Searching for a comfortable fall recreation to cool down with this weekend? There’s an ideal new launch out on PC now that’s excellent for the season. Station to Station is a soothing new PC recreation (that’s one half minimalistic puzzler and one half railroad administration simulator. It’s a laid-back indie with earthy voxel artwork and a delicate soundtrack, however there’s some deceptively deep technique layer on prime of that. Whether or not you’re simply seeking to chill or create complicated railways, Station to Station could very a lot want the sport you want this season.
Developed by Galaxy Grove, Station to Station asks gamers to create environment friendly railroads between varied buildings dotted on a small map. It performs like a mixture of Mini Metro and Dorfromantik, making a satisfying puzzle hook that’s simple to select up. At first, the duties are easy. One constructing wants wheat from a mill close by. I place a station subsequent to every constructing and join the 2 collectively. Easy. The extra duties I full, the extra buildings are added to a map. I could reveal a spot that may produce milk however wants wheat so as to take action. The purpose of every degree is to maintain connecting railways till every constructing’s situations are met.
It’s as intuitive as snapping Legos collectively, however there’s numerous nuance that will get layered in with every degree. For example, I can take a observe over a cliff by making a bridge, however that’ll price me much more cash. I can typically get round that price by creating anchor factors in a observe so it could snake round flat land, although that may get dear too. Cash is a finite useful resource at every degree, so I at all times want to determine essentially the most cost-effective method to construct a observe. Each determination I make issues as I’m rewarded for sensible planning.
That’s finest mirrored in Station to Station‘s deepest puzzle layer. If I join my railroads in a sure order, I can transfer a bunch of sources between stations directly. This prompts a stack bonus, giving me more cash for every materials delivered in a flip. To land a giant payout, although, I have to put tracks collectively in a typically illogical order. Say there’s a metropolis that wants fish, milk, bread, and wheat. If I join that metropolis to particular person buildings that produce these supplies, I received’t get a lot cash. Nonetheless, if I can discover a method to join all of these stations earlier than linking them as much as the town, I’ll ship all 4 objects directly and get numerous money for my efforts. That brings a deep technique layer to the expertise, one which’ll require numerous intelligent pondering.
Like every good puzzle recreation, new twists widen the components alongside the best way. When passengers enter the fold, I have to strategically hyperlink cities collectively to create purposeful public transit whereas sustaining a purposeful provide chain. Then there’s a card system that permits gamers to activate reductions on tracks, bridges, and extra. There’s numerous technique that goes into utilizing every card on the proper second to save lots of as a lot cash as doable. Small layers like that, together with bonus targets in every degree, permit me to flex my engineering muscle groups.
If that sounds slightly too aggravating, Station to Station has you lined. Gamers can toggle cash off to take some administration stress out of the primary recreation or arrange a customized recreation with their very own guidelines. Each choices are excellent for anybody who’s in search of extra of a Zen expertise (it particularly works as a laid-back sofa recreation by way of Steam Deck). Station to Station particularly lends itself to that fashion of play, because it’s merely pleasurable to create an intricate sequence of railways and watch tiny trains journey the tracks like disciplined employee ants. Effectivity is the secret right here and also you’ll be rewarded to your means to ship that whether or not you’re enjoying casually or as a strategic puzzler.
Station to Station is offered now on PC.
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