The Station

 Xbox One
Metascore
63

Mixed or average reviews - based on 14 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 14
  3. Negative: 0 out of 14
  1. MondoXbox
    Feb 19, 2018
    85
    A very good, but a bit short, sci-fi walking simulator, bringing us to a deserted and highly detailed space station to discover what happened to its crew.
  2. AusGamers
    Mar 6, 2018
    70
    No matter the art form, there’s always room for a good sci-fi story. The Station, from a team of veteran developers who worked on titles like Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning and BioShock Infinite, offers a great sci-fi ending. One that is both memorable and, in a way, fun. The only real issue is that outside of the narrative there really isn’t much to the puzzle solving and exploration. Reading emails, listening to audio recordings of conversations, and taking in a space bedroom or two. Stuff we’ve seen and handled more intuitively before.
  3. COGconnected
    Feb 19, 2018
    70
    The Station is a promising game, telling a magnificent story through a path paved by games like Gone Home and Tacoma. Those games might have had a little more polish than The Station, which suffers some annoying gameplay hiccups, but the story this new game tells absolutely holds up.
  5. Game Informer
    Mar 2, 2018
    65
    As interesting as the question of “What would mankind do?” is, The Station rarely has an answer. Perhaps thinking deeply about the dilemma is part of its charm, but it ended up being a hollow experience that didn’t deliver enough resolve on its alien ambitions.
  6. Generación Xbox
    Mar 12, 2018
    63
    The Station proposes to investigate the disappearance of three members in a space station. To do this we must focus on exploring and carefully observing the whole environment and solve ingenious puzzles.
  7. Jeuxvideo.com
    Jun 2, 2018
    60
    Despite being just another walking simulator with a touch of digging around, The Station provides an interesting story featuring solid voice actors, and a great finale.
  8. XBLA Fans
    Mar 13, 2018
    60
    The overall short play time the game has to offer can be a deal breaker for many, but to those who are looking for a game with an interesting mystery style story with some sleuthing and brain work from basic puzzles, The Station may just scratch that itch.
  9. Windows Central
    Mar 5, 2018
    60
    Though the story itself and the characters are relatively well written, the game's shortness and poor voice acting take a lot away from the experience. Good visuals and sound can only do so much.
  10. ZTGD
    Mar 1, 2018
    60
    The Station is a decent outing that falls short in some key areas. I wanted more back story, more intrigue, and more interesting puzzles. Still, I had fun with the short romp and the ending, while predictable, is still fun. I would love to see this team craft a bigger sequel with a proper budget.
  11. TrueAchievements
    Mar 1, 2018
    60
    How much you enjoy The Station will come down to how soon you see its ending coming, as it's likely you will see it earlier than intended by the developer. In that case, you may still take away a memorable experience from the game, if you can forgive its derivative tale and enjoy it as a narrative adventure mystery with a bit to say about our role in the universe. It doesn't show or say anything that other science fiction tales haven't shown or told already, but if you're relatively new to the genre or don't mind rehashing previous themes, The Station is worth its short stay.
  12. Xbox Tavern
    Feb 20, 2018
    60
    The Station looks great, plays well, and builds suspense through its well designed atmosphere. I was quite disappointed with its short length, and whether or not this will be built upon in due course remains to be seen. This is an easy ride for completionists, but will certainly leave those that enjoy a meaty sci-fi serving, wanting for more, much more.
  13. VideoGamer
    Feb 19, 2018
    60
    The Station is futuristic sci-fi puzzling delivered with polish, but the trouble is that what you receive doesn't feel very new.
  14. TheXboxHub
    Feb 19, 2018
    60
    Aside from answering questions, the atmosphere and overall presentation of the game certainly makes a decent fist of engaging players, but that short play time hamstrings The Station before it can ever really get going.
  15. XboxAddict
    Mar 1, 2018
    50
    One of my biggest positive impressions is that the visuals are fantastic; the detail that went into the robotics, the space station itself, the surrounding outside area, and the holograms that pop up, as opposed to boring menus full of text, are a huge plus and very impressive! However, I do feel that a little more work could have gone into the in-game player experience so that it doesn't simply fall into the 'walking simulator' category. On that note, if some sort of fixes or changes are made in the gameplay areas that just don't make sense, than by all means, it could be a phenomenal game, but for now it's no where near out of this world.

Awards & Rankings

97
#97 Most Discussed Xbox One Game of 2018
97
#97 Most Shared Xbox One Game of 2018

User Reviews

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User Score
7.1

Mixed or average reviews- based on 14 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 14
  3. Negative: 2 out of 14
  1. Xbox_Alive
    Feb 20, 2018
    7
    There has been an abundance of walking simulators over recent years and it’s a genre that seems to be growing in popularity. I will say thoughThere has been an abundance of walking simulators over recent years and it’s a genre that seems to be growing in popularity. I will say though that this particular genre lacks in action but it more than makes up for this by offering fantastic storytelling most of the time, and thankfully that’s what The Station does. The story in this game is interesting from the get go and I must admit that the characters in the game have been done extremely well. Unfortunately though the game is a little on the short side and in my opinion it ends just as it’s getting in its stride, which is a shame because the game isn’t blessed with any sort of replayability. In terms of the gameplay there isn’t much available, but they do have some pretty decent puzzles. The puzzles in the game are very cleverly designed and they require some thinking to complete, but without a doubt the best thing about the puzzles is that they actually make sense when it comes to the story. I will say though that the controls aren’t always responsive when doing theses puzzles and this will without a doubt cause some frustration every now and then. My favourite thing about The Station is that it doesn’t hold your hand and it allows you to discover things at your own pace. By doing this they make your experience that little bit more immersive and I was very appreciative of the amount of items you can interact with. I did notice though that the game does suffer with some technichal issues every now and then and the frame rate problems can be a nuisance at times, which is a shame. The presentation side of the game was very good in my opinion and it definitely does a great job of making the game stand out. Visually the game has a nice sci-fi look to it and they have done a good job of each room in the station. The soundtrack whilst simple in design is actually pretty good and it does help when it comes to the game’s immersive nature. At the end of the day The Station is a game that doesn’t try to do anything different from the other game’s in this particular genre and it doesn’t need to because what’s here is pretty decent. Don’t get me wrong it isn’t going to win any game of the year awards and it does suffer with a few problems, but it’s fantastic story is more than enough of a reason for you to give this game a try.… Full Review »
  2. ddd721
    Feb 25, 2018
    10
    This game is the modern equivalent of Allegory of the Cave. Leading us the human race to question our place in a sea of darkness this gameThis game is the modern equivalent of Allegory of the Cave. Leading us the human race to question our place in a sea of darkness this game would be the light. So step into the light.… Full Review »
  3. GBG_Jason
    Feb 20, 2018
    9
    At one point or another in your life, you’ve probably gone through a family member’s, friend’s, or significant other’s personal belongingsAt one point or another in your life, you’ve probably gone through a family member’s, friend’s, or significant other’s personal belongings without their permission. But would you do the same if it was a stranger’s things and you needed to piece together what happened to them? This is the basis for the recent first person puzzle game The Station. I know, you’re thinking “great, another walking sim.” While this title would fall into that realm, it offers so much more than just walking from point A to point B, racking up easy achievements along the way.

    You play as an unnamed protagonist – a recon specialist – sent in by the corporation known as Axiom to investigate what has happened to a crew sent to monitor a newly discovered alien race. The race of sentient creatures are in the middle of a planet wide civil war and the team was tasked with collecting data to determine whether contact should be made, or if we would need to prepare for intergalactic war. The team of 3 has been out of radio contact and it’s your job to determine what happened to them and collect any pertinent data.

    Upon entering the space station, you will be greeted with a highly detailed area to explore that features as much or as little lore as you want to find. With that being said, you will get out what you put into The Station. You’ll find artifacts, data logs, recordings, or other pieces of information on the alien culture and planet, as well as the 3 crew members. Due to the amazing writing and voice cast, the crew feels like they are real people, with real problems that most gamers can relate to on some level. One minute, you’ll be thinking that someone was up to no good, only to later determine that there was a method to their madness. You’ll go through a range of emotions as you piece together exactly what happened. While most people will almost feel a sense of guilt for rifling through their belongings and personal diaries, I also laughed with the crew as I visualized pranks being played out in my head as they were described, and felt sorrow when they’d receive correspondence from loved ones at home about missed events. These small touches really add to the immersion, putting a real weight to the need to locate the team.

    You will discover fairly quickly that not everything is as it seems aboard the vessel, and that you are not alone on the craft. While this is not a horror title and falls more under a sci-fi mystery, there is a sense of dread that will come and go as you explore and features some mild jump scares that will keep players on their toes. This fact not only made me want to unravel the mystery more, it put a real sense of urgency in finding the missing crew despite there not being any type of timer or deadline, allowing you to peruse the ship as you see fit.

    There are a few puzzles to solve, which feature no type of hint system and will rely on the player’s wits and ability to interact with the game world in obvious yet subtle. While they are spread throughout the game pretty thin, there are some optional puzzles such as hacking into personal lockers, which adds even more insight into the characters. As this is the bulk of the gameplay outside of finding the required bracelets from the crew that act like key cards, this title won’t be for everyone.

    Visually, the game is stunning and features small details throughout that really make the station feel like it is a true living space. While I did encounter a few minor visual bugs, such as a large square that popped in and out of the textures randomly towards the climax, it rarely broke immersion. My one and only complaint is that looking around the game at full speed will occasionally cause some framerate issues on the Xbox One. Keeping in mind that the entire game can be played in one sitting with only the single (although somewhat long) load time at the beginning of the game, this is minor and should not deter you from playing the title.

    The audio presentation is just as stellar as the visuals, featuring long periods of silence with only ambient noise occasionally present during one of the many scripted events, especially during the climax. With a cast that adds real personality to each of the characters which rival those of many AAA games featuring seasoned voice actors such as Nolan North, you won’t be disappointed. While some characters do shine more than others, thorough investigation into their backstory will deliver one of the most heartfelt moments I’ve experienced in a game in quite a while. I wish I could elaborate more on this but I really want to avoid anything close to a spoiler, as the story really is the big focus of the title.

    While The Station is a bit short with my initial playthrough clocking in around 2 hours, it is a worthy addition to any player that enjoyed the likes of Firewatch or Gone Home and are looking for a story worth investing their time into.    … Full Review »
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