Question passengers with tarot-like cards in Dreadline Express, a train mystery with the most intriguing conversation system I’ve played since Her Story
Dreadline Express is a train-based mystery game featuring an innovative conversation mechanic that uses tarot-like cards to interact with passengers. Players awaken in the cabin of what is described as “the last human train,” which travels through an alien sky bathed in red light. The scenario presents an ominous setup: through a speaker announcement, the player learns they have been selected by lottery for sacrifice “for the greater good,” with the message signed by an entity known as “the Supreme Engineer.”
The game’s distinctive conversation system caught the attention of critics at Gamescom, where it was demonstrated. The mechanic, which employs tarot-like cards as a unique interface for questioning and interacting with other passengers, has drawn comparisons to Her Story—another mystery game acclaimed for its innovative approach to dialogue and investigation systems.
The setting combines sci-fi and horror elements, with eldritch tentacles visible pressing against the carriage windows, creating an unsettling atmosphere that frames the mystery players must unravel. The game appears to combine narrative mystery solving with an interactive conversation system that goes beyond traditional dialogue trees, using the tarot card metaphor as both a thematic and mechanical element.
While the excerpt is limited, Dreadline Express seems positioned as an indie puzzle-mystery title that emphasizes unique player interaction over conventional storytelling methods, appealing to fans of narrative-driven games and experimental conversation mechanics.