Christmas Stories: Enchanted Express Collector's Edition
December 6, 2019
Elephant Games
Widescreen Support
Interactive Jump-Map
Voice Overs
3 Difficulties + Custom Mode
Mouse Helper
Exclusive Bonus Chapter
Integrated Strategy Guide
Wallpapers & Screensavers
Concept Art & Soundtracks
Replayable HOs and Puzzles
Achievements & Collectibles
Morphing Objects & Secret Room
The chart-topping Christmas Stories franchise continues with this magical this eighth installment. Greta’s mischievous brother Hansel boarded the Enchanted Express by accident and now he is turned into a mouse! In order to unlock this curse, Greta needs to make three stops to change the endings of three holiday tales. Can you help Greta accomplish this feat or will she too be stuck on this legendary train forever?
Christmas Stories never fails to bring cozy Christmas feels to our computer screens and this new sequel certainly does not disappoint in that regard. With a creative and heartfelt storyline, along with lovable characters, this game is able to demand the player’s attention with ease from beginning to end. While the Redemption Cemetery style “changing the past” story structure is not the most original, the abundance of Christmas thematic elements is enough to infuse a refreshing scent into the game.
However, as usual, what makes Christmas Stories: Enchanted Express such a joyful play is its dazzling and truly enchanting production. Even on its eighth leg, the Christmas Stories series still manages to design and pull off new stunning, imaginative holiday-themed scenes. Adorned with shimmering lights and lively colors, each scene consistently puts a smile on my face. Moreover, the game’s charming scores and well-acted voice-overs help create an immersive and alluring Christmas experience.
It is a shame that the gameplay of Christmas Stories: Enchanted Express does not reflect such imagination. The adventure gameplay is filled with a variety of tasks, but none of them are memorable or particularly challenging. The hidden object scenes are flat and the themed puzzles are glossy but childish. Moreover, the mouse helper is cute and all but often takes a painfully long time to complete a simple action.
That being said, Christmas Stories: Enchanted Express is a delightful experience throughout its three and a half hours runtime. For more holiday charm, the Collector’s Edition includes a 50-minute bonus chapter, a strategy guide, wallpapers, screensavers, concept art, soundtracks, repayable hidden object scenes, replayable mini-games, achievements, collectibles, morphing objects, and a secret room.