The Journey Back

About

"The Journey Back" is a first-person puzzle-adventure game that follows the story of a man searching for his lost love. Players navigate through beautiful, surreal landscapes and solve increasingly complex puzzles to uncover the truth about their past. With a focus on exploration and discovery, the game invites players to immerse themselves in a poetic and emotional experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

60%

Audience ScoreBased on 53 reviews

story10 positive mentions

stability12 negative mentions

The game features a unique and interesting art style that creates a vibrant atmosphere.
It's a short and relaxing experience, making it suitable for casual players looking for a simple adventure.
The puzzles, while easy, provide a fun and engaging experience for those who enjoy exploration over challenge.

The game suffers from numerous bugs and glitches that can hinder gameplay and progression.
Puzzles are overly simplistic, often reducing to basic fetch quests that lack depth and challenge.
The story feels minimal and predictable, lacking any significant twists or emotional engagement.

story
27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
52%
11%
The game's story revolves around a car crash and mental health themes, but many players find it predictable and lacking depth, often identifying the conclusion early on. While some appreciate the surreal environments and the complete narrative despite its brevity, others criticize it for being overly simplistic and cliché, with a desire for more complexity and twists. Overall, the story is seen as a mixed bag, with some enjoyment but significant room for improvement.
- “The game does tell a complete story despite its brevity, and I enjoyed it, but it's very straightforward.”
- “Interesting back story.”
- “That said, I really did enjoy the surreal environments and I thought the plot was great.”
- “The story doesn't pull me in and the physics can sometimes be uncanny.”
- “Definitely buggy, even with spelling errors, cliche topic, and a story that is obvious from the Steam description and the game title.”
- “It's short, it's not that challenging, and I wished that there would be a plot twist as I knew about 5 minutes into the game what the ending would be like.”
graphics
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
41%
18%
The graphics of the game are described as a mixed bag, featuring a highly stylized aesthetic reminiscent of early 3D games, which some players find charming while others view it as unrefined. While there are a few graphical issues and an inconsistent interface, many appreciate the art style and visuals, considering them serviceable for the game's overall experience. However, the lack of polish and AAA quality is evident, leading to a somewhat underwhelming visual impression.
- “Loved the puzzles and the art style.”
- “The music is good and the visuals are nice; a few graphical issues aside, this is an adventure point-and-click game that can be completed in about an hour with very little difficulty.”
- “The game's graphics are highly stylized and remind me of the very early 3D era, when even the ground was made of distinct mono-colored polygons.”
- “The graphics confused me to begin with, the stylization just looked to me as a bit lazy, but I soon grew to actually find the environment charming in its own way.”
- “The interface was also really wonky, and that coupled with the inconsistent graphics constantly reminds you that you aren't playing a AAA release.”
music
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
71%
14%
14%
The music in the game is generally appreciated for its relaxing and atmospheric qualities, particularly the soft piano soundtrack that enhances the experience. However, several users noted that the music can become monotonous and repetitive over time, detracting from the overall enjoyment. While it contributes positively to the game's ambiance, its lack of variety may lead some players to turn it off.
- “Soft, slow music creates a relaxing, thoughtful atmosphere.”
- “Really nice atmosphere and music.”
- “The journey back is such a vibrant and good looking game, with a nice soundtrack and some decent puzzles that'll make you question why society puts the door key right under the doormat.”
- “The game is not exactly beautiful; the graphics are not entirely charming, and the quiet music is extremely repetitive.”
stability
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The stability of the game has received mixed feedback, with some players reporting significant bugs and glitches that hinder gameplay, while others experienced minimal issues. Despite the presence of certain bugs, a few users found the game enjoyable overall, particularly given its low price. However, the consensus leans towards the game being too unstable for a full recommendation.
- “Definitely buggy, even with spelling errors, cliche topic, and story that is obvious from the Steam description and the game title.”
- “Can't recommend... because it is too buggy to finish...”
- “This game has a few problems, not so much glitches as much as bugs and general game design faults; let me list the few I found in my time playing.”
atmosphere
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its relaxing and thoughtful ambiance, enhanced by soft, slow music and the presence of various birds. Players appreciate the charming elements, such as a spinning windmill, which contribute to an enjoyable experience, especially considering the game's low price. Despite some minor glitches, the overall atmosphere remains a highlight for many users.
- “Soft, slow music creates a relaxing, thoughtful atmosphere.”
- “I enjoy the 10+ birds in the game that make the atmosphere that much more enjoyable and the spinning windmill is pretty sweet.”
- “I would really write a positive review because, despite some glitches you can find, I like the atmosphere of the game, but especially for the price: 1.99€ it's almost like 1/2 a coffee.”