Locomoto
All aboard the coziest ride in gaming.
Locomoto is a cozy gamer’s paradise. As the sole conductor of the last train in Barrenpyre, your quiet hometown, you’ll manage, upgrade, deliver, and uncover rich histories and adorable stories that wind through the countryside. It’s part life sim, part management game, and fully heartwarming.
UX (Control Feel & User Experience)
The user interface in Locomoto is refreshingly minimal. If we've learned anything from the past few reviews, it's that if you're going to add something to the player's screen, make it meaningful. Taking up screen real estate for non-important information just gives the game a feeling of clutter and claustrophobia. Locomoto does this right in taking the "less is more" approach; something we can all appreciate.
Your main HUD consists of a simple toolbar, your current quest pin, and hotkeys for the map and journal. When interacting with objects or furniture, helpful pop-ups guide you on how to place, rotate, or nudge items to get them just right. It all feels clean and non-intrusive, letting you fully absorb the vibrant scenery, character dialogue, and cinematic moments.
The game strongly encourages controller use, and for good reason, it plays beautifully this way. Controls are intuitive and responsive, tapping into that nostalgic “Saturday morning on the couch” feel of early console gaming. Whether navigating through the train, placing furniture, or chatting with passengers, everything flows smoothly.
Menus are equally friendly. You’ll mainly work with your map, which lets you plan routes with up to seven or eight stops in advance, and your journal, which tracks both main and side quests separately. The best part? Your planned routes persist even after quitting and reopening the game, which makes jumping back in totally seamless. Whether you're quest-hopping or just delivering critters and mail, it’s designed to keep you on track… literally.
Gameplay Progression
Progression in Locomoto is entirely paced by the player. There’s no pressure to rush through the story. You can tackle the main quests, focus solely on side missions, or do neither and spend your days hauling passengers and delivering parcels around the map.
That said, the story offers some strong incentives to keep you moving forward. Along the way, you’ll unlock new train cars, clothing, and recipes for crafting furniture and upgrading your train. Achievements are also tied to both story and exploration, so if you're a completionist, you’ll need to visit every region and complete every story arc to 100% the game.
With over 20 hours logged and still more to see, the game offers a satisfyingly long ride for those looking to take things slow.
Immersion
The immersion in Locomoto is immediate, and it swallows you whole.
From the moment you fire up the train’s engine, it’s easy to fall into the rhythm of cozy tasks and charming world-building. The game blends scenic travel, character-driven stories, and gentle exploration into something quietly powerful.
Many players (myself included) got hooked just from the demo. After spending a couple of hours on that first taste, picking up the full game felt like a no-brainer.
Stability & Performance
Locomoto is a full release title, not early access, and overall runs incredibly well.
The only recurring issue I’ve encountered is a slightly inconsistent hitbox when trying to interact with the train lever to move between destinations. It’s a minor inconvenience, but one I’ve officially reported on the game’s Discord. Thankfully, it’s small potatoes in the grand scheme of a game that otherwise runs like a well-oiled machine.
Value for Price
At $24.99 USD / $34.22 CAD / €21.27, Locomoto sits in the mid-range price tier for indie sims, but absolutely earns its spot.
I personally picked it up during the Steam Summer Sale at 30% off after loving the demo, and I haven’t looked back. With 20+ hours of gameplay already behind me and more ahead, I’m currently averaging about $0.59/hour, a solid deal for such a relaxing, enjoyable, replayable game.
Since its full release in April 2025, Locomoto has gone on sale twice already, most recently during a 33% off midweek deal, so it’s well worth keeping on your wishlist if you're watching your budget.
Final Verdict
This game is cozy magic on rails. It’s immersive, adorable, and deeply relaxing. An easy recommendation for fans of slow-living sims, character-driven storytelling, or anyone craving a little warmth in their daily grind. It's something that tunes out the busy outside world, calms the storm in your mind. Allowing you to just exist and soak in every meaningful moment here.
Joystick Rating: 5/5
Who needs a destination when the journey is this delightful?