Next up on the examining block for another “Unforgettable Gaming Levels” article is A Hat in Time!
“Murder on the Owl Express” is the second level (sort of) in the second world of A Hat in Time, collectively known as “World Two: Dead Bird Studios”. Technically, after completion of the initial introduction level in this world, both “Murder on the Owl Express” and “Picture Perfect” are unlocked and can be played in any order. The entire gist of this world involves siding with either the crazed Conductor or the chill DJ Grooves, two avian film directors hoping to grab the big award for best feature film, and they both need your help.
Honestly, the entirety of “Dead Bird Studios” is up for contention in being the greatest world/section of any platforming game. Each and every level in this world is worth writing about, and they all ooze charm and creativity at every single turn. The big boss fight that wraps up this world is an incredible showdown for the ages, and there’s not a single moment in A Hat in Time that I look forward to more upon my numerous replays than the “Dead Bird Studio” world.
Regardless, if I had to pick an individual level to single out, it would be “Murder on the Owl Express”, for sure. This level blew me away on my first playthrough, and it still amazes me to date.
So what’s the lowdown?
You, the ever precocious Hat Kid, have been invited on a cross-country train trip aboard the Owl Express. From the word go, things feel a little off. The train is absolutely riddled with avian passengers, but only some appear to have been expected guests. There are the ever-anxious Science Owls (all voiced quite humorously by none other than Sungwon Cho, aka ProZD), but there’s also a veritable murder of shifty crows (bird pun, get it?). As you make your way to the front of the train, there’s clearly some anxiety in the air.
Not to mention the entire level has a film-noir filter over the screen, and some very era-appropriate jazz music (complete with slight crackly imperfections like in old recordings).
More so than perhaps any other level in the game, there are so many people to talk to in this first act of the level. The jokes fly fast and furiously, and I’d highly recommend stopping to talk to everyone. In particularly, the shifty crows are hilarious, as they each corner you and demand you answer a question for them (complete with pop-up keyboard). Every question is obviously a phishing scam (what is your mother’s maiden name, what was the name of your childhood pet), but the crows’ insistent earnestness makes each engagement funnier than the last. Plus, their awkward cadence and delivery is so much fun to listen to.
Eventually, you reach the front of the train, only to be greeted by a wrapped present awaiting you. Inside the present is a stereotypical Holmes-esque detective outfit, and you’d best get that sleuthing suit put on fast, because there’s trouble on board this train! As if the title of the level wasn’t enough of a clue, there’s been a murder committed, and it’s up to you to solve it before the train reaches its destination and the culprit escapes at the station!
To make matters worse, the only witness to the murder scene (and thus the initial suspect) is none other than [INSERT NAME YOU TYPED IN AS YOUR MOTHER’S MAIDEN NAME]. And, to top it off, the true killer lurking somewhere on the train has even kidnapped [INSERT NAME YOU TYPED IN AS YOUR CHILDHOOD PET]. It’s an absolutely absurd premise, and I love every single second of it.
Special mention, of course, has to go to the excellent Scottish accent that the Conductor has (courtesy of top talent Xander Mobus). The dude somehow manages to theatrically roll every single “r” in the word “murderer”, stretching the word out to take nearly five whole seconds to say.
With the music falling hard into suspenseful classic spy trappings, the entire rest of the level plays out like a stealth mission as you must explore this comically (and impossibly) massive train, scouring for clues that might point to the true murderer. It can be tricky to avoid being spotted, and it really puts your skills to the test as you maneuver the labyrinthine layout of the train to find clues and dodge between the sightlines of the patrolling passengers.
No one likes when something unfun overstays its welcome. However, as long as I’m still entertained, I don’t care how long something goes on for. The longer the better, I’d say. This line of reasoning is pushed to the extreme during “Murder on the Owl Express”, but I honestly think it works to make the level an unforgettably memorable experience. Eschewing typical platforming tendencies of focusing on quick, bite-sized bits of fun, this level can easily take close to an hour on your first playthrough, because it just…keeps…going!
Halfway through your search of the train, things just start going off the rails (pun not entirely intended) in all the best ways. Somehow, this tiny train has enough space for a gigantic dystopian meeting hall complete with wall-sized television screens hypnotizing hordes of crows. There’s a boiler room you have to navigate, a sauna room, an overstuffed luggage car, and a complicated Batman-esque death machine designed to kill your childhood pet (a low resolution cardboard cutout of a dog) that you must rescue before it gets shredded. Or…don’t. You can just back out of the room, and you even get to hear the brief sound of a dog bark before the shredder kicks in.
Ridiculous, and super dark. I love it.
Finally, you collect enough evidence to point the finger at a culprit, and it is here that “Murder on the Owl Express” plays its final and most amusing trump card. See, the evidence you collect isn’t actual evidence, per se, so much as it’s unlocking additional suspects that you can blame. The more evidence you find on the train, the more people you can claim as responsible for the heinous murder. From the original suspect, to the Conductor, to the victim themselves, and even to you yourself!
At the risk of spoiling a bit of the magic, I’ll reveal the trick: no matter who you pick, your chosen suspect is deemed correct by the game. There is no right or wrong answer. Whoever you point the finger at, a unique ending cutscene plays that shows how the crime scene could be viewed as condemning evidence towards that suspect, and some silly motive is created for said suspect to commit murder. These villainous breakdowns are incredible, and I’m particularly fond of choosing the option where it was you yourself, because Hat Kid’s blank stare into the camera as the Conductor cries about your bloodthirsty sadistic hunt is hysterical.
Of course, this being set in the “Dead Bird Studios” world, this entire level has all been the filming process for a new movie, so no one is actually dead at all! Everyone packs it up for a job well done, the Conductor praises you for helping him put together his greatest film yet, and you’re even encouraged to come back and play the level again to find more clues and experience a different ending. I talked about this level’s length earlier, but it’s actually surprisingly easy to race through once you know the clue locations and enemy patrol routes, so replaying is a breeze!
With excellent ambiance and music, sizable runtime that never grows tiresome, truly hysterical writing, creative set pieces, and more charm and uniqueness than I’ve ever seen crammed into a single video game level, “Murder on the Owl Express” will forever be the (most likely unreachable) pinnacle of platformer game design. And what’s crazy is that A Hat in Time has plenty of other levels that nearly come close to being this amazing as well! This game is genuinely in a league of its own, and I’m forever grateful to have discovered this must-play Indie gem.
(Hey, maybe we’ll even get a sequel some day!)
Regardless, that’s why “Murder on the Owl Express” is one of gaming’s most unforgettable levels.
The Contrarian Corner 