12 Mar 2025
Andrey Negrúl’s Echo Railway is more than just a concept - it’s a glimpse into a world where the neon glow of progress meets the haunting remnants of a fading civilization. This passion project, showcased on ArtStation, blends cyberpunk aesthetics with an old-world charm, creating an atmosphere that feels both familiar and eerily out of place.
Originally envisioned as a full-fledged game, Echo Railway was born from Negrúl’s fascination with world-building. "I've always been fascinated by rail transport and trams," he explains, "and I found it cool to imagine an old-fashioned tram running through a city that feels out of time and place. But instead of regular wires, it would have glowing ones, and there would be a robo-conductor." This idea evolved into a detailed design document and months of planning, but due to time constraints, Negrúl pivoted to creating a concept trailer instead—one that has captured the imagination of many.
Unlike the usual cyberpunk protagonists - detectives, hackers, or mercenaries - Negrúl wanted to tell a story through the eyes of an ordinary worker. "I wanted to show the world from the perspective of a detective or a street samurai, but experience it as an ordinary public service worker," he shares. In the envisioned game, players would take on the role of a tram conductor navigating a city abandoned by humanity, now under the control of a massive bureaucratic system deciding what stays and what gets discarded.
The game would have combined RPG and roguelike elements - without combat. Players would need to balance their duties, manage unexpected events, and navigate inspections that could determine their fate. The inspiration behind this unique approach came from games like L.A. Noire, Papers, Please, Disco Elysium, and Bioshock, each influencing different aspects of the project, from atmosphere to mechanics.
Building Echo Railway was no small feat. Negrúl started with a simple Blender scene - a street with a tram-using free assets from BlenderKit. Encouraged by positive feedback on social media, he pushed the project further, treating it like a real game production. "The process felt a lot like making a real game: I searched references, created character and environment concepts, wrote a script for the video, and even worked on some visual storytelling," he explains.
Over six months, the project evolved significantly. Some ideas were cut to meet deadlines, but the end result became a visually stunning proof of concept. Negrúl's influences range from Blade Runner and Moebius' The Incal to Soviet avant-garde architecture, particularly the works of Yakov Chernikhov. This fusion of cyberpunk and brutalist aesthetics gives Echo Railway its distinct visual identity - both futuristic and timeless.
While Echo Railway remains a concept, its world is rich with potential. The detailed environments, atmospheric lighting, and layered storytelling make it easy to imagine as a fully realized game. Whether Negrúl revisits the project in the future or it inspires other creators, one thing is certain: Echo Railway is a striking vision of a sci-fi world like no other.
Explore the full project on ArtStation.
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