Rock, Paper, Shotgun

Oh my, this is a pleasant surprise. I’m not sure I could describe the sensation I felt while playing a surprisingly substantial prototype of Passengers as fun, but I was oddly mesmerized by its tale of trains and, er, what appear to be Feudal-Japan-era samurai ghosts – among many other things. Basically, the entire game consists of learning the stories of rather eclectic train passengers and then applying that knowledge to incredibly broad philosophical quandaries. Apparently, creator “jarnik” was inspired by the odd bits of socialization (including guitar playing, apparently) that occur on his train rides home, and he’s planning to expand out to 140+ passengers and an atmosphere that shifts “from an ordinary night train ride into a surreal trip where future, past and fiction are one.” As is, though, it’s a surprisingly contemplative, occasionally heavy handed way to spend a few minutes. It’s pleasant. Hop aboard here.