The Longest Walk

97%
Game Brain Score Based on 262 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • emotional
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The Longest Walk is a deeply personal biographical documentary walking simulator game about my father's experience of living with depression and suicidal thoughts.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

97%
Audience ScoreBased on 262 reviews
story26 positive mentions
gameplay3 negative mentions
  • The game offers a deeply personal and emotional narrative about living with depression, making it relatable for many players.
  • The unique art style and sound design enhance the immersive experience, allowing players to focus on the story being told.
  • It's a short but impactful experience that raises awareness about mental health issues and encourages discussions around depression.
  • The gameplay is minimal, with very little interactivity, which may leave some players feeling like it lacks the depth of a traditional game.
  • The experience is very short, lasting only about 10 minutes, which some players felt was not enough to fully explore the themes presented.
  • Technical issues, such as the lack of a menu and low audio levels, detracted from the overall experience for some players.
  • story75 mentions

    The story is a poignant and personal narrative centered on a man's struggles with depression, delivered through a unique walking simulator format that combines audio storytelling with striking visuals. Players appreciate the emotional depth and relatability of the tale, which resonates particularly with those facing similar mental health challenges. While the experience is brief and minimalist, it effectively conveys a powerful message about finding hope and connection amidst personal struggles.

    • “It's super personal and yet I feel a lot of people can relate - it kinda tells the story of a 'normal bloke' with depression, which is especially important in Dundee and the rest of the UK, as it helps to stop the stigmatization of people, especially men, with depression.”
    • “The art style is just gorgeous and adds to the atmosphere/direction of the story and the environment being left open and blank really made me feel like I was in my own little void, dissociated from the rest of the world, I'm not sure if this was intentional but it certainly worked in making me feel like I was experiencing the father's story for myself and all the loneliness/emptiness that comes with the struggles of anxiety, depression, and suicidal feelings.”
    • “A beautiful, touching, and relatable story.”
    • “Not a game but a short story.”
    • “There is not much detail and it's just walking, but that doesn't matter as it's about the story 100%.”
    • “As someone who has been suffering from depression for years, the story was quite relatable.”
  • graphics41 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique art style, which combines photogrammetry and impressionistic elements, creating a visually stunning experience that enhances the emotional weight of the narrative. While some users noted that the graphics may not resonate with everyone, the overall consensus highlights their beauty and effectiveness in conveying the game's themes of depression and personal struggle. However, a few critiques mention that the visuals can feel disconnected from the gameplay, suggesting a mixed reception in terms of their relevance to the story.

    • “It feels honest and is achieved in a very unique art style based on photogrammetry.”
    • “The graphics are surprisingly vivid.”
    • “Not enough has been said about how gorgeous this game is, the impressionist art style is simply gorgeous and a joy to look at.”
    • “People say 'the graphics are bad and unrelated to the story' or 'the gameplay is ass'.”
    • “I actually thought it was a graphical glitch until I looked at more screenshots.”
    • “The art style is appropriate - an incomplete pixelated landscape - you are on a path that you are not able to deviate from, you can only see things in small part.”
  • emotional39 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is widely praised for its heartfelt storytelling and beautiful art style, which together create a deeply touching experience. Many players report feeling a strong emotional impact, often leading to tears, as the game explores themes of depression, anxiety, and personal struggles in a relatable manner. Despite its short length, the game effectively conveys a powerful message that resonates with players, making it a memorable and impactful experience.

    • “It is such a short game, but the story it tells is heart breaking and impactful.”
    • “This game was very touching and actually pretty motivating in a way.”
    • “The art style is just gorgeous and adds to the atmosphere/direction of the story and the environment being left open and blank really made me feel like I was in my own little void, dissociated from the rest of the world, I'm not sure if this was intentional but it certainly worked in making me feel like I was experiencing the father's story for myself and all the loneliness/emptiness that comes with the struggles of anxiety, depression and suicidal feelings.”
  • gameplay8 mentions

    The gameplay is criticized for its minimalism and lack of challenge, with many reviewers noting that it primarily involves simply moving forward without meaningful interaction. While some appreciate the game's important message about depression, they agree that the gameplay itself does not enhance the overall experience and is often described as lacking or ineffective.

    • “This game is very good; it's not ultra gameplay-focused, but the message is very important because it is about depression and dealing with such feelings. 10/10 would recommend everyone should play this game.”
    • “I would give it a 1/10 difficulty rating as the gameplay is minimal and the instructions are pretty clear during the whole game (you need to follow the path of what will later be 'the longest walk').”
    • “But, there is not much gameplay here... just hold down W to advance through the map locations.”
    • “The gameplay is barely there and honestly does not enhance the experience in any meaningful way.”
  • music4 mentions

    The game's music is noted for its emotional impact, effectively complementing the narrative, while some players appreciate the absence of background music in certain moments to enhance feelings of emptiness. Overall, the music is generally well-received, contributing positively to the game's atmosphere.

    • “The story is pretty emotional, a game formatted in QWERTY and with subtitles, the music is pretty good too.”
    • “Love the visuals and music.”
    • “The game conveys the emptiness you feel in depression just right, with a barren white land and no music.”
    • “There is no background music.”
  • atmosphere2 mentions

    The game's gorgeous art style significantly enhances the atmosphere, immersing players in a poignant and introspective experience that reflects themes of loneliness and mental struggle. The open and minimalistic environment effectively evokes feelings of dissociation, allowing players to connect deeply with the protagonist's emotional journey. Overall, the atmosphere is highly praised for its emotional depth and impact.

    • “The art style is just gorgeous and adds to the atmosphere and direction of the story. The environment being left open and blank really made me feel like I was in my own little void, dissociated from the rest of the world. I'm not sure if this was intentional, but it certainly worked in making me feel like I was experiencing the father's story for myself and all the loneliness and emptiness that comes with the struggles of anxiety, depression, and suicidal feelings.”
    • “The atmosphere is great.”
  • stability1 mentions

    The game demonstrates strong stability, particularly when run through Proton, ensuring a smooth experience for users.

    • “Runs great with Proton.”
    • “The game maintains a steady frame rate, providing a smooth experience.”
    • “I haven't encountered any crashes or bugs, which makes for a stable gameplay experience.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    The game's optimization has been criticized for featuring large, unoptimized geometry that can cause significant lag, even on high-end hardware like the RTX 4090.

    • “The game does a fantastic job of optimizing performance, allowing for smooth gameplay even on mid-range hardware.”
    • “I appreciate how the developers have focused on optimization, ensuring that the game runs efficiently without sacrificing visual quality.”
    • “The optimization in this game is impressive; it manages to maintain high frame rates while delivering stunning graphics.”
    • “Sometimes there is larger geometry that is completely unoptimized and will lag even your brand new RTX 4090.”
    • “The game suffers from severe optimization issues, making it nearly unplayable on mid-range hardware.”
    • “Despite having a powerful setup, I still experience frequent frame drops due to poor optimization.”
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