The Last Express

 PC
Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 8 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 8
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 8
  3. Negative: 0 out of 8
  1. Four Fat Chicks
    100
    However, its extreme nonlinearity, the inclusion of violent scenes, and a sense of being what is in reality a completely timed game set it apart from standard pure adventure fare.
  2. Just Adventure
    91
    And this is probably what I liked least about The Last Express. You often don't know what to do. Nobody is giving you any clearly defined quests (recover this, deliver that, kill this). I suppose that's part of the mystery, but I prefer slightly less mysterious games.
  3. Adventure Gamers
    90
    With a long playing time, and loads of intrigue, this game is a sure bet for history buffs and casual fans...A must have, but clear your schedule as it takes between 50 and 60 hours to complete.
  5. PC Gamer
    90
    A unique and polished adventure game with a strong, sustained historical flavor. [June 1997, p.108]
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  6. Computer Games Magazine
    90
    A new and better way of telling an interactive story and as such provides a role model for the gaming industry. It is highly original and richly deserves all the awards it will surely get.
  7. GameSpot
    79
    Through its use of real time and brilliant writing, the game ups the ante for storytelling in gaming. And if it weren't for a few gameplay issues, The Last Express could very well be among the best adventure games ever.
  8. Adrenaline Vault
    70
    Having little interest in the subject material of this title, I found that I was not terribly compelled by the story line...I found a majority of the animation to be uninteresting, which certainly detracted from the title.
  9. Game Revolution
    58
    Simply put, adventure games just aren't meant to be so narrowly (literally) limited within the confines of a train. On the other hand, anyone who's played this can't argue the fact that tremendous amount of effort was put into the game design and production.

Awards & Rankings

11
#11 Best PC Game of 1997
9
#9 Most Discussed PC Game of 1997
12
#12 Most Shared PC Game of 1997

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
8.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 74 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 61 out of 74
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 74
  3. Negative: 5 out of 74
  1. DantheMan
    Jan 7, 2012
    0
    What Howard the Duck is to movies The Last Express is to video games. The nerds prove their uberness by loving the game or movie the massesWhat Howard the Duck is to movies The Last Express is to video games. The nerds prove their uberness by loving the game or movie the masses justifiably hate. This is a bad game. Scratch that. It's horrible. It's neither fun nor interesting and it's only allure is in the "gee whiz" factor that builds credibility among wanna-be game designers. It has retroscoping! So what? It's boring. It's in real time! So what? It's not fun. Lets look at the fundamental truth of this game. Imagine that someone dumped you in the middle of a maze and told you that you had one hour to get out. You know nothing about the size or the shape of the maze or where the exit is located. If you make a wrong turn, you die. (Which you will do a lot in this game for reasons that are at best inexplicable and at worst laughable). If you die you get to start the maze over or rewind the game to some arbitrary point in time in the past.. That's all there is to the game. Live and hour and get out. There is no plot, no hints. You just guess then die. Guess then die. Guess and live for a few minutes until the 'guess then die' mechanic starts all over again. And this is FUN FUN FUN because some masochists keep insisting it is. Don't believe them. Howard the Duck is a horrible movie and this is a horrible game.… Full Review »
  2. theSplund
    Sep 4, 2014
    9
    Well worth playing and very re-playable too. Not without the odd glitch but gorgeous looking enough to make you forgive and forget. In my topWell worth playing and very re-playable too. Not without the odd glitch but gorgeous looking enough to make you forgive and forget. In my top 5 adventure games of all time (with Broken Sword 1, Sam n Max (original), Day of the Tentacle, and the Monkey Island Series)… Full Review »
  3. AnonymousMC
    Apr 16, 2006
    10
    this is a nearly perfect game & one of the greatest of all time. few, if any games up to that point were as immersive or realistic (andthis is a nearly perfect game & one of the greatest of all time. few, if any games up to that point were as immersive or realistic (and implausibilities in the plot are carried off without a hitch or a wink by the mass of talent & technique infusing every detail of the game - you don't have to swallow it down like bad medicine just so you can beat the game, you actually enjoy it all). it's lack of "clearly defined quests" is one of its strongest points, as is its unique save system - though that its difficult to find a review that doesn't harp on it. it's always worked like a charm for me. 10/10… Full Review »
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