The Longest Journey

About

The Longest Journey is a single player role playing game with fantasy, mystery and science fiction themes. It was developed by Funcom and was released on May 1, 2007. It received positive reviews from critics and very positive reviews from players.

"The Longest Journey" is a classic adventure game following April Ryan, a young art student with the ability to move between different worlds. As she uncovers her own destiny, April becomes entangled in a battle between the worlds of magic and technology. The game features complex puzzles, a rich story, and memorable characters, making it a must-play for adventure game enthusiasts.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

+25

Skip User Reviews

90%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,496 reviews

story683 positive mentions

stability32 negative mentions

The Longest Journey features an engaging and emotionally resonant story that captivates players from start to finish.
The game boasts excellent voice acting and well-developed characters, particularly the protagonist April Ryan, who is relatable and charming.
The blend of fantasy and sci-fi elements creates a rich and immersive world that players enjoy exploring.

The game suffers from outdated graphics and technical issues, particularly on modern systems, which can detract from the overall experience.
Some puzzles are overly convoluted or illogical, leading to frustration and the need for walkthroughs.
The pacing can be slow, with lengthy dialogue and animations that may test the patience of players.

story
1,365 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
49%
1%
The story of "The Longest Journey" is widely praised for its depth, complexity, and engaging narrative, following the journey of April Ryan as she navigates between two worlds—one of technology and one of magic. Reviewers highlight the game's rich world-building, well-developed characters, and mature themes, noting that the storytelling is a central pillar that elevates the experience despite some dated graphics and occasionally frustrating puzzles. Overall, it is regarded as a classic in the adventure genre, showcasing how video games can deliver profound and literary storytelling.
- “The story follows April Ryan, an art student living in the futuristic urban sprawl of Newport City, whose life is defined by uncertainty, cynicism, and a quiet sense that she does not quite belong.”
- “The story is engaging, the world-building is superb, and the characters are very memorable.”
- “The longest journey is a beautifully crafted point-and-click game, with great story, characters, puzzles, all existing within a creative world that mixes sci-fi and fantasy.”
- “The protagonist isn’t anything special and often comes off as quite annoying, frequently oscillating between being snippy and nonchalant and being very worried and self-doubting in a way that felt like her reactions were written according to what plot beats the writers wanted to hit rather than how a person would actually be reacting to the circumstances around them.”
- “The story is very complicated but the game told it in a way that is super clear.”
- “The story however and the character writing?”
graphics
507 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
65%
15%
The graphics of "The Longest Journey" are widely regarded as outdated, reflecting its 1999 release, with many players noting that they have not aged well and can detract from the experience. However, despite the low-resolution visuals and occasional graphical glitches, the game's charming art style and immersive environments still resonate with players, often overshadowed by its compelling story and strong character development. Many recommend using graphical mods to enhance the experience, but ultimately, the narrative depth and voice acting are what keep players engaged, making the dated graphics a minor concern for those who appreciate storytelling over visual fidelity.
- “The pre-rendered video footage and visuals of each location are looking good, for such an old game.”
- “Despite 1999 graphics, the art is stunning and captivating; the level designs are fantastic.”
- “The graphics are dated, but the story, voice acting, and interface are all very good.”
- “But be warned, this is a game in desperate need of a remaster, and it will certainly feel its age in terms of graphics and a handful of obtuse puzzles.”
- “The graphics... it bugs, half of the characters had holes in their bodies, they were clunky and moved weirdly.”
- “The graphics are terrible and almost laughable.”
gameplay
165 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
79%
2%
The gameplay of "The Longest Journey" is characterized by its classic point-and-click mechanics, focusing on exploration, dialogue, and inventory-based puzzles, which some players find dated and occasionally frustrating due to illogical puzzles and slow pacing. While the gameplay may suffer from technical issues and a lack of modern conveniences, many reviewers appreciate the rich narrative and character development that overshadow these shortcomings, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of story-driven games. Overall, the game is recommended for those who prioritize narrative over gameplay mechanics, despite its age and occasional gameplay flaws.
- “Gameplay adheres to classic adventure design, built around exploration, dialogue, and inventory-based puzzles.”
- “The gameplay is a straightforward point & click adventure with a long and pretty good story, but nowadays games are more accessible to the not-so-die-hard gamer and help the player a little more.”
- “The gameplay, as you would expect, is of the classic point-and-click type, mainly focusing on talking to various characters, picking up and interacting with various objects, and using those objects in various combinations to solve a range of puzzles to progress the story.”
- “It has weaknesses; Act 3 loses the idea of gameplay, and some of the storyline wrapping up is really clumsy.”
- “The gameplay is somewhat dated now, of course, but the story stands strong even now.”
- “Gameplay suffers from common failings of the genre, but an interesting story and world make this worth playing.”
humor
133 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is a well-crafted blend of wit and sarcasm, often interspersed with introspective moments that prevent it from becoming overly serious. Players appreciate the clever dialogue and memorable characters, which contribute to both comedic and poignant experiences throughout the narrative. While some find the humor hit or miss, many agree that it enhances the overall storytelling, making for an engaging and entertaining adventure.
- “The dialogue often balances humor with introspection, ensuring that the game never becomes overly self-serious despite its weighty themes.”
- “The characters, the backstory, the humor, and the coziness make it rank high for me.”
- “The story is imaginative and engaging, there's a lot of humor to be found here, and the characters you meet are memorable.”
music
79 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
61%
35%
4%
The music in the game is widely praised for its quality and ability to enhance the atmosphere, with many reviewers highlighting the beautiful, atmospheric, and sometimes haunting soundtracks that complement the story and settings effectively. While some tracks may feel dated or forgettable, the overall consensus is that the soundtrack is memorable and contributes significantly to the immersive experience, making it a standout feature of the game. Additionally, the voice acting is noted as being top-notch, further enriching the game's auditory experience.
- “The music is very good, always exactly suits all the scenes of the game.”
- “The relaxing music fits the game's moods as the story progresses, even when things get suspenseful.”
- “The semi-orchestral soundtrack is amazing and boasts some very memorable themes.”
- “The music, when noticeable, is generally thematically appropriate, but by no means particularly memorable.”
- “There isn't much in the way of music or sound effects that stand out, which is both a positive and a negative.”
- “Boring music (aside from a few standouts, almost every track has the same 'subtle' ominous feel to it).”
atmosphere
49 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
61%
33%
6%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its rich visual detail, immersive sound design, and engaging storytelling, effectively transporting players between diverse settings like cyberpunk cities and magical realms. Reviewers highlight the cozy yet eerie ambiance, enhanced by strong character development and clever dialogue, making it a captivating experience despite some outdated graphics. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to its charm and appeal.
- “The visual detail, atmosphere, and color palette breathe life into every environment, transporting you from futuristic cities to lush fantasy realms.”
- “A unique blend of retro-futuristic cyberpunk and magical-fantasy genres, this richly atmospheric and beautiful adventure game is a relaxing treat for the senses and spirit.”
- “The voice acting is top-notch as well, combined with atmospheric, haunting, yet beautiful soundtracks, I was easily pulled into the world of Stark and Arcadia.”
- “Newport has a very dystopian atmosphere to it, thanks to sound arrangement and art.”
- “Graphically, this game has not aged well and works counter to the fantasy/futuristic atmosphere that the game tries to create.”
- “Despite some long walking time that did annoy me, the atmosphere and fascinating storyline made me want to go on.”
emotional
39 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
97%
8%
The emotional aspect of "The Longest Journey" is widely praised for its deep narrative and character development, which evoke strong feelings of attachment and investment from players. The game's deliberate pacing allows emotional moments to resonate, while its blend of humor and poignant storytelling creates a memorable experience that lingers long after completion. Many players report being moved to tears by the story's conclusion, highlighting its lasting impact and emotional depth.
- “The longest journey is a seminal point-and-click adventure developed and published by Funcom that stands as one of the most ambitious and emotionally resonant narrative games ever released.”
- “The story is incredibly emotional and complex, grounded by epic characters you absolutely fall in love with.”
- “I was a grown man when I first played this; it is still the only game that made me cry...”
- “The storyline was incredibly boring and failed to evoke any emotional response.”
- “I found the emotional depth lacking; the plot was just too dull to connect with.”
- “Despite its attempts, the game couldn't engage me emotionally due to its tedious narrative.”
stability
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is notably compromised by numerous glitches and bugs, particularly in its graphical performance and user interface, leading to issues such as freezes, crashes, and unresponsive menus. While some players found workarounds and mods to mitigate these problems, the overall experience remains hindered by the game's outdated design and technical shortcomings, especially on modern hardware. Despite these issues, many still appreciate the game's storyline and charm, suggesting that the glitches, while frustrating, do not completely detract from the enjoyment.
- “The game is extremely glitchy, and the only way to fix some of the glitches is by downloading a mod.”
- “The two major glitches I ran into that killed the gameplay for me were that I couldn't overwrite any previous saves without the game crashing, and that whenever I would try to close the game it would crash.”
- “There is no pause menu, no exit button, and alt+F4 will make the game pop up with a modal dialog box asking if you really want to quit... yet you can't click anything because the game just freezes and messes up your computer's resolution.”
grinding
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
5%
10%
85%
The reviews highlight that grinding in the game can be excessively tedious, with many players noting the slow pace of puzzles and travel between locations. While some appreciate the depth of the story and characters, the frequent frustrations with obtuse puzzles and lengthy dialogue detract from the overall experience, making it feel like a chore at times. Despite these issues, some players still recommend the game for those who enjoy the point-and-click genre.
- “The story is long, but not tedious.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Should be called the most tedious and obtuse journey.”
- “I was looking forward to an 'adventure' game, not a tedious scavenger hunt for random items and cryptic conversations.”
character development
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
40%
20%
Character development in the game is a mixed bag, with some players praising its depth and engaging storytelling that keeps them invested, while others criticize inconsistencies and a lack of follow-through on initial promise. The game features rich character designs and strong voice acting, but some feel that it ultimately falls short in delivering a cohesive narrative experience. Overall, while there are standout moments and intriguing twists, the execution of character development varies significantly throughout the gameplay.
- “The story and character development is very engaging and it kept me wanting to play more.”
- “An awareness that quickly dawns on you within the first few hours, as the game starts to really spool up the narrative and character development gears, which, along with the fantastic voice acting, will slowly feel its hooks sinking ever deeper, and you'll love every second of it.”
- “This game has as much attention to character development and twists as a well-written novel.”
- “The character development at the start of this game looks detailed and promising, but it doesn't follow through with a complete theme.”
- “In terms of character development, April, the main character, was at times very annoying, but other times okay or bordering on likable.”
- “There is no meaningful character development.”
optimization
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
The game's optimization is widely criticized, with users reporting significant issues such as poor porting, stuttering animations, and unresponsive controls that require clicking far from intended targets. While some technical aspects run smoothly, the overall experience is marred by these serious flaws, making it frustrating for players, especially those on newer PCs.
- “Amazingly, the infamous dialogues got way better, with even some memorable voice performances by several characters.”
- “Somebody did a great job of casting there, and plaudits to the actors also for such quality performances.”
- “I personally encountered the 'no FMV/cutscenes playing' problem until I had to set my power options to 'high performance,' which solved the issue.”
- “Unfortunately, I am not a teen anymore; I don't have all the time in the world, and this game has two major, huge flaws: first, it is poorly optimized/ported.”
- “The absolute most frustrating thing about this game is trying to click directly on something, but realizing you have to click like three inches away because it's such an old game and it's terribly unoptimized for newer PCs.”
- “Stuttering sound made the game unplayable.”
replayability
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players appreciate the engaging story and visuals that may warrant a return visit, many feel that it lacks significant replay value, often citing that it is primarily enjoyable for a single playthrough. A few users suggest that it can be fun to revisit occasionally, especially for genre fans, but the general consensus leans towards limited replayability.
- “It has a really great story, visuals are good (in fact awesome for the year it was released), and it has a lot of replayability if you are a fan of the genre.”
- “But once I learned about them and used a helpful guide here on Steam, the game became much more playable for me.”
- “It is too good; I mean, yeah, it's buggy, but still it's worth it. There are some workarounds to make it more playable on high-end PCs.”
- “It has no replay value, but it's fun to go back and play it once a decade or so.”
- “And, like most point-and-click games, there is no danger if you get things wrong-- the game just won't progress until you do them correctly-- and replay value is, unfortunately, nil.”
- “The game does have a lack of replayability, but it is worth it to get at 75% off.”

Skip Critic Reviews

90%Critics’ scoreBased on 1 critic reviews

The Longest Journey
Eurogamer.net
90%

Skip Game Offers

Buy The Longest Journey

20h Median play time

16h Average play time

18h Main story

22h Completionist

6-22h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 11 analyzed playthroughs

Skip Videos

Videos

Skip Games Like The Longest Journey

80%2.1kreviews

Syberia

2011

Casual Puzzle

+15

78%830reviews

Dreamfall: The Longest Journey

2007

Role Playing

84%2.7kreviews

Primordia

2012

Arcade Role Playing

76%1.9kreviews

Dreamfall Chapters

2017

Action Adventure

85%1.1kreviews

Syberia II

2011

Puzzle

+15

More games like The Longest Journey

Skip FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

The Longest Journey is a role playing game with fantasy, mystery and science fiction themes.

The Longest Journey is available on PC, Phone, iPad, iPhone and others.

The main story can be completed in around 18 hours, while the entire game is estimated to take about 22 hours to finish. On average players spend around 16 hours playing The Longest Journey.

The Longest Journey was released on May 1, 2007.

The Longest Journey was developed by Funcom.

The Longest Journey has received positive reviews from players and positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its stability.

The Longest Journey is a single player game.

Similar games include Syberia, Dreamfall: The Longest Journey, Primordia, Dreamfall Chapters, Syberia II and others.

The Longest Journey

Platforms