Stellar Blade™
Stellar Blade™
Game
Game2022
Choo-Choo Charles
Developer Two Star Games
Choo-Choo Charles is a 2022 survival horror game developed and published by Two Star Games. The player controls a monster-hunting archivist with the goal of upgrading their train's defenses in order to fight and defeat the titular character, Charles, an evil spider-train hybrid monster that wanders the landscape looking for people to eat. After the first trailer was released in 2021, it went viral on the Internet,… From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
428 reactions from 4 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Mastodon, Lemmy) · newest Nov 5, 2026 · last updated Nov 5, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
81
LovedLoved
255 positive · 58 negative
95% range 77–85%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 255 | 58 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 23 | 4 | 74 |
| Mastodon * | 1 | 0 | 10 |
| Lemmy * | 1 | 0 | 2 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
11,451 of 12,520 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
81% recommend · 208 yes, 48 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 256 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Very Positive (16,387 of 18,068 positive).
Players enjoy the unique horror concept of a spider-train monster. [1][2][3] Some reviewers recommend buying it on sale rather than at full price. [4][5][6]
Liked
Representative posts
- [17]
It seemed like it might be interesting but really it's campy, cludgy and not a ton of fun for me. The stealth barely works at all and you just end up getting caught and losing scraps. I don't expect every game to get stealth as right as Thief (you know, the nearly 30 year old game) but wow...
- [1]
I have a confession to make: I went in wanting to hate this game. Turning beloved childhood characters into horror movie / game villains is a trope I've noticed increasing over the years. I've seen it happen to Mickey Mouse, Winnie the Pooh... even my beloved Sonic. Generally speaking, I take a dim view. And yet... I don't hate this. The games antagonist is a demonic half-locomotive, half-spider creature that has …
- [2]
Thomas went down a dark path indeed. Choo-Choo Charles is a short (couple hours to beat) horror game combining everyones favorite and least favorite thing, Trains and Spiders. And that works. Somehow. The contrast of scary spider with silly train makes for a great horror creature. You drive around in your little train, do some quests, collect some scraps and upgrade your train. Faster, stronger and more durable. Get …
- [7]
Choo Choo Charles slop, but in a good way It has all the telltale signs of a mascot horror game that's trying to be the next big cash grab, but somehow it still feels like it has a soul. It's unique, short, and fun. It doesn't overestimate what it can achieve, and it never drags things out just to stretch the playtime. I'll also admit that reimagining Thomas the Tank Engine as a horror icon is a pretty fun idea. …
- [4]
Great game! I really enjoyed playing the main mode. Nightmare is really difficult (shocking right?). Worth the price (when on sale)
Summarised from 34 of the 349 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 11, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
Players who liked Choo-Choo Charles talk about unique and fun horror concept; those who didn't talk about very short playtime. Which matters more to you?
Critics, per Wikipedia
Choo-Choo Charles received a 56/100 on review aggregate site Metacritic, indicating "mixed or average reviews". Steve Hogarty of Rock Paper Shotgun described the game as "shonky, very short and frustrating to play for any length of time". He said that the game had a good concept, but that the concept was stretched too thinly. Zack Zwiezen of Kotaku praised the originality and the ideas, but criticized the game for its reliance on "bad stealth sections", a lack of scares, and the short length of the game. Travis Northup from IGN gave the game a score of 4/10, describing it as "janky", "barebones", and "more dull than [he] thought possible". He also described the on-foot stealth sections as…
From the “Reception” section of Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Critic context only — not part of the audience score.
Reactions
60 of 428 · most liked firstRandom Screenshots of my Games #14 - Choo-Choo Charles. *Choo-Choo Charles* is a terrifying game about a half-train, half-monster who is terrorizing a small island. It's basically the nightmare version of Thomas the Tank Engine. I wouldn't be surprised if it was loosely based on those horror images of Thomas you can find online. You're hired to hunt down Charles and end his reign of terror. You do this by running your own train around the island and upgrading its armor, firepower, and speed…
positive · AI labelView post →This week we're back with Funcle Zoran! Tune in on Friday for the Choo-Choo Charles Video Game Kill Count!
neutral · AI labelView post →---{ Graphics }--- ☐ You forget what reality is ☐ Beautiful ☑ Good ☐ Decent ☐ Bad ☐ Don‘t look too long at it ---{ Gameplay }--- ☐ Very good ☑ Good ☐ It's just gameplay ☐ Mehh ☐ Watch paint dry instead ☐ Just don't ---{ Audio }--- ☐ Very good ☑ Good ☐ Not too bad ☐ Bad ☐ I'm now deaf ---{ Audience }--- ☑ Grandma ☑ Adults ☑ Teens ☐ Kids ---{ PC Requirements }--- ☐ Top tier ☐ Fast ☑ Decent //check fps setting, its set to unlimited which made my pc sound like a jet engine ☑ Potato ---{ Game…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Great game! I really enjoyed playing the main mode. Nightmare is really difficult (shocking right?). Worth the price (when on sale)
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Decent Concept. It's just a shame it's so short and hasn't received updates since 2023. Could've been incredible if updated further.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →---{ Graphics }--- ☐ You forget what reality is ☑ Beautiful ☐ Good ☐ Decent ☐ Bad ☐ Don‘t look too long at it ☐ MS-DOS ---{ Gameplay }--- ☐ Very good ☑ Good ☐ It's just gameplay ☐ Mehh ☐ Watch paint dry instead ☐ Just don't ---{ Audio }--- ☐ Eargasm ☑ Very good ☐ Good ☐ Not too bad ☐ Bad ☐ I'm now deaf ---{ Audience }--- ☐ Kids ☑ Teens ☑ Adults ☐ Grandma ---{ PC Requirements }--- ☐ Check if you can run paint ☐ Potato ☐ Decent ☑ Fast ☑ Rich boi ☐ Ask NASA…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I have a confession to make: I went in wanting to hate this game. Turning beloved childhood characters into horror movie / game villains is a trope I've noticed increasing over the years. I've seen it happen to Mickey Mouse, Winnie the Pooh... even my beloved Sonic. Generally speaking, I take a dim view. And yet... I don't hate this. The games antagonist is a demonic half-locomotive, half-spider creature that has been terrorising an island community. They call this creature Charles, and…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It seemed like it might be interesting but really it's campy, cludgy and not a ton of fun for me. The stealth barely works at all and you just end up getting caught and losing scraps. I don't expect every game to get stealth as right as Thief (you know, the nearly 30 year old game) but wow...
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I'm so fuckin annoying man I've been just walking around my house randomly quoting the Game Grumps Choo Choo Charles playthrough for weeks now lmao
neutral · AI labelView post →Nope. I even tried Nightmare Mode before writing this review, thinking maybe it would finally give me something. But nope. Still a solid NOPE. I spent most of my time waiting for my dude Charles to show up. And by “most of my time,” I mean Charles appears like 3–4 times throughout the entire game. So what did I do instead? I sat on a train, traveling through an empty world, just to reach some NPCs whose mouths apparently decided they didn't want to move, get a quest, and do it all over…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →#AuGhost2024 #aughost. Day 15 — tank. A freebie for me today! I did this Choo Choo Charles fan art last year. So have a haunted (or demon-infested?) tank engine today. If you haven’t played this game, it’s a lot of fun.
positive · AI labelView post →It's a simple game. The steam trailer show pretty much what you do on the game. I got it on a sale and for what I paid for, I got a cool little 2 hour horror game.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →2.5 hours of absolute nothingness. You drive round an empty map and complete basic fetch quests to upgrade the train, then summon the boss fight. I can count how many times I encountered Charles on 1 hand. Not sure if it was bugged but I barely saw him... Performance is shockingly bad, and the game has a weird mix of photo-realistic and cartoon graphics which don't blend well together. If they committed to 1 art style it might have looked decent. For the same price you could buy Bendy, SOMA,…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →We're going to see in ten years an earnest sincere video essay treating its subject matter with the utmost reverence, calling it the most soulful game of all time, with an opening with an emotionally driven orchestral piece, and it's about goddamn Choo Choo Charles
neutral · AI labelView post →This game is absolute peak only downside is that there is not that much stuff to do when you finish it. The game also runs kinda well for my pc so its very good.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Pleasantly surprised by this game! I thought it was going to be too goofy to scare me, but I was absolutely hiding in any nearby building I could find when I heard his horn blowing nearby. I like that you can make your train stronger and all the side quests. Particularly the one with the pickles. Is it a $20 game though? Eh, no. But! It's still a lot of fun. Buy it on sale. <3
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →while it is a pretty fun game, not only is the price extremely steep but the masked gunmen completely ruined it for me, the ending was good and all of the chases were great and also very fun. there is almost zero horror in this game but whatever. so to condense it the masked gunmen are the main reason i cant recommend this game but the price just makes it even worse
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Wait for a sale or bundle. full price is ehh but i played it for 2.5 hrs so i guess time well spent, kinda. when i first launched the game i wondered why my gpu was blowing up and my computer was screaming for dear life. set FPS settings off of default unlimited ASAP. nice premise, eh execution. pros. story \ setting is a neat premise, just barely touched upon by the characters or snippets of info you find thru out the game. Neutral? hunted down by charles once in a blue moon.…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →'Choo-Choo Charles' Is Jump Scaring His Way To Xbox Next Week.
neutral · AI labelView post →Very fun and enjoyable horror game, I really like the train simulator aspect the most. I just really wish there was an endless mode + more train skins / upgrades, maybe another game-mode/dlc where you can make your train longer, trading speed for defense while rescuing survivors on the island instead of fighting Charles, like an alternative ending just for fun.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →best horror game ever🤩 i think there should a online mode where two players try to complete the game and there should be new colors guns diffrent whistles and trains even charles skins in a store and also customize your skin and train charles too
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Would I be happy if I paid full price? Probably not. Did I? No. Great game on sale for dirt cheap.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Choo-Choo Charles (Classic Mode) – Fun idea, limited execution This game has a cool concept, and the core gameplay: upgrading your train while being hunted can be fun for a few hours. The music helps build tension, and it’s a unique experience overall. But beyond that, it feels pretty shallow. The story and world don’t offer much, and there isn’t enough variety to keep things interesting for long. It’s not a terrible game, just a very limited one. I had some fun with it, but I wouldn’t…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game is absolutely ridiculous but in the best ways. Pickles lady was my favorite character frfr
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Oh my god, this is truly terrifying. You can't even breathe comfortably; it's hard to know when the monster will attack. This is what horror games should be like. The game's creators did an excellent job, living up to the players' expectations.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Game play loop is more simple than the trailer lets you believe. Ride the train. collect scrap. Meet people that talk but their faces dont move. Do missions. Find scrap chests. Find scrap hidden behind stuff. Repel that main monster. Repeat. Collect achievements. It really is just so simple but quite a testament to a indie 'wild idea' that when you put it together it somehow works well enough to entertain. Not sure if i will bother to really go for the ending but as a quick past time this…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →For a game all about fighting a giant spider-train from Hell, you really don't get to do it a whole lot. Unfortunately, it's never a big deal or stimulating enough when it happens, either. Maybe it's just because monsters don't scare me in horror games, but man, this game is just so boring. I remember the initial trailer for this game being the reason I wanted to give it a try, and it simply did not compare to how the game actually plays. A lot of this game is waiting for the "fun part"…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →the only times he ever came after me were when i was away from the train or in the middle of upgrading it. the final boss fight was the easiest part of the game if you had the bug spray (which is one of the easiest weapons to get btw) and max damage. you can upgrade speed and armor just enough to tank a few hits, but if your fast enough you can beat him without taking much damage. the guys with shotguns don't stop following you so you either have to get on the train and shoot them or just…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →figured it out, there's a 2022 horror game called Choo Choo Charles about upgrading your little steam train to explore a haunted island full of spider-train monsters.
neutral · AI labelView post →People will say the new Star Fox game is the "ugliest thing they've ever seen" and that it "hurts to look at" and then go play Choo Choo Charles
neutral · AI labelView post →Very short game that doesn't out stay it's welcome. Fun for a single night game, but definitely at a huge discount.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Thomas went down a dark path indeed. Choo-Choo Charles is a short (couple hours to beat) horror game combining everyones favorite and least favorite thing, Trains and Spiders. And that works. Somehow. The contrast of scary spider with silly train makes for a great horror creature. You drive around in your little train, do some quests, collect some scraps and upgrade your train. Faster, stronger and more durable. Get some more weapons while your at it. Every so often Charles will hunt you…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →love this game, it is very good but its not really a $20 game i think i should be less but beside's that its pretty good
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →www.youtube.com/watch?v=CL3W... Heya folks, here's a new First 10 video, this time featuring Choo Choo Charles. #choochoocharles #videogames #indiegames #horrorgames #gameplay
neutral · AI labelView post →Choo-Choo Charles on Steam. Navigate an open-world island in an old train, upgrade it over time, and use it to fight an evil spider train named Charles.
neutral · AI labelView post →TONIGHT. ONE HOUR. THE FIRST DAY OF HALLOWEEK 2025. THEY GAVE THE GUY WHO SHOWED UP IN GARTEN OF BANBAN 4 HIS OWN GAME HOP ON CHOO-CHOO CHARLES twitch.tv/therealyocow
neutral · AI labelView post →Ngl. Looking at this game.. This is uhh- This is not how I remember Thomas the Tank Engine being. Nevertheless!! We are playing some Choo Choo Charles! Aka The Scary Train Game! Come say hi!!! Live RN on the purple app <3 #vtuber #twitch #envtuber www.twitch.tv/thewificatgirl
positive · AI labelView post →Beat the game after just 2.8 hours according to Steam, is that bad? For me, not at all. I don't need crazy long RPGs that take 40, 80, or however many more hours to complete the game. Is the story going to blow you away, nope. Heck, the NPCs mouths don't even move. It's just a fun little train/horror game, there are some intense ish moments early on but like with a lot of games as you begin to unlock things you become more powerful and the threat of death wears off. I would describe this game…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Its an okay game for me personally. I had to get it out of my backlog so I had to sit through it for a few hour. It was a craze a few years back so, I had already spoiled myself. I don't hate it too much but its not something that is mind boggling either. I can recommend it in sales, and to personally experience Charles in the flesh(digitally) Tasks/Achievements were fairly straightforward except Nightmare mode (Goodluck with that)
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Choo Choo Charles slop, but in a good way It has all the telltale signs of a mascot horror game that's trying to be the next big cash grab, but somehow it still feels like it has a soul. It's unique, short, and fun. It doesn't overestimate what it can achieve, and it never drags things out just to stretch the playtime. I'll also admit that reimagining Thomas the Tank Engine as a horror icon is a pretty fun idea. Obviously, the story is pretty bad, and the game relies heavily on Unreal Engine…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →LIVE! May 2018 was my first stream. So to celebrate 8 years of streaming, I'm doing an 8-game solo archipelago with Choo Choo Charles, Dark Souls III, DREDGE, Lies of P, Microsoft Paint, Pokemon Red, Satisfactory, and Turnip Boy. This will take multiple streams lol www.twitch.tv/danejerus
neutral · AI labelView post →Whoops forgot to upload this yesterday. This should be the last week I cancel the Tuesday morning stream as I've gotten into a rhythm now for the semester. We'll likely beat Choo-Choo Charles and then swap to another game (tbd) and I WILL beat Orphan of Kos on Saturday.
neutral · AI labelView post →I first saw this game years ago, wishlisted it waiting for it to release, and then never pursued it. I saw it for sale for only $3 and decided to finally give it a try. I can say I'm glad I didn't pay full price, but Im also glad that I bought it. It was a nice looking and sounding game and while the guards aren't the most coded thing I've seen, the train combat was good and I only came across one bug while switching weapons during a cut scene and it would remove all my control until I died.…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Due to various life things I'm only now finishing the Choo Choo Charles script. It's going to be a bit different from my usual videos, and I've had a ton of fun writing it. As a hint, reviewing the game itself is only going to be about half of the video. #horror #trains #gaming #railroad
neutral · AI labelView post →❗Horror game developers❗Need a composer with experience in the genre? Take a look at my work for Choo Choo Charles as well as the Nightmare Mode DLC. Chase music and dark ambient tracks are my jam 🎵🎵 youtube.com/playlist?lis...
neutral · AI labelView post →First time playing choo choo charles today....gonna be a super chill train game, RIGHT?? Live in 20 mins! #vtuber #twitch #choochoocharles #vsky #horror
neutral · AI labelView post →Choo-Choo Charles is honestly a really fun horror game. The idea of being chased by a creepy spider-train sounds weird at first, but it actually works really well. I liked exploring the island, doing different missions, collecting resources, and upgrading my train to make it stronger. Charles can be pretty scary, especially when he suddenly appears while you're exploring. The atmosphere, sounds, and dark environment make the game feel tense without being too complicated. The game isn't very…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Today is democracy day in the Lulufyra Universe!!! \o/ You all voted and chose the game we play today, so let's play some Choo-Choo Charles! I'm not scared, but just in case, don't put your volume too loud if you're using headphones, ok? Youtube-only, starts NOW⬇️ 🔴 www.youtube.com/live/zOgxedH...
neutral · AI labelView post →i love the game, there are a few bugs and its very short but i dont mind it. worth every cent
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A train that is also a giant spider and wants to kill you. What more could you ask for? 😂 Interesting idea, good atmosphere, and a fun boss fight with Charles. It's not a perfect game, but I definitely had fun playing it.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Hey #PitchYaGame How about a Choo-Choo Charles like horror game but with Steamboats?
neutral · AI labelView post →A VERY short horror game about exploring a small island and killing Charles, the main antagonist of the game. Basically all this is is a overly simple game where you grind scraps to upgrade your train and get all the 4 weapons, which then you go to the 3 main quests and finish the game. Choo CHoo Charles is pretty much a tiny tribute to viral horror games such as Slender (Which a side quest is heavily inspired in) and it's good in the way being 2 hours short is good, because i wouldnt last any…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Got chased by a spider train. Screamed, laughed, upgraded my train. Great game.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →New title(s) added to "Stream your own game" on #XboxCloudGaming - A Memoir Blue - Airborne Kingdom - Amnesia: Rebirth - Archvale - Astria Ascending - Bassmaster® Fishing - Beacon Pines - Choo-Choo Charles - DEEEER Simulator - DEMON'S TILT - Dodgeball Academia - Dreamscaper
neutral · AI labelView post →and, uh, I mean, um, Kissy Missy, Killy Willy, um, Choo Choo Charles, right, Boxy Boo but like not evil, and we have evil Boxy Boo. We have Squid Game Huggy Wuggy. We have baby Huggy Wuggy, and Blue, and Freddy Fazbear, oinky oink oink. We have creepy Green. We have happy Huggy Wuggy.
neutral · AI labelView post →We're BACK IN ACTION! First full week of the year, GETTIN THAT BREAD, finally playing Choo-Choo Charles. THIS GAME SEEMS SO SILLY COME WATCH ME BEAT UP A TRAIN (MAYBE) Twitch.tv/TheRaichuuu - live now!
positive · AI labelView post →The Palworld vs Pokemon debate is weird to me. Kinda seems like asking "Which do you like better? Thomas the Tank Engine or Choo Choo Charles" Like they're radically different core game designs in different genres with different goals. Also one inexplicably has modern firearms . . . so 🤷♂️
neutral · AI labelView post →I am once again asking Steam for a review score that is in the middle. Cons: -Terrible writing. -Terrible characters. -A ton of really cringy meme stuff ERMMM IM THE PICKLE LADY I LIKE PICKLES ROFL XD. -Extremely easy and I only encountered Charles a single digit amount of times, only fought him once outside of the scripted events. -Extraordinarily easy mission design. I need fuses for the lighthouse, where are they? All in a row 20 feet away from the lighthouse, okay. -You can't pick up a…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I watched every devlog from TwoStar during the development of this game so it was a great experience finally getting to play the game after watching it grow. The game is very open allowing you to use all kinds of strategies for beating it, it's very open to speed running and 100%ing. Definitely a really unique idea of riding around an island in your own train and upgrading it over time. Amazing game.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A short horror-themed walking simulator, quite simple, but with a brilliant idea executed flawlessly.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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