Let’s get this out of the way: when I first heard that The Terminal—yes, that 2004 movie where Tom Hanks lives in an airport—was being adapted into a video game, my brain short-circuited. I half-expected it to be a joke. But no. Terminal: The Video Game is real, it exists, and somehow… it kind of works?

You play as Viktor Navorski, a soft-spoken man trapped in a sprawling, open-world airport after political chaos leaves him stateless. It’s a survival sim-slash-social strategy game with light crafting mechanics, quirky side quests, and an oddly touching narrative that mirrors the heart of the film. And yes, you really do spend most of your time living in an airport.

The game’s core loop revolves around finding food, making friends, and navigating bureaucratic red tape. You’ll collect carts for spare change, build a surprisingly robust home base in a forgotten maintenance closet, and slowly win over the airport staff with small acts of kindness and ridiculous charm.

What makes Terminal oddly compelling is how low-stakes it is. There are no zombies, no boss fights, no weapon upgrades—just the quiet satisfaction of solving small problems with patience and heart. There’s even a romance subplot with a flight attendant NPC that feels delightfully awkward and sweet.

The visuals are stylized but charming—think Firewatch meets The Sims—and the soundtrack is a soft, jazzy nod to the film’s original score. It’s all surprisingly cozy, even when you’re bartering with a janitor for shampoo.

That said, the game isn’t without turbulence. The pacing can be glacial, especially early on, and some of the tasks (read: paperwork mini-games) toe the line between immersive and infuriating. Also, if you’re not down for a slow burn, you might find yourself stuck in Terminal limbo—for real.

Still, Terminal: The Video Game pulls off something weirdly wonderful: it turns boredom and bureaucracy into something meaningful. It’s not for everyone, but if you’re in the mood for something human, heartfelt, and totally unlike anything else, maybe this game is your gate.

Verdict: Strangely endearing and occasionally tedious, Terminal: The Video Game is the most touching airport survival sim you didn’t know you needed.

Rating: 7.5/10