearly impossible, or the possibility space is not actually as big as I'm led to believe, and there are some mechanisms in place to nudge me back on track.

Well there are certain events that must occur before certain characters do something (e.g. They'll tell you that they're getting off at a certain station, so you better do X before then, otherwise Y). Those sort of events nudge you "back on track" because the game will end when you fail to continue the story (usually because someone has decided to kill you).

Other than that, provided the story doesn't meet a dead end (by you getting into trouble, etc.), then you're doing well!

Really glad you're enjoying this, Toblix. I love the way the story is told, and that you know what you need to do, and you can see all the different parties with their own agendas, and you're stuck in the middle with your own agenda, trying to keep everyone else happy.

There are no "triggered" events, as far as I know, and the trip takes place in "real-time" (albeit, with time sped up x6). So you arrive at stations at precisely the same time the real Orient Express did, etc.

Also, the game's developers found the last remaining original Orient Express cars, and photographed them from every angle in order to make the game as accurate as possible.

It really is an experience to savour.

Also, a tip: Don't watch the "Making Of" video while you're in the middle of a game. It gives quite a lot away.

Edit: Ooh, look at this cool image I found...

[Orv]

Noooooooooooo! I'm trying to resist playing this, but I've run out of reasons not to.

Heeeeeeere, GOGgy GOGgy GOGgy.

[Squid Division]

I'm going to come back to this game eventually, but the weird slideshow effect was really distracting - to the point where I thought the game was broken and had to look up YouTube videos to check.

[vimes]

I'm in love with two of the ideas The Last Express explores 1) an incredibly detailed self-contained environment 2) modeling inaction as an action by having the story resolves itself even without the player's involvement. I'm not sure if it's because most designers aren't attracted by it or if it's just too much of a tech and marketing nightmare, but not a lot of game go for this kind of fully breathing diorama.

Anyway, I'd like to explore the same kind of mechanics, without resorting to the the "1 good / n-bad endings" paradigm they used... the game suffered from it imo : because of it, it felt like a high speed race toward a pinhole; any mistake projecting you off-course irreversibly. Kind of frustrating and why I had to play with walkthough in hand the first time.

[ThunderPeel2001]

Anyway, I'd like to explore the same kind of mechanics, without resorting to the the "1 good / n-bad endings" paradigm they used... the game suffered from it imo : because of it, it felt like a high speed race toward a pinhole; any mistake projecting you off-course irreversibly. Kind of frustrating and why I had to play with walkthough in hand the first time.

I do agree that this is the weakest aspect of the game, and it's why I say it's an "experience to savour" (because the gaming aspects aren't so great). Still, at least it's nearly always obvious what you need to do, even if how isn't clear how. Other games with this same mechanic have terrible logic sometimes.

For example, in The Last Express:

You arrive late the on train (trying to avoid the authorities at the station, or just running late? -shifty eyebrow-) and find your friend dead. First port of call, deal the body. Then someone mistakes you for him, and you realise he had business on the train... but who killed him and why?

You assume his role and start learning more about the business he's in: A German arms dealer wants the gold he was promised by your friend, otherwise he'll leave the train. If he doesn't get his gold, then the Serbo-Croation revolutionaries won't get the guns your friend promised them... and they'll be very upset with you. It seems your friend was planning on getting this gold by selling a rare artefact to an African Prince -- except the artefact has gone missing.

Obviously this causes a problem with your own aims: If everyone does their business and goes on their merry way, you'll never get to the bottom of your friend's murder. Also, you probably don't want to be supporting terrorism, whatever your friend's sympathies were, or lose that insanely expensive looking artefact, that may very well be the key to the whole story -- but how can you keep everyone happy so you can buy yourself some time?

So it's obvious what you need to do:

Get the gold from Prince Kronos to Herr Schmidt, so he doesn't leave the train and upset the Revolutionaries by breaking the deal. You've also got to stop Kronos from just stealing the golden egg and not paying you for it... and, when all is done, make sure every party is reasonably happy with what's happened (nobody feels cheated), without you losing the rare artefact in the process.

But how?

[toblix]

Okay, so a lady just stabbed me in the gut – understandably – because I hadn't produced the goods in time. The game rewound quite a ways back, and I'm wondering: Does this rewinding always provide me with a way to make things right, or could I still be irrevocably up shit creek with this particular playthrough?

I realize this may be discussed further up the thread, but I'm loathe to peruse it on account of the fact that there might be spoilers.

[ThunderPeel2001]

Okay, so a lady just stabbed me in the gut – understandably – because I hadn't produced the goods in time. The game rewound quite a ways back, and I'm wondering: Does this rewinding always provide me with a way to make things right, or could I still be irrevocably up shit creek with this particular playthrough?

I realize this may be discussed further up the thread, but I'm loathe to peruse it on account of the fact that there might be spoilers.

I think it always provides you with enough time to makes things right, but I don't know for sure. You can rewind further using the main menu, if you think you need to.

[toblix]

Just finished this. What a fantastic game, so ahead of its time. For anyone who haven't played this yet, you really should do so now, if only to experience the first hour or so.

[ThunderPeel2001]

For anyone who haven't played this yet, you really should do so now, if only to experience the first hour or so.

Agreed.

[Erkki]

And if the low-frame animations bother you at first -- you'll get used to them.

[Nappi]

Better make that two hours. I started playing this yesterday and spent most of my first hour figuring out which way I was facing and so on. Not being able to fully control your movement can be very disorienting apparently.

Nevertheless, the game is quite charming. I'm starting to get what is going on even though I haven't bothered to listen to all of the conversations and read all the newspapers. The game has its flaws though and because of its "realistic" nature the immersion can shatter quite easily. For instance, during the concert

I repeatedly jumped into the bedroom through the glass ceiling, but the assistant drove me away each time. I did the same thing after the concert when I saw that she was heading towards the dining cart, but barely had I landed that she was there again looking at me through those angry eyes and quietly listening to my stupid excuse for the sixth time. The worst part was that nobody seemed to care much even though I repeatedly sailed through the concert space, always going from bedroom to the exit.

[ThunderPeel2001]

The game has its flaws though and because of its "realistic" nature the immersion can shatter quite easily. For instance, during the concert

I repeatedly jumped into the bedroom through the glass ceiling, but the assistant drove me away each time. I did the same thing after the concert when I that she was heading towards the dining cart, but barely had I landed that she was there again looking at me through those angry eyes and quietly listening to my stupid excuse for the sixth time. The worst part was that nobody seemed to care much even though I repeatedly sailed through the concert space, always going from bedroom to the exit.

Limitations of the time, but certainly the most immersive experience until things like that happen. Probably an unpopular suggestion, but I'd love to see a HD update of this game... Same style of graphics, but with more frames and smoother transitions.

[mikemariano]

Great news!

I actually am not at all familiar with Big Fish Games. Is it a decent service?

The Last Express is a fun game, even if you suck at it and have to hold a walkthrough the entire time you play.

[MrHoatzin]

It's been on GOG forever, no?

[Noyb]

Yeah. I'm not sure what DRM Big Fish games uses. From what I remember, they constantly try to upsell you to a monthly subscription. And sell a bunch of Diner Dash clones.

[Patters]

It's been on GOG forever, no?

Not forever, sometime last year I think.

[Raff]

And it was on DotEmu before that.

[Sal Limones]

Just finished this. What a fantastic game, so ahead of its time. For anyone who haven't played this yet, you really should do so now, if only to experience the first hour or so.

Ok, gonna do this. I've been meaning to. Kingz got me as far as the title screen one time, I don't remember why I never got past that. I hope it wasn't computer limitations, 'cause I still have the same computer.

[David]

I survived the first day and then became too scared of all the intrigue to play any more.

Someday, Mechner.

[MrHoatzin]

Ok, gonna do this. I've been meaning to. Kingz got me as far as the title screen one time, I don't remember why I never got past that. I hope it wasn't computer limitations, 'cause I still have the same computer.

It works fine. It is installed on the TV box, one of the half a dozen icons on the desktop are its, the game discs are prolly on the spindle on the coffee table.

[miffy495]

It always makes me laugh when a husband-wife duo have a conversation on a forum. See also: Subbes and Shammack. Such specific, yet also kind of mundane details are so far removed from regular internet discourse it brings a huge smile to my face.

[Erkki]

Coming to iOS

[Henroid]

Coming to iOS

I saw this mentioned on And I'm Nick Breckon's Twitter. On one hand, cool that it'll get more exposure in this manner, but on the other, I'm not sure if people are generally prepared for what they're supposed to do in this game. Or, what they can do, at any rate. But hey, maybe it'll catch!

[Roderick]

I'm curious to the pricing and excited that I may get a chance to play this classic, finally.