Platform 8 Review (PlayStation 5, Switch & PC)

I’ve never been a huge fan of liminal spaces, hence the significant lack of interest in visiting airtight zones that exacerbate the symptoms of claustrophobia or, to be more specific, the underbelly of a Japanese metro station—a place where I, as fascinated as I am by the advanced technology and cultural norms, have little interest in ever subjecting myself to. I’ve heard, too, that such places are often homes to other, slightly less desirable anomalies and twilight commuters. Perhaps, I’ve spent a little too long spiraling down the rabbit holes of one too many online forums, or maybe, just maybe, KOTAKE CREATE’s Platform 8 knows one or two things that I cannot begin to comprehend. Even still, it seems that there is one thing that we can both agree on: the metro can be an awfully disturbing place at night, more so when its trains aren’t capable of stopping.

Platform 8, for those who’ve fallen out of the loop in recent weeks, is the prequel to Exit 8, yet another one of KOTAKE CREATE’s walking-puzzle hybrid games that, like its latest incarnation, emphasizes the need to identify anomalies and navigate dimly lit areas in order to knuckle in on an exit of some sort. However, there’s one major difference here: there are no metro station corridors to peruse; there are locomotives to meander through. And as for the anomalies, well, they are still one and the same, as is the process for determining whether to identify said anomaly, or whether to tackle, dodge, or evade it. That’s mostly the same as its predecessor, so, if you do happen to have some level of experience with Exit 8, then you ought to feel at home with this one.

Not quite satisfied with the spiel? Then let’s delve a little deeper.

One Locomotive, Two

To put you in the picture, Platform 8 is a relatively short walking simulator that takes place aboard a metro train. The only issue here is that, true to the spirit of sleepless cities, the locomotives in question are stuck on the same continuous cycle, and therefore cannot be stopped. And, to add insult to injury, this train that you, the unfortunate passenger, are stuck on is also home to thirty anomalies—malicious entities that utilize the cover of darkness and the public eye to shield their motives. Naturally, the only way to avoid said anomalies is to identify them, and carefully walk through each train cart until you find the correct exit. Sounds simple enough, right? Eh — yes, and no. But more on that later.

Platform 8 is, if anything, a walking simulator, which means that there isn’t a whole lot to wrap your head around in terms of gameplay mechanics. Matter of fact, the bulk of the experience is tailored towards a rather simplified system; you can walk, but that’s about as much as you can or need to do in order to carve deeper into the experience. Naturally, there are items, or anomalies, to spot, and there are, on certain occasions, puzzles to identify and solve. Aside from that, though, there isn’t a huge amount to actually do. And so, if it is a jam-packed UI that you’re looking for, then you might be somewhat better off opting for an alternative. Simply put, you don’t need a whole lot of brain power to tackle the problems that Platform 8 has to offer. That is, of course, unless you’ve never played spot the difference.

Where Art Thou Anomaly?

In the twenty or so minutes that you spend patrolling the seemingly endless train carts, you’ll encounter a few things of significant importance—anomalies, if you will. The game, which involves moving through these trains, invites you to carefully examine the crags and crevices of each section, and spot the paranormal activity that can either occur in the general vicinity of the train itself, or through various reflective objects, and so on and so forth. For instance, at one point there is a suited figure—a face mask-sporting businessperson—who happens to appear on the outside of the train. To progress further into the game, you merely need to identify this anomaly by looking directly at it, and then traveling through to the following locomotive to active the next phase.

I’ll admit, a lot of the anomalies are incredibly easy to spot in Platform 8. Scratch that, even the few who are tougher to detect are usually hidden behind a simple logical puzzle or secret message etched into the wall or floor. But, that’s sort of what Platform 8 tries so desperately to steer clear of—an inescapable hellhole with a harsh fixation on unsolvable puzzles and wall-to-wall barriers. Truthfully, this isn’t that; it is an attempt, if anything, to create a captivating experience that dares to go beyond its reach to manifest some genuinely unique jump scares and a powerful sense of uncertainty. And it does a lot of that, tenfold, all things considered. Sure, there are several things that could do with a little extra work, and honestly, a few scares might be more effective if they were handled differently — but it’s $4, so I can’t really complain.

An On-Rails Journey

There is one thing that I would’ve liked more of in Platform 8, and that’s the freedom to explore and solve issues with my own intuitive mind as opposed to merely having a lot of the clues in front of me on something of a silver platter. Case in point, at times during the game, a warning label frequently indicates that you have missed a hint or another point of interest in the nearby area. Granted, this isn’t exactly a deal breaker, but it definitely makes it more of an “on-rails” experience, so to speak. And yes, I will take a hit for that god-awful pun.

Verdict

Platform 8 almost feels like a step back from what its predecessor had been able to achieve. I say that, mainly due to the fact that a lot of the core gameplay elements that made up Exit 8—trickier puzzles and slightly more complicated mechanics, for example—just aren’t as visible in this follow-up entry. Don’t get me wrong, the prequel itself still has a quality amount of jump scares, and its graphics are still as equally clean as they were in the previous iteration. However, I can’t help but shake the feeling that something is missing from the recipe. It seems as if, in spite of all its finer ingredients, it’s more of a DLC than a full-fledged game, than anything.

Of course, given the fact that Platform 8 is, and rather generously, a rather cheap game, it wouldn’t be fair to slate it for what it is. Naturally, you can sweep it a lot of its content beneath the rug in twenty minutes or so, give or take. But, you know, for as little as $4, I do feel as if there is enough material to justify the price tag. Sure, it’s short, and it doesn’t exactly do anything to reinvent the wheel, but it’s still in possession of some fantastic moments and artistic expressionism. And for me, personally, it’s enough of a reminder to not take the train after midnight. The fact that something as simple as a twenty-minute walking simulator can instill those sorts of emotions is an achievement in itself, truly.

When all’s said and done, the gameplay mechanics are a little tight-fisted, but if it’s a short romp through an eerie world that you’re on the market for, then you needn’t look any farther than the peculiar quarters of KOTAKE CREATE’s two-piece series.