The Journeyman Project 1: Pegasus Prime
- February 20, 2017
- Presto Studios
- 6h median play time
Get on Steam"The Journeyman Project 1: Pegasus Prime" is a time-travel adventure game where you, as Agent 5, must stop a terrorist causing deadly distortions in the time-space continuum. With updated graphics, full-motion video, and challenging puzzles, this game offers an immersive experience and the chance to explore various rich worlds. It also includes features from the unreleased PlayStation version and adjustable difficulty settings, making it accessible to all players.
PC
Windows
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 unique approach to character deaths that adds humor and keeps players engaged.
- The game suffers from technical issues, such as bugs and scaling problems on modern systems, which can hinder the overall experience.
- The lack of autosave and the presence of instant death scenarios can lead to frustrating trial-and-error gameplay, requiring frequent manual saves.
- Some players may find the dated graphics and cheesy acting off-putting, especially when compared to contemporary titles.
- 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. It is praised for its engaging narrative and well-crafted world design, reminiscent of classic adventure games, while also being complemented by an exceptional soundtrack. Overall, the storytelling is considered a standout feature, making the game a worthwhile experience for those who prioritize narrative over graphics.
“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 to solve puzzles through item interaction. While it offers a unique and engaging experience reminiscent of early CD games, it can be unforgiving and relies on trial-and-error, appealing to those with patience and an interest in narrative-driven gameplay. Overall, it successfully combines storytelling with gameplay elements, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of the genre.
“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 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.”
“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.”
“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
- 60 % positive mentions
- -20 % 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 a notable enhancement, 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.”
“This is a remake of the original with updated graphics and acting. It's cheesy, it's clever, and it's fun.”
“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 outcomes, often resulting from logical missteps or simple mistakes, which are accompanied by amusing commentary. Players find the humorous elements both challenging and visually appealing, making the experience enjoyable and worth exploring.
“Some can be pretty humorous, so I found them worth walking into at least once to see the result.”
“They're challenging, funny, and really appealing to look at.”
“Plenty of at-first-sight logical steps or simple mishaps can result in your demise, accompanied by 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 also contribute to a mixed reception regarding overall presentation.
“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 crisis. 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 in this version to be more tedious compared to the original, noting the inclusion of quick time events and additional elements that extend the gameplay 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 found 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
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % 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 Gandhi bonuses, where your approach to dealing with antagonists—whether violently or non-violently—affects gameplay, significantly enhances 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 the ability to choose different paths, this game offers a fresh experience with each playthrough, making it highly replayable.”
“The diverse gameplay mechanics and the variety of choices available ensure that no two playthroughs are the same, keeping players engaged and eager to explore different strategies.”
