Imagine a world where a bear, instead of a cowboy, is in the driver's seat of a train barreling through a wild, untamed landscape. This is the premise of the intriguing game, 'A Bumpy Ride', a Western-themed adventure where players take on the role of a bear engineer. But here's where it gets controversial... Is it really bear-y (get it?) fun, or is it just a bit too cutesy for its own good? Let's dive into this unique gaming experience and find out!
'A Bumpy Ride' is developed by Cosmoporium Games, and it's a game that's all about the journey, not the destination. In this game, you're tasked with driving a train through a vast desert, picking up various animal passengers along the way. The catch? These animals have specific preferences and expectations from their train ride. They want to arrive at their destination on time, and they appreciate it when you follow the train traffic signs, like slowing down when a sign says so or sounding the whistle when necessary.
The game's setting is a sprawling desert landscape, complete with wooden towns and a 19th-century developing West vibe. The tracks you follow wind through tumbleweeds and cacti, and the game even includes a tutorial and unlimited in-game days of play. During these days, you can explore the map, pick up passengers, and enjoy the ride. The weather changes, and so does the time of day, with the sky becoming an endless expanse of stars, reminiscent of being alone in the wilderness in 'Red Dead Redemption'.
While the game doesn't offer much in terms of mechanical complexity, the satisfaction comes from the simple act of driving the train. You control the train with a lever on the right side of your screen, pulling it to speed up, slow down, stop, and reverse. The whistle is controlled with a pull-down tab at the top of the screen, and switching track directions is equally satisfying, though it often sent me frantically checking my map to ensure I was headed the right way. You also have to keep your train topped up with water, stopping at just the right spot at towers placed around the map.
Satisfied passengers pay you money, which you can use to upgrade your train, buy more seats for passengers, or install a bar car to make passengers a bit more cheerful. However, I definitely didn't satisfy all my passengers, especially when I was first learning the map and took them on long, scenic tours into the night instead of getting them to their destinations. But once I knew where I was going, 'A Bumpy Ride' became a simple, lovely experience of chugging along, following traffic laws, and watching the landscape roll past, listening to the jaunty music and admiring the landscape.
Cosmoporium plans to release the game later this year, and the Steam page promises more areas, train cars, and a level-up system that will include 'new upgrades, staff, and skins'. But here's the part most people miss... Will 'A Bumpy Ride' live up to its potential as a bear-y fun (see what I did there?) gaming experience, or will it just be a bit too cutesy? That's the question on everyone's mind. So, what do you think? Are you a fan of the bear-y (again!) fun, or do you think it's just a bit too much? Let us know in the comments below!
