Three Days to Chicago

Non-eventful visual novel that follows the main character on a train trip. As much as I dislike the term "slice of life," it is the best way for me to describe this game. It contains no fantastic elements, long-forgotten skeletons in the closet, or world-altering mystery. It simply depicts situations that could occur to any of us in real life. You play Aaron, a guy who’s looking to get away from everyday troubles. When he decides to go on a train trip across the country, he meets someone who might change his life. You have some say over how the trip will conclude. The path you pick during your journey can lead to one of seven different outcomes. There are no puzzles or logical events to solve. Images have a distinct style, with a crease running through them, similar to how you fold cardboard, and a color filter. It largely depicts the inside of a train, although there are some photos of landmarks as well. There could’ve been more, but I understand that’s not what the game is about.

The single best way to play this game is on your steamdeck or laptop while travelling. This game is cozy almost to the point of being wholesome but still manages to have a little bit of lemon in it. There are a lot of gay vns on steam but there aren't many with men who feel like human beings. BTW soundtrack is phenomenal and is worth listening to completely outside of the game. Totally worth playing. :)

I've worked with the creator at three different game dev studios, it being my choice to hire him the two times after the first experience, so when he said he was going make his own indie visual novel I was excited. The actual game does not disappoint -- it is an inventive visual novel that has a distinctive visual style, compelling narrative, and tonally appropriate soundtrack that delivers exactly what was intended for its target audience. If you're interested in LGBTQ content, visual novel style narrative experiences, and grounded emotional storytelling then you'll love Three Days to Chicago.

I was gifted this game by a friend of mine that knew I enjoyed visual novels and happened to be really good friends with the developer. I haven't finished Three Days to Chicago yet. I honestly had to stop playing to write this review. This game feels personal. It feels like a love letter in so many ways. A love letter to the developer's experience with Amtrak, a love letter to a possible romance on the train, a love letter to all the happy and sad struggles that gay people face every day, a love letter to overcoming fears and anxiety, and most importantly, a love letter to living and experiencing life in all kinds of ways. The developer's writing style with Paul feels like things I would say to my own friends or significant other. I feel like I'm Paul in so many ways, from his personality to his quoting of Dan Savage, to his struggles with addiction (where for me it's food), and much more. The visual novel aspect of the game is perfect for telling this story. Aaron has a lot of baggage that he brings with him on this Amtrak, and it's not easy processing a lot of his emotions. Paul also has a lot of baggage of his own. Seeing these characters come together were some of the best moments of the game. I find myself rooting for them whenever they aren't together. This game feels weirdly like I'm watching Heartstopper on Netflix. A fun, chill romance that is more meant for adults but has a lot of life lessons and learning in the process. This game is based on the California to Chicago (or reverse) Zephyr line. This is a real Amtrak line that you can take in real life. Many of the game's landmarks are based on real locations. Playing this game as a Chicago native has convinced me to purchase an Amtrak ticket myself to try the California Zephyr one day. I'm very excited to try it. I am grateful to have received this steam gift. I want to take a moment to thank the developer for creating this lovely game. I hope that they continue writing stories and sharing more about their life experiences. I do have some minor critiques about the game: 1. Sides are a thing. There should be a choice for sides as well as top or bottom when romancing Paul. 2. Some of the game's art is very bright. We're talking flash bangs of bright white light on the screen. It isn't a bad thing, but it is VERY bright. For future games, maybe consider trying neon or dark colors instead. 3. I think it would be cool if we heard quips from Paul or Aaron's voices. Like having them say "Hi", "bye", "thank you", "hm", etc etc when they talk. Maybe include voice acting as a sound effect that could be turned off if we don't want to hear their voices, but at least have quips than nothing at all. Overall, Three Days to Chicago is a great game. I can't wait to finish it. I will absolutely be following this developer's work and seeing if I can support their future/past content as well. Thank you for the wonderful experience and for inspiring me to try Amtrak as well! Amazing game.As a gay person myself, I love seeing LGBT content like this. If I ever happen to meet Chris one day, I will absolutely thank him for this amazing tale and how it inspired me to try the same trip (but in reverse to California). Thank you so much again!

Keites is on a slump. They are overworked and lonely. Maybe a long train ride will help them gain perspective? It is up to you! Guide them thought their multiple choices along the trip to uncover their true destination. This is a quick cozy game best played on a rainy afternoon with a cat on your lap and a warm drink. The mellow atmospheric soundtrack is very relaxing. Who knows, maybe after paying you want to put on your pants, head out to the local watering well, and start conversation with a friendly stranger. Take the chance.

Haven't played something like this before - I appreciate how the story unfolds and the amount of control I have during the ride.

A great slice of life visual novel that shows the winners of the scenic US West while grappling with self discovery that comes from allowing yourself to disconnect from your regular life. The dialogue and romance seemed real and authentic and made me play again to see if I could get an even better ending (no spoilers). It's definitely worth a play... or three.

This game felt so wonderful to play. It's like a long warm hug for the soul. It's beautiful writing, fantastic characters, and incredibly vibe-y soundtrack offer the perfect escape into a world where you can focus on an intimate story of discovery and if you are open to it, love. This is a game I will come back time and time again and see what new things I can discover about the characters and myself.

I just played this game and I found it to be an incredibly moving story about 2 people meeting in the isolating environment of a multi-day train trip, told through photographs and text. I found the pacing to be excellent and very evocative of a long trip. The timing of background photo progression does a major amount of lifting here. The higher speed of character photo transitions contrasts nicely with the deliberate background pace, giving focus to the character interactions without detracting from the text, which is really the meat of the game. And the text is wonderful. The both main characters are written with a sense of honesty and vulnerability that I find very refreshing. Even though the stakes of player choices are much smaller than standard video game fare, I found myself agonizing over whether I should respond to a text, or which book to read (though the choice of movie to watch was a no-brainier). Strongly recommended if you like an intimate narrative. Very well written and executed. You can finish in a couple of hours, but it feels very complete and satisfying.

A bite-size experience with a point of view. I can easily say I've never played a game like this before. Took about 90 minutes to finish 1 playthrough at a fast reading pace. It approaches relationships very differently than your standard "dating sim". More mature, more nuanced, more realistic. It's clear that this game is the result of someone's lived life experiences and it's also a surprisingly wholesome story overall. I found John to be the most relatable character in the game for me. Also, perhaps the most realistic portrayal of working in the games industry I've ever seen in a game. Spot on, flat-out PTSD triggering.