Choo Choo Charles asks a simple question: what if your childhood train obsession was a mistake? You’re dropped on an island stalked by a demonic locomotive with spider legs, armed only with a rickety yellow engine, a scrap collection habit, and misplaced optimism.

It’s survival horror on rails — literally — and on both Switch and Steam Deck it’s equal parts ridiculous and terrifying. Perfect for handheld chaos sessions where your coffee gets cold because you’re too busy checking the map for eight-legged death.

Atmosphere: Off the Rails

The island of Aranearum feels like a fever dream: misty forests, abandoned mines, and scattered NPCs who all clearly know they’re in a horror game but still send you on fetch quests. The ambient tension is fantastic — that faint whistle in the distance can turn a calm scavenging run into a panicked retreat in seconds.

On both platforms, visuals hold up well. The Switch version runs smoother than expected, with only occasional pop-in, while the Steam Deck offers slightly higher fidelity and steadier frame rates. Either way, the stylised lighting sells the eerie tone beautifully. The rumble when Charles charges your train is enough to make you drop your console if you’re not ready for it.

Gameplay & Upgrades

Your train is your home, your weapon, and your only friend — which makes it tragic when it catches fire. Upgrading it becomes an obsession: armour, speed, and damage each turn your humble railcar into a rolling fortress. Well, a squeaky one.

The loop is simple but effective: explore, gather scrap, upgrade, scream, repeat. Missions range from “deliver this egg” to “retrieve this key from an obviously haunted shack.” It’s not deep, but it’s consistently entertaining — especially when Charles interrupts your progress with the subtlety of a freight train through a nursery.

Combat & Encounters

Combat is pure chaos. You man the mounted gun on your train and hope your aim’s better than your steering. Later weapons add some welcome variety — the flamethrower and rocket launcher are both satisfying panic buttons — but nothing beats the sheer panic of seeing those glowing red eyes appear out of the fog.

Charles himself is a great antagonist: unpredictable, relentless, and somehow smug. He’s more Nemesis than ghost train, and every encounter feels earned.

Controls & Performance

On Steam Deck, the controls are responsive and intuitive. On Switch, handheld aiming is a bit twitchy but manageable — the gyro-assisted aiming helps. Both versions handle well enough for frantic retreats and desperate last-minute shots. Load times are short, and crashes are rare (unless you count literal derailments).

Both versions include adjustable sensitivity and aim assists, making it manageable even for players new to first-person horror. There’s also a motion blur toggle — leave it off if you’re prone to nausea, or if you’d prefer not to feel like you’re on a real train.

Performance Snapshot

Both versions hold steady at 30 FPS with only minor dips during heavy weather or late-game chaos. The Deck benefits from faster load times and slightly better lighting, but the Switch port deserves real credit — it’s smooth, stable, and entirely playable in handheld mode. Battery life sits around 2.5 hours on Deck and closer to 3.5 on Switch, which feels fair given how often you’re flooring it in panic.

Difficulty & Replayability

Difficulty is light compared to most survival horror titles — death costs you scrap, not your soul — but that makes it accessible without removing tension. The game’s short runtime (around 3–5 hours) makes it perfect for portable playthroughs. Replay value comes from upping the difficulty, speed-running, or seeing how long you can avoid Charles entirely.

Verdict: 4 Derailments out of 5

Choo Choo Charles is a bizarre, brilliant slice of indie horror that embraces its absurd premise and somehow makes it work. It’s tense, funny, and perfect for short sessions — just enough fear to make you flinch, not enough to make you uninstall.

At its modest price point, it’s a great pick-up-and-play horror experience that doesn’t overstay its welcome — a compact panic package built for portable survivalists.

If you’ve ever thought, “What if Thomas the Tank Engine was an apex predator?” this game is your answer — and your nightmare.

Survivor’s Notes

• Best Moment: Finally fighting back with the rocket launcher — pure cinematic revenge.
• Worst Moment: Thinking I was safe on foot. Spoiler: I wasn’t.
• Switch Verdict: Performs surprisingly well handheld. Great for shorter sessions, though aiming can be a little jittery without a Pro Controller.
• Steam Deck Verdict: Smooth, immersive, and ideal for portable horror marathons. Charles looks even meaner in 800p.
• Immersion Factor: Headphones mandatory. Every distant whistle is instant anxiety.

More from Survivor Incognito

• Survivor’s Review Hub — all reviews in one place.
• Derailed & Doomed – Choo Choo Charles Hub — the full survival diary series.
• Survivor’s Dread Hub — more horror survival chaos, minus the train.
• Day One Diaries — where the pain begins.
• Survivor Incognito Home — where chaos is portable.