Demo code used with many thanks to Virtual Arts Studios
During the Steam Next Fest that is running at the moment, you have the opportunity to download demos and try out some games. One such demo available during the Fest is Hamster on Rails by Virtual Arts Studio, which I got to try.
It should be noted that the demo key I had allowed me access to more levels of the game than the demo on Steam. So some of the images in this impressions article may be different from the demo open to the public.
Rails, Cart and Hamsters
Hamster on Rails is a puzzle game, and you must help the Hamsters village collect minerals and crystals by building railways to solve the puzzles. But that’s not all. On some levels you also meet other cute hamsters that need your assistance, such as finding and returning an arrow or a hammer.
You don’t have to help the other character on a level as you can complete the puzzle without doing so. However, how could you resist helping someone in need? So I made it my mission to help everyone that needed help.
Place Different Shaped Rails
There are lots of different shaped rails to place, which you can see at the side of the screen; the catch is you only have a set number of each rail to use. So you’d better get your puzzling brain on to work out the solution and lay the rails correctly. As well as placing rails, there are switches to change the direction of the rails and buttons to activate or deactivate doors and traps.
If you do get stuck or place a track in the wrong place, there are a couple of options to help. You can remove individual tracks with a click of the mouse, or you can restart a puzzle.
New Mechanics Introduced
The demo I played had a good tutorial introducing the game mechanics gradually to you and explaining it all well. It is not a difficult puzzle for those who like puzzle games. However, a bit of forward-thinking and planning on track placement are needed to complete each level.
There are hamster skins to collect along the way. Which you can use to give hammy the hamster a new look. It is a nice touch on the developers’ part. However, it doesn’t add anything to the gameplay as it is just for looks.
Cool Hamster Animations
Hamster on Rails is well designed, and the animations of the hamster are delightful to watch. Once you finish setting the track out, the hamster in his little cart makes its way to the exit. My favourite thing in the demo was watching the hamster do a back flip and exclaim “Yipee” each time the cart rolled down a hill. That made me smile each time I watched it. The sound effects and music are fun to hear and add to the overall presentation of the game.
When the full game of Hamster on Rails is released, it will have four different environmental worlds to travel through and 64 levels. It’s a cool puzzle game and one to keep an eye out for, as yet the release date hasn’t been confirmed.
So in the meantime, you can find the demo for Hamster on Rails here on the game’s Steam page to try it out and give it a wishlist too.