The Long Road North
- April 28, 2022
- North Kingdom Games
Get on SteamA story-driven game supported by the song Cold Burn from Cult Of Luna
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The music and visuals are fantastic, creating a great atmosphere that fits well with the experience.
- It's a unique concept that serves as an interactive music video, providing a brief yet enjoyable experience for fans of the band.
- The game is visually impressive and offers a different way to appreciate the music, making it worth a try for those who enjoy Cult of Luna.
- The gameplay is limited and can feel tedious, with frustrating controls and a lack of clear objectives.
- There are significant performance issues, including poor optimization and lag, which detract from the overall experience.
- The game features excessive flashing lights without any seizure warnings, making it unsuitable for players with photosensitivity.
- music46 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its quality, particularly for fans of metal and the band Cult of Luna, describing it as a fantastic soundtrack that enhances the game's atmosphere. However, some players found the music repetitive and the gameplay mechanics lacking, leading to a perception of the experience as more of an interactive music video than a traditional game. Overall, while the music is a highlight for many, it may not appeal to those outside the genre.
“The music is amazing, the atmosphere of the game is worth seeing.”
“There was a sense of urgency that fit well and sections were really well timed to the music.”
“It's essentially an interactive music video for a track from Cult of Luna's most recent album.”
“The music was a constant, never-ending drone with very little variation no matter how many lights were collected.”
“The mechanics suck, the screen shake is overdone, and nothing about your own progress in the game affects the music much.”
“At first, I could not enjoy the music because of the crappy game mechanics.”
- graphics12 mentions
- 58 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The graphics are widely praised for their beauty and aesthetic appeal, effectively complementing the music in certain areas. However, some players noted inconsistencies in the visual experience throughout the game, along with performance issues like frame drops in later stages. Overall, while the visuals are impressive, they are overshadowed by gameplay shortcomings and a disconnect with the music.
“The graphics are fantastic and fit with the music.”
“Beautiful visuals.”
“The graphics are cool and more demanding than you initially would think from this type of game.”
“Pair that with horrendous frame drops in the later stages (even on the lowest graphics settings) and a complete lack of rhythmic elements to tie it all together, you end up with a pretty boring experience.”
“Other than the graphics, I would not want to play this game.”
- gameplay7 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received largely negative feedback, with many users criticizing its mechanics as wonky and poorly executed. While some comparisons are made to experimental games, the overall experience is marred by excessive screen shake and a lack of meaningful interaction with the music, leading to a disconnect between the game's aesthetic and its mechanics.
“Gameplay reminds me of Journey or some of the experimental games Plastiq developed for the PlayStation 3, like Datura or Linger in Shadows.”
“Worst 'song' in the world, worst 'gameplay' in the world.”
“The best part of the game is the song, which unfortunately doesn't match the gameplay and overall aesthetic terribly well.”
“The mechanics suck, the screen shake is overdone, and nothing about your own progress in the game affects the music much (again, had over half the lights which means I explored) as I only got a basic guitar drone with very little vocals sporadically now and then.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with users reporting significant lag spikes, high CPU usage, and poor frame rates, often averaging under 30 FPS even on medium settings. Some players experienced extreme drops to single-digit FPS in demanding scenarios, indicating a lack of effective performance tuning.
“Exceptionally poor performance, averaging under 30 fps on medium settings with an RX 5700 XT, dropping well into single digits when inside a tornado.”
“Optimization was not good either, with some lag spikes and high CPU usage.”
“Horribly optimized, 10 FPS.”
“Exceptionally poor performance, averaging under 30 FPS on medium settings with an RX 5700 XT, dropping well into single digits when inside a tornado.”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its perfect alignment with the music, creating an immersive experience that enhances gameplay. Reviewers highlight the amazing soundtrack as a key element that elevates the overall ambiance, making it a noteworthy aspect of the game.
“The atmosphere fits the song perfectly.”
“The music is amazing; the atmosphere of the game is worth experiencing.”
“The music is fantastic, and the atmosphere complements it really well.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has been criticized for buggy movement, especially regarding vertical control, which can result in the player's orb getting stuck in the ceiling. This inconsistency has led to mixed feelings among users, with some finding the experience frustrating and others questioning its overall engagement.
“Buggy movement, particularly with respect to vertical control (or lack thereof), in my case leading to the player's orb becoming seemingly stuck in the ceiling.”
“Buggy or boring, not entirely sure which.”
