The Journeyman Project 1: Pegasus Prime
- February 20, 2017
- Presto Studios
- 6h median play time
Get on SteamThe Epic Time Travel Adventure Begins! The origin of the acclaimed Journeyman Project series.
Reviews
- The game offers a nostalgic experience for fans of 90s adventure games, with engaging puzzles and a fun time travel storyline.
- The updated graphics and sound design enhance the original experience, making it more accessible to modern players while retaining its classic charm.
- The gameplay encourages exploration and problem-solving, with a variety of puzzles that remain enjoyable even decades after the game's initial release.
- The game lacks modern conveniences like autosave and resolution settings, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences, especially with instant deaths.
- Some players have reported game-breaking bugs and issues with scaling on modern systems, which can hinder the overall experience.
- The interface can feel clunky and unintuitive, requiring a mix of keyboard and mouse controls that may not appeal to all players.
- story12 mentions
- 58 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game's story revolves around a secretive government agency managing time travel, exploring themes of diplomacy, bureaucracy, and the implications of altering the past. Users praise its engaging narrative and well-crafted world design, likening it to classic adventure games while highlighting its unique take on time travel reminiscent of "Quantum Leap." Overall, the story is considered a standout element that enhances the gameplay experience.
“The story is fun, just revolves around a secretive government agency tasked with making sure time travelers don't tamper with the past in any big way.”
“This, of course, happens from the get-go, and without spoiling too much, the story explores some fun thoughts on diplomacy, proliferation, bureaucracy, and sure, why not, the nature of time travel.”
“A clear example of good storytelling meeting good gameplay elements, it emerged as a success in the relatively niche marketplace of PC gaming in the early-to-late 90s.”
“The story on the other hand is timeless.”
“And, of course, the time travel plot and the general world design.”
“I'm not in this for the graphics though, I'm here for the story.”
- music6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its epic quality and nostalgic early-90s cyberpunk sound, enhancing the overall experience of exploration and storytelling. While some users feel that the new compositions do not quite match the brilliance of the original works by Geno Andrews, the remastered soundtrack still captures the charm of the era. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's atmosphere.
“The story, the gameplay, and most definitely not least of all, the soundtrack... epic at a scale games in today's world only dream of, yet never reach!”
“The soundtrack is a work of brilliance; the exploration, the time traveling, and the complete sci-fi story just really takes you away.”
“On the downside, the new music isn't as good as Geno Andrews' original compositions, and there are a few places where you feel that they're just padding for the sake of length rather than bringing anything new to the game, but they can be excused.”
“The music is classic, totally early-90s theme music and cyberpunk type sound.”
“The music is classic, totally early-90s theme music and cyberpunk type sound.”
- gameplay5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The gameplay of The Journeyman Project is characterized by its classic adventure mechanics, requiring players to navigate a 3D world using a directional cursor, solve puzzles through item interaction, and embrace a trial-and-error approach. While it may be unforgiving by modern standards, it offers a unique experience reminiscent of early CD games, appealing to those who appreciate well-crafted storytelling and are willing to invest time in its challenges. Overall, it stands out as a successful blend of narrative and gameplay within the niche of 90s PC gaming.
“A clear example of good storytelling meeting good gameplay elements, it emerged as a success in the relatively niche marketplace of PC gaming in the early-to-late 90s.”
“If you are someone who is interested in well-written and presented looks into our future, and have the patience to dive into classic adventure game mechanics, give this game a shot.”
“The journeyman project is the kind of unforgiving experience that characterized a lot of early generation CD games - not because its creators were sadists (necessarily) but because forgiving gameplay actually relies on a ton of features and functionality that would have cost important disk space.”
“The gameplay style is like no game I've ever played before, kind of like Myst as I understand it, in that you travel through a 3D world with a directional cursor, only stopping at certain junctions of your movement directions to spin in place, investigate your surroundings, and interact with what you can, picking up items and using them on other items to solve puzzles and unlock areas.”
“If you are someone who is interested in some arguably well-written and presented looks into our future, and what could happen, and have the patience to dive into classic adventure game mechanics, give this game a shot.”
- graphics5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The upgraded version of the game features significantly improved graphics, creating a more interactive and vibrant world, with returning live-action actors enhancing continuity. However, some players feel that, when compared to modern standards, the graphics still appear outdated. Overall, while the visuals have seen notable enhancements, the focus remains on the engaging story rather than cutting-edge graphics.
“The graphics are what this upgraded version seems to have improved the most on, having seen some pretty impressive screenshots from the previous versions.”
“The graphics are miles better; the world is more fleshed out and interactive. There are more puzzles, and many of the live-action actors from 'Buried in Time' and 'Legacy of Time' return as the same characters, providing a nice sense of continuity. In general, it feels like a more lively, snappy game.”
“Cons: compared to what we have today, the graphics would be considered horrible. My friends saw me playing and looked at it, then began commenting on 'how old' it looked.”
“The graphics are what this upgraded version seems to have improved most on, having seen some pretty gnarly screenshots from the previous versions.”
“This is a remake of the original with updated graphics and 'acting.' It's cheesy, it's clever, and it's fun.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by its clever and unexpected challenges that lead to amusing outcomes, often accompanied by witty commentary. Players find the blend of visual appeal and comedic elements engaging, making the experience enjoyable and worth exploring multiple times.
“They're challenging, funny, and really appealing to look at.”
“Some can be pretty humorous, so I found them worth walking into at least once to see the result.”
“Other than the obvious ways, plenty of at-first-sight logical steps or simple mishaps can result in your demise and some often hilarious commentary about you.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
While the live-action performances are generally well-received, some players experience issues with frame rate drops and stuttering, indicating that optimization could be improved. The sci-fi elements may come off as cheesy, but this is expected within the genre.
“Some people have FPS problems or stuttering, as did I.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviewers highlight the enhanced atmosphere through the expanded Martian maze, immersive video calls that suggest a larger world, and the added tension of navigating new staff after a wave hits. The submarine section now serves a functional purpose, contributing to the overall experience, while hidden items and easter eggs further enrich the game's ambiance.
“The vastly expanded Martian maze always felt like a bit of a letdown and too easy in the original, but now it immerses you in a world that feels alive, especially with the little bits of video calling that make you feel there is a world going on outside of what you're seeing.”
“The challenge faced when returning to the TSA after the wave hits, dealing with new staff unaware that anything is wrong, adds a layer of tension that enhances the overall atmosphere.”
“A lot of options, hidden items, and easter eggs significantly affect your experience of the atmosphere and the very course of the game itself.”
“My favorite enhancements are the vastly expanded Martian maze, which always felt like a bit of a letdown and too easy in the original. The little bits of video calling make you feel there is a world going on outside of what you're seeing, but the submarine section now actually gives the dock a purpose other than providing atmosphere.”
“A lot of options or hidden items and easter eggs affect your experience of the atmosphere and the very course of the game itself.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of this version to be more tedious than the original, noting the inclusion of quick time events and additional elements at the end that contribute to the overall experience.
“The grinding in this game feels excessively tedious compared to the original, with added quick time events that only serve to prolong the experience.”
“I find the grinding mechanics to be frustratingly repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged with the game.”
“The amount of grinding required to progress is overwhelming and detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game offers strong replayability through features like Gandhi bonuses, multiple puzzle solutions, and a variety of challenging achievements, encouraging players to explore different playstyles and strategies.
“The inclusion of concepts like Gandhi bonuses, where you can choose to deal with antagonists either violently or non-violently, significantly enhances the replay value. Additionally, the various achievements, some of which are quite obscure and challenging to unlock, further contribute to the game's replayability.”
“With multiple puzzle solutions and different approaches to challenges, this game offers a high level of replayability that keeps players coming back for more.”
“The diverse gameplay options and the ability to explore different strategies make each playthrough feel unique, ensuring that players will want to experience the game multiple times.”
“The game lacks significant changes in story or gameplay mechanics, making multiple playthroughs feel repetitive and uninspired.”
“While there are some different paths to take, the overall experience remains largely the same, diminishing the incentive to replay.”
“After completing the game once, there isn't much motivation to dive back in, as the novelty quickly wears off.”
