One of the many challenges that puzzle games face is providing problems that challenge the player without leaving them at a total loss for how it should be solved. Recent games like Escape Academy's DLC expansion, Escape From Anti-Escape Island, struggle with this issue due to some very obtuse puzzles towards the end. Railbound not only avoids this, but manages to provide a relaxing atmosphere and sense of flow that keeps players engaged and, most importantly, intellectually empowered.

Developed and published by Afterburn, Railbound aims to challenge players while telling a small and charming story about two dogs on a journey across their world. There are eight main stages, each one having a linear series of puzzles that are required to advance, as well as some optional variations. At the end of each stage, players are rewarded with an illustrated postcard that shows the small and intimate moments these two dogs share along their journey; these postcards are also interactive, as players can pet the dogs and bring out their joyful expressions.

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The gameplay mechanics are simple but nuanced. The objective is to get each carriage to the main locomotive by laying down each puzzle's limited number of tracks, which can be done in straight lines or in curves that can connect to one another and change their direction. The challenge lies in the order of the carriages, as each one has a number that must reach the locomotive in numerical order. If players get stuck, they can slow down time to better see how everything moves, remove individual tracks to place elsewhere, undo an entire action, or restart the stage entirely.

As the game progresses, more and more elements are added to increase the challenge. Some examples include connecting tunnels, colored buttons that raise their respective barrier, tracks that change direction each time it's run over, and train stops that correlate with a specific carriage. Each of these puzzles has a creative solution that feels rewarding to find and even if it's found by accident, it's always easy to understand why it's the correct solution, giving players a deeper understanding that sets them up for success moving forward.

Railbound's puzzles can still be deceptively difficult, too. Some of the larger puzzles with multiple moving parts can be surprisingly simple, while the more bare-bones puzzles can provide some of the game's biggest challenges. While some puzzles may take some time to figure out, they never feel obtuse or unfair. Finding solutions to those puzzles generally means taking a small break to reset the brain and coming back with a fresh pair of eyes. With over 150 puzzles and ability to play on the go, Railbound is truly a fantastic game with a charming aesthetic and well-designed puzzles that reward and empower the player.

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Railbound releases on December 1 for the Nintendo Switch and is available now on PC, Google Play, and the App Store. Screen Rant was provided with a Nintendo Switch digital for the purpose of this review.