Choo-Choo Charles is Thomas the tank engine combined with nightmare fuel

Steam is full of hundreds of indie horror games that do little to stand out. Choo-Choo Charles doesn’t have this problem.

That’s because Choo-Choo Charles features a carnivorous spider train, like a train that’s, in a way, also a spider. His name is Charles (naturally), and he has long terrorized a distant island by feeding on human flesh. It’s up to players to operate their own ancient train – with a mounted machine gun – and go on a rescue mission, while trying to escape the terror that is Charles. Players can then use the acquired resources to increase their train’s armor, speed, and offensive abilities and attempt to defeat Charles once and for all.

If that sounds terrifying and more than a little ridiculous, that’s because it is. It doesn’t help that Charles also has a red and white, clown-like appearance. It’s not every day that you see a game that combines a fear of clowns, spiders, and trains in one convenient package, but here we are. At least you have a machine gun to defend yourself.

Choo-Choo Charles looks exactly like what you’d get if you combined various Thomas The Tank Engine mods designed for games like Resident Evil and Skyrim over the years with, well, an indie horror game. The game is from solo developer Two Star Games, whose Steam page says specializes in “artistic and atmospheric horror games.” It’s far from Two Star Games’ first horror game, but something says Choo-Choo Charles will be the one to help the developer make a name for himself. The game is slated for release in early 2022.