The Trolley Problem Game – Review
Oh rats, it’s the trolley problem! Yes, despite our best efforts to solve it back in 2022, it would appear that this famous ethical dilemma is once again causing headaches around the gaming community. The original trolley problem serves as the jumping-off point for indie developer Newfa LLC’s debut game, appropriately titled The Trolley Problem Game. Now, you may be alone in deciding whether or not to pull the lever in-game, but when it comes to deciding whether or not you should add The Trolley Problem Game to your Steam library, we’re here to help you out.
Story
At this point, it would be fair to assume that anyone interested in a game called The Trolley Problem Game is already familiar with the titular problem. Newfa LLC seems to think so, at least, as no time is wasted setting things up narratively. The game opens with the classic original trolley problem already in progress. The Trolley Problem Game doesn’t follow a traditional narrative structure. Instead, you’re facing dilemma after dilemma, with the game’s characters providing feedback on the consequences of your actions after each one. Who would the characters in a game based on the trolley problem be, I hear you ask? Well, you’re joined by real-life philosophers as well as Mr. Calculator, a sentient and pragmatic calculator. These characters won’t guide you in your choices but they’ll happily judge them for you.
Graphics
The best way we can describe The Trolley Problem Game’s graphics is ‘cobbled together’. While we’ve come a long way from the stick art memes that the problem is commonly depicted with on the internet, this isn’t a game that impresses visually. Despite the simplicity of the gameplay, the screen looks cluttered with pop-up windows. The 3D visuals also look dated, with plastic-y textures and very basic models. The character portraits that pop up to give their feedback resemble clip-art, and we wouldn’t be surprised if they were. That said, the basic graphics didn’t bother us, as this is a game that doesn’t aim to impress visually. Instead, it wants to focus on the philosophical side of things, and so the choice was made for performance over visual flair.
Sound
Like with its visuals, The Trolley Problem Game keeps things very simple with its soundscape. There is no voice acting present, with the game relying on soothing elevator-style music and ambient sound effects to break the silence. That does mean that there isn’t a whole lot to say about the game’s audio though.
Gameplay
We’re not entirely sure under which genre we’d put The Trolley Problem Game. The idea is very simple: you’re put in charge of the eponymous trolley, either as an innocent bystander within reach of the track switch, or as the trolley driver. The game then presents you with a choice on each track, and tasks you with choosing whether or not you pull the lever. After making a choice, you’re confronted by the consequences of your actions, typically from a utilitarian perspective. There are two modes: in Free Play, you’re simply making choices based on your own moral compass, whereas in Utilitarian mode the aim is to make the choice considered correct by the game’s plethora of utilitarian characters. Doing so rewards you with points and increases your streak.
Despite the gamification of the trolley problem, this isn’t a title where the aim is to be a game. The mechanics are far too simple for that. You’re simply taking the 45 seconds or so that it takes the trolley to reach the diversion to decide whether or not you’re going to pull the lever. Those 45 seconds may seem like a long time initially, and you can speed things up if you’re the impatient type. However, as the dilemmas grow more complicated and absurd, you’ll find that the time you have to ponder starts to feel way too short. Would you let the trolley destroy the library of Alexandria or Google’s servers, for example? Or if given the choice between Hitler and Stalin before either of them rose to power, which one would you let the trolley run over? That last example provides a fantastic opportunity to mention that there is a multi-track drifting button that lets you hit everything.
There are over 330 dilemmas present in the game, which technically adds up to roughly 4 hours of gameplay. However, The Trolley Problem Game isn’t a game that is supposed to be seen as a self-contained entry in your Steam library. It aims to let players engage with their choices. After each dilemma, you’re given the opportunity to be taken to a page on the Steam forums where you can discuss that specific choice with other players. Despite the sheer absurdity of some of the choices you face, The Trolley Problem Game intends to provoke thoughts and wants to encourage discussion(s). It may not be the most engaging or deep title in terms of pure gameplay, but it does exactly what it sets out to do, and we couldn’t expect more from a game that lets you pick between destroying anime or manga forever.
Conclusion
For as simple of a game as The Trolley Problem Game is, it provides a very enjoyable take on the ethical dilemma that has plagued philosophers for decades. The immediate feedback given by the characters provides insight and lets you question your choices. The increasing absurdity of the dilemmas provides the occasional laugh, while staying true to the integrity of the original problem. While it’s unlikely that The Trolley Problem Game will end up on anyone’s game of the year list, it got us to think and that’s already more than many AAA games can hope to achieve.
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