IfDeath Stranding 2: On The Beachhas proved one thing, it’s that everything is better with monorails. Sure, you could accredit the improvement made in the sequel to plenty of smaller details, but for brevity’s sake, let’s just chalk it all up to the monorails.
Choosing to use Sam’s limited resources to rebuild monorail lines, roads, both, or neither is all part of the unique gameplay loop of Death Stranding 2. It’s got us wondering what other games would’ve been immeasurably improved with the presence of an air-bound rail system.
The very British nuclear post-apocalypse of Atomfall is almost perfect when it comes to the sprawling open world areas you’ll explore, but there’s one specific area that would be notably more enjoyable with the presence of a monorail.
The main form of progression throughout Atomfall is re-powering the various regions of the central Interchange. While exploring the winding corridors of the sprawling underground area has its (largely oppressive and terrifying) charms, having the option of a monorail to get around the main area would be a more efficient method of shortening the longer journeys within the building.
Final Fantasy 15 is arguably one of the most divisive mainline Final Fantasy titles. Some fall in love with the dynamic relationship between the four core party members, while others find the entry a step too far from series tradition, and the expansive open world empty and boring.
Sure, the open world could use some work, and using the Regaliato travel aroundis a great option, but having a monorail to travel between larger settlements would be a great way for the giant world to feel more alive, and would fit perfectly amidst the game’s more modern aesthetic. 15 actually teases us with (similar enough) cable cars that the party need to fix for a side quest, but even after repairs they can’t be ridden.
6Elebits
Take The Train Apart
A largely forgotten launch-era title for the Wii, Elebits tasks you with using the Wii’s unique pointer motion controls to wreak havoc in various environments, looking for the eponymous Elebits in various electronic hiding places.
For a game that could’ve aged so badly thanks to its staunch reliance on the Wii’s gimmicks, it’s held up remarkably well, but it’s still missing a monorail level. Exploring a monorail to look for the Elebits would be a fitting setting for a more unique stage, with all the different technology present providing a varied set of hiding places.
The true terror of Little Nightmares is being powerless and stuck in each of the horrifying levels and being forced to follow a set path to find your way out. Each of the various stages throughout the series has you exploring dynamic setpieces within Little Nightmares' ominous world, and a monorail would fit perfectly.
Instead of being a convenient method of transportation, the monorail would instead be transformed into a claustrophobic setting you’re stuck in out of necessity to reach a certain goal. The denizens of the Little Nightmares world are rarely friendly, so being stuck inside a monorail with them is a thrilling prospect.
Katana Zero’s action-packed gameplay loop will see you repeatedly trying to get through screens of enemies without taking a hit, until you have a perfect run. It’s challenging, but the fast pace and perfectly designed levels make it work.
However, most of the stages within Katana Zero are relatively static, so having a level in a moving setting like a monorail would not only fit the cyberpunk aesthetic of the game, but would also create a great more linear scope for a level. Taking on the level cart by cart would also be a fitting way to split up the stage to work with the game’s snappy timing.
Road 96 is proof that just about anything can be turned into a Rogue-like game, with the process of making an escape-attempt-road-trip to the border being Rogue-ified with a series of minigames and choices for getting around.
You’ll have the choice of taxis, buses, hitchhiking or just walking, but would a monorail be too much to ask for as an extra option? The scenery in Road 96 is stunning, so getting to see it from above would be fantastic, and being stuck inside a cart would make for some tenser scenes, befitting the game’s tone.
The gameplay loop of Katamari is well-known by now: you start small, rolling bigger and bigger objects onto your Katamari until it’s big enough to absorb continents. While the large scale of later missions is enjoyable, the early-game stages where you’re limited to a smaller scale often display the game’s more creative side.
The starting points for these more miniscule levels often get the most attention, and a great option would be the inside of a cramped monorail cart. Beginning by picking up trash and scraps at the bottom, building up to the size to pick up passengers, and then to the size of being able to suck in the whole monorail itself: so is the life cycle of a Katamari.
The core premise of Sable being an open-world game without combat and instead focusing on our hero, Sable, working out her future vocation by exploring the strange cell-shaded world, creates plenty of potential for different paths to take.
With her sand glider, among other things, there’s plenty of proof of sophisticated tech in the world of Sable, and with the large distances between settlements, the potential for a lone monorail melancholically shifting between towns and cities fits the game’s distinct tone perfectly. If Sable chooses, she could even learn the ropes of a monorail technician to get more involved in this aspect of the game’s hypothetical world.
