Brno Transit promises a distinctively simple aesthetic, reminiscent of early-2000s graphics that often resurface in horror games. With low-saturation textures, a muted colour scheme, and a grainy effect, the visuals are in tune with the developer’s description of the game’s atmosphere.
‘Brno Transit’|Photo: Famózní Pes/YouTube
Published on the platform Steam, the commentary paints Brno Transit as “a narrative-driven psychological horror game about a trainee metro driver trapped in the dampest subway east of anything that matters.”
Navigating a range of obstacles, players are invited on a journey of learning and psychological suspense:
“To begin your metro driver training, report to dispatch office to handle the paperwork. You’ll find it in the vestibule of Divadlo station. Bring your Certificate of Professional Competence. For your first ride, check in with the shift supervisor at the depot. The rest will find you,” the description ominously spells out.
The Divadlo station, a nod to the National Theatre in Brno, is one of several references to real-life locations in the game. Other known stops include Cejl, a historical quarter of Brno, and Vodojem, a defunct system of 19th century underground water reservoirs. This way, players will get to explore Czechia’s second largest city – at least below street level.
In reality, however, Brno does not have a subway. An underground transport system has been a hotly debated topic since the successful inauguration of the Prague metro in 1974. Having been the subject of an evergreen joke for decades, “Brno subway” is now also the title of a comedy play, currently staged at the National Theatre in Brno.
‘Brno Transit’|Photo: Famózní Pes/YouTube
Due to Brno’s hilly terrain, the idea has always seemed far-fetched in practice, though several tramway tunnels already exist around town. Nevertheless, they are in no way a comparison to the eerie vision of independent Prague-based game developer Vít Jadrný, publishing under the pseudonym Spytihněv – a Middle-Age Bohemian Duke and uncle of Saint Wenceslas.
His retro first-person shooter game HROT, set in Prague during the late days of communist Czechoslovakia in 1986, was a big success on the domestic video game scene. Subway-themed games are also already an established presence. “Prague Metro Simulator” and “Back in Service” were both released last year with Prague subway as their setting of choice.
