To all adventure game fans

[Mr.Reak]

I just know some people missed out on great adventures games, because when I hear people talking about them, they never mention The Longest Journey. The last adventure game I truly enjoyed was Grim Fandango, and it was a while ago. Somehow I missed The Longest Journey, but about three days ago I picked it up at Ebgames store bin for $10. Let me tell you, it’s the BEST adventure game since Grim Fandango, plus it is click-based, like old adventure games from Lucas Arts. Game itself has a lot of funny dialogue, which is fully voiced-over, plus tons of interesting character.

Here are short summary of the game:

Before embarking on The Longest Journey, check your preconceived notions of reality at the door. While this may play like a traditional adventure game, the story is anything but conventional. As art student April Ryan you'll soon discover you have the ability to bridge two worlds--the 23rd-century, science-oriented Earth that you live in, and its counterpart, Arcadia, where magic is reality and technology is the stuff of legends. Telling you more than that would spoil the story, but suffice it to say that your ability to cross between the two worlds must be used to save both.

The game spans four CDs and needs all that space to hold both the gorgeous graphics and hours of high-quality speech. Everyone you meet has plenty to say, and you'll want to listen to everything because the game contains some of the most brilliant voice acting ever recorded. Each character has such a distinct and engaging voice that you could play this game with your eyes closed and it would maintain much of its beauty, although you likely won't want to blink after your first glimpse of the game's detailed environments. The graphics run at a feeble maximum resolution of 640 x 480 but are packed with enough atmosphere and animation that they look great even on a large monitor.

The Longest Journey obviously excels from a technical standpoint, but it's the writing that really makes it memorable. April maintains a diary that can be read to give players further insight into the game's strange events, and into April's mind as well. Lengthy conversations that seem tedious at first later serve to really make you care about the game's characters. They become more than simply people who exist to dispense items or tell you where to go next, and it's fascinating to watch April develop as she slowly absorbs the gravity of the situation into which she's been thrust. This game may seem like the longest--and most boring--journey at the beginning, but after a few hours adventure fans and anyone else who likes a good story will probably wish it would never end. (Note to readers: this game has an ESRB rating of Mature, and contains a lot of adult language.) --T. Byrl Baker

Official Website
Gamespot Review

There is also a second game in the works, you can get link from official website, but don’t read anything there, it can spoil some things for you.

 

[KagePrototype]

Grim Fandango was amazing...

...aah, Sam and Max...what could have been..

...urge to kill....rising....

 

[Pressure]

Why did they cancel Sam and Max... WHHHHHHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY?

 

[ACLeroK212]

I've had The Longest Journey for about a year now. I got like 5 or 6 hours into and quit playing and haven't been able to get back into it since. Seems like a pretty good game, I just need the time and patience to be able to sit back down and get into it.

Just built a new comp yesterday though so I'm pretty sure I'll be playing games that test out my system a little more than TLJ, but some day..........

 

[Tinneth]

Secret of Monkey Island (Monkey Island one) was THE best.

 

[Anthraxxx]

I remember playing The Longest Journey a couple years ago. One of the best adventure games ever!!

I <3 adventure games!

 

[el Chi]

Grim Fandango was amazing...

...aah, Sam and Max...what could have been..

...urge to kill....rising....

LucasArts are absolute and complete cynical money-obsessed c*nts and I will never forgive them for killing the genre they helped flourish.

Although it does remind me of a good disciplinary line to tell your children off with:
"I brought you into this world and I can take you out of it"

 

[nicrd]

Me too I missed it and played only two months ago. Truly a great adventure game and I hope the next one, Dreamfall, will as good or better. I found The Longest Journey extremly well paced, its starts of slowly leaving the player wonder whats real or not and then ends with a feeling of accomplishment. Its pretty long to complete, but it never gets boring.

I'm going to try out Beyond Good and Evil soon, but I scared that its going to be deceiving.

Why do all adventure games have to be cancelled ? btw, anyones knows if Tim Schaffer's Psychonauts found a new publisher ?

 

[nicrd]

Why did they cancel Sam and Max... WHHHHHHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY?

I feel your pain. First, they planted a needle in my heart by cancelling WarCraft Adventures. Then it was a knife for Full Throttle. Sam & Max was like a sword cutting my torso. I still have a bit of life left, but if they touch Psychonauts, it'll be over for me. ;(

 

[Pressure]

The only thing keeping me alive is the thought that HL2 will be out soon.

 

[outpost]

DAMN YOU LUCAS ARTS! DAMN YOU ALL TO HELL. I can't belive they cancelled Sam and Max 2! The first one was pure genious. Plus the sam and max comics were good to. The tv show was okay but they cut out swearing and toned down the violence. But still there were a lot of references to stuff in it that little kids would'nt know about.

My brother has the Longest Journy. I've been meaning to play it but haven't gotten around to it. I'll go install it right now.

 

[Sulkdodds]

Me going to buy Longest Journey, when me finished Operation Flashpoint, Thief III, and Hostile Waters.

Didn't anyone like Broken Sword 3 then?

 

[lans]

I'm waiting for dreamfall - it looks awesome. I think it's the sequel to longest journey.

 

[Sui]

Me going to buy Longest Journey, when me finished Operation Flashpoint, Thief III, and Hostile Waters.

Didn't anyone like Broken Sword 3 then?

SHUT UP ABOUT HOSTILE WATERS!!! no one can buy it!!!" your persuasive skills are nothing compared to mine!!! bwahahahha!!!
dont listen to sulkdodds...

and broken sword 3 was average, but it has no replay value whatsoever. i comleted it and then... gave it back... i had no other use for it :| It should have had secrets to get or easter eggs IMO... maybe its the same with all adventure games, as BS3 is the only one i have playe. fun while it lasted, though... too bad it was shockingly short.

btw sulkdodds is ur internet fixed now or are you using a net cafe or something???

 

[Kyorisu]

w00t Hostile Waters

 

[DarkStar]

I've got the Longest Journey although I've never finished it. I can never get past the MASSIVE amounts of dialouge at the start. Seriously, the script for that game must weigh about as much as a collapsed star. Just too much talking for my tastes. Could be wrong though.

Maybe I'll have to re-install it soon.....

 

[mortiz]

Summer holidays are coming up, so I'll probably get it then, It'll give me something to do between teaching myself C++ for Uni :S

 

[Mr.Reak]

I've got the Longest Journey although I've never finished it. I can never get past the MASSIVE amounts of dialouge at the start. Seriously, the script for that game must weigh about as much as a collapsed star. Just too much talking for my tastes. Could be wrong though.

Maybe I'll have to re-install it soon.....

Well duh Dark, it’s adventure game after all, of course there will be a lot of dialogue. Also you can skip it by clicked ESC or right button.

 

[Kyorisu]

Spoiler

I just remembered the part where you slip Viagra into a guards coffee. Man thats funny.

Spoiler

The start of the game is very hard, so hard infact it can take hours for the player to realize he can use a stick and a crystal/rock dealie, to alter the course of the water so a tree doesn't die.