Human resilience is truly remarkable, allowing us to flourish even in the most challenging environments. A perfect example of this can be found in Threshold, an indie creation by a developer with a background in hits like Deathloop and Dishonored. The game is set high on a mountain peak, where you take on what might be one of the most nerve-wracking maintenance jobs imaginable. As you watch over the trains, ensuring they stick to schedule, the thin air makes every shift a battle as you gasp for breath. Nearby lies the grave of your predecessor, and your co-worker, grateful for your presence, is just relieved to share the hefty load.
There’s an intriguing country-based difficulty system, as advertised on Steam. I opted for Canada, and the game kicked off with a foreboding display of my homeland’s flag. Upon loading into my modest workspace, I noticed a shirt saying “I love Ottawa.” Being proudly from Toronto, I wasn’t amused—this game knows how to play on real psychological fears!
In my first thirty minutes with Threshold, I was mostly occupied with getting into the swing of the job. My character got a two-letter name: Bo. My co-worker, Mo, patiently guided me through my duties. When the train began to slow, sounding a large horn got it back up to speed. I also collected punched tickets and exchanged them for crucial vials of air—lifesaving when struggling to breathe. Each vial, though, required biting through, leaving me refreshed but with a mouthful of blood.
Mo offered some helpful tips to ease the workload. A trip down to the sluice gate to scrape calcified goop earned me an extra ticket. However, the station’s layout seemed hilariously impractical. Tasks required navigating around buildings and taking detours. A few strategic doors would save heaps of time, but perhaps there’s intention behind these snags—an insidious design choice by whoever set up the place.
Despite the hurdles, persistence paid off, and soon I had a small stash of air vials. Maybe the difficulty setting helped, because I was breathing quite comfortably. That’s when Threshold ventured beyond routine. Hidden secrets dotted the map and piecing them together revealed more about the story. Discovering a corpse prompted a chat with Mo, while a secret door, opened by a whistle, led to a magical realm with abundant air and opportunities to question what I’d seen. Tempting as it was to linger, duty called—the trains couldn’t run late.
Threshold’s minimalist PSX-style visuals and absence of music made ticket collecting and train maintenance a soothing, almost zen-like exercise. Before I knew it, an hour had passed, and I’d finished the game. Yet its concealed secrets and alternative endings beckoned for another go.
Threshold became available for Windows PC on November 19. Critical Reflex provided a download code for review. Vox Media’s affiliate links might earn commissions, though they remain uninfluential on the review. For more on Polygon’s ethical guidelines, you can check their policy.
