If you think your rush hour commute is chaos, Enginefall's new playtest squeezes an 85-player extraction FPS into a loot-filled train

Extraction-based gameplay is all the rage at the moment, with Arc Raiders being the current poster child ahead of its full launch next week. But instead of sprawling, ruined maps, Enginefall puts a spin on things by sticking dozens of players on a moving train. Sure, it's a very big train, but it adds an interesting dynamic versus the larger arenas of its rivals. It's just kicked off a huge Steam playtest that'll run the entire weekend, and you can join in for free right now.

I've played some pretty cool train sequences in my time - that Uncharted 2 mission and the ending of Gears of War spring to mind - but Enginefall makes it an entire game. In teams of up to five players (quite a large squad size if you ask me, but I'll reserve judgement for now) you're tasked with surviving, crafting, and gunning your way to the end of the train, becoming the driver and taking control of it. As well as being packed with loot and resources that you'll want to grab and escape with, it's also being raided by up to 85 players at once.

While this looks to take on some of the best FPS games in the extraction space, Enginefall actually feels more aligned with something like Rust than Escape From Tarkov. There are some pretty intense gunfights, sure, but the crafting and building elements are just as crucial here. It's also very heavy on proximity chat, which can lead to some chaotic moments, as well as opportunities to work together or betray those you convinced to be your ally.

As well as your goal of blasting through each section to get to the front, you can also work to build your own Marauder train. You're able to recruit other players to join your crew and help defend it from anyone that wants to raid it. Your loyal passengers, however, may trigger a mutiny if you can't keep them happy, so becoming the conductor on one of these Marauders is far from an easy job.

Starting today, October 24, Enginefall is recruiting players for a new playtest that will see you raid a Titan train. As the name suggests, it's a big one, stuffed with great gear, but your endurance may be tested if you want the best loot. Players will be matchmade into servers that persist for five hours - however, a successful extraction can be performed before the end of that marathon raid.

The playtest will also, for the first time, allow Enginefall players to progress and upgrade their Dagger Shuttle - a small train that acts as a mobile home base.

The Enginefall playtest is underway now and concludes on Sunday, October 26. It's free to join in, but you will have to apply for access on its Steam page here.

For more challenging experiences in harsh environments, head to our best survival games guide. If it's competitive chaos you're after, there are plenty of options in our best multiplayer games list.

If you manage to give Enginefall a spin this weekend, come and let us know what you think of it in the PCGamesN Discord server.