What truly stands out about humanity is its incredible resilience, no matter the circumstances. An excellent example is Threshold, an indie game crafted by a developer with experience on titles like Deathloop and Dishonored. The game is set atop a towering mountain, where players take on what can only be described as a demanding maintenance role. As I watch the trains glide by, ensuring they’re always on schedule, I can’t help but notice the thin mountain air sometimes makes me gasp, stumbling through each shift. My predecessor lies in rest nearby, while my colleague just seems grateful for the company.
The game features a unique country-based difficulty level, or at least that’s what the Steam page suggests. Opting for Canada, I’m greeted by an ominous display of the country’s map and flag. Upon entering my tiny worker’s chamber, an “I love Ottawa” shirt catches my eye. As someone from Toronto, I must admit, I was not pleased. Now, that’s what I call real psychological horror!
In my first half-hour within Threshold, I immerse myself in the routine of the job. Given the chance to select a two-letter name, I go with ‘Bo.’ My fellow worker, Mo, shows me the ropes. When a train starts slowing down, I blast a horn to get it moving faster. I also swap a punched ticket for a vial of air—a vital tool when I’m struggling to catch my breath. Unfortunately, using the vial requires biting into it, leaving me refreshed but also spitting blood.
Mo has a few tips to ease the workload. I can head to the sluice gate to clear away some hardened goo, earning an extra ticket. The station’s layout is mind-bogglingly inefficient, with unnecessary detours around structures and pathways. A couple of well-placed doors, and I’d save loads of time. It’s almost as if it was intentionally designed to be difficult, much like the brittle air vials, packed with sneaky obstacles all around.
Yet, I persevere and soon accumulate a small stash of air vials. Perhaps it’s that country-specific difficulty at play, but I’m breathing a bit easier now. That’s when Threshold truly starts unfolding. The map is rich with hidden secrets, each one nudging the story forward. I stumble upon a corpse, for instance, and decide to inform Mo. There’s also a secret door, unlocked with a whistle, leading to a magical place brimming with air and opportunities to unravel mysteries from my job. It’s tempting to stay, but the trains aren’t going to run themselves.
Threshold, with its straightforward PSX-style graphics and absence of music, transforms ticket collection and train management into an almost zen-like state. Over time, I find myself in tune with the rhythm of the train, the mechanical whir of gears, and the chug of a ticket being printed. Finishing Threshold takes just over an hour, but its hidden surprises and various endings beg for another journey.
Released on November 19 for Windows PC, Threshold offers a short yet enriching experience. The game was reviewed with a download code provided by Critical Reflex. Please note, Vox Media has affiliate partnerships, and while they never influence our content, they might earn commissions from purchases made via these links. For more about our ethics policy, you can check out the details at Polygon.
