Unsafe Express
- Mona
- Jan 27
- 3 min read
I was excited to dive into the pirate-filled world Frigato promised, but ended up caught in a web of frustrating bugs, confusing gameplay decisions, and an overall sense that the game was not fully finished.
📝Story/Plot without spoilers:
🔹 In Unsafe Express, you’re a worker for Hastur Industries, an interstellar corporation with little regard for your safety. Your job is to navigate space stations, collect materials, and return to the train to sell your haul within a tight 3-day deadline. However, you’re not alone—malevolent entities lurk, making every mission a deadly gamble. Whether you survive and earn enough to appease your employer or end up as another casualty is entirely up to your decisions and teamwork.
🎮Gameplay:
🔹 Unsafe Express draws heavily from the survival horror playbook. The goal is simple: explore dark, hostile space stations, collect items, and return to your train. The missions can be of retrieval or elimination. Each mission is a high-stakes race against time and an overwhelming array of challenges, ranging from mimic doors to turret traps and alien monstrosities.
------🔹 In solo play, the difficulty spikes quickly. You’re often thrown into a scenario where death feels inevitable, especially in early missions when you’re poorly equipped. The proximity voice chat in co-op adds an immersive layer, making teamwork crucial. In multiplayer, the tension is palpable as you strategise, shout warnings, and try to survive together. Tools like pistols, hacking devices, and grapple guns offer creative options, but some feel underpowered or buggy.
------🔹 The missions are procedurally generated, which adds replay value but can sometimes feel unfair. Mimics and traps are overly abundant, especially on higher difficulties, leaving little room for error. The game leans heavily on trial-and-error gameplay, which can be frustrating when paired with its steep learning curve. However, when things click, the sense of accomplishment is immensely satisfying.
------🔹 A notable highlight is the cat-petting mechanic, which provides a brief but welcome respite from the relentless terror. Moments of levity like this help balance the otherwise nerve-wracking experience.
📷 Graphics:
🔸The game’s visuals are effective in setting a grim and oppressive atmosphere. Dark hallways, flickering lights, and eerie space station designs immerse you in the horror. However, some textures and animations lack refinement, giving parts of the game an unfinished feel. Despite this, the overall art direction is cohesive, and the minimalist HUD ensures you stay focused on the environment and its threats.
📝Main Pros and Cons:
🟩Pros-
Atmospheric and immersive horror setting.
Proximity voice chat enhances co-op gameplay.
Creative tools and mechanics.
High tension and stakes in every mission.
Procedural generation keeps it unpredictable.
🟥Cons-
Difficulty balancing needs improvement.
Missions can feel repetitive in solo play.
Certain design choices, like excessive mimic doors, feel unfair.
🏷️Tips for beginners:
🔹 Start in co-op mode to ease the learning curve and experience the game’s full potential. Communication is key! Use proximity voice chat to coordinate strategies and warn teammates of threats. Avoid rushing into rooms blindly—listen for audio cues that may hint at nearby dangers. Prioritise collecting valuable items over exploring every corner, as time is limited.
✉️Miscellaneous Information:
Multiplayer Details-
The game supports 1-4 player online co-op, with each player assuming a unique role in managing the train and completing missions. Proximity chat adds to the immersion, but coordination becomes more chaotic (in a fun way) as the group size increases.
Endings-
Your success or failure depends on completing your quota within the given deadline. The outcomes range from earning rewards and survival to being replaced by another expendable worker. The game emphasizes replayability through its procedural mission design and varying levels of success.
😇 Verdict:
🔸Unsafe Express offers a tense and thrilling survival horror experience that’s best enjoyed with friends. While it has its fair share of issues, like difficulty spikes and some unpolished mechanics, the core gameplay loop can be highly engaging. Fans of games like Lethal Company will find familiar elements here, but the execution falls just short of excellence. That said, the dark atmosphere, unique tools, and co-op potential make it worth a try—especially if you’re up for a challenge.
Rating: 7/10
Biomass deposit is my fav.
