First released in 2017, Old Man’s Journey received some well-deserved acclaim and awards. Fast Forward to 2019, and we finally get the chance to sink our teeth into this amazingly well put together puzzle adventure. Broken Rules really outdid themselves with this one and it’s not hard to see why this was so well received. Let’s paint the story here. You play as an Old Man. One sunny day, the mailman delivers to you a mysterious letter, which prompts our local elder to get up and go on a road trip. Why? To where? Is something for you to discover. Get ready to explore this beautiful game and grab your fanny pack, because these rolling hills are beckoning us! Let’s review Old Man’s Journey!
- Artwork: Holy cow, these guys meant business when they came up with the art of this game. Every scene looks like a painting, the amount of time and dedication that they must’ve put into these must’ve taken months. I couldn’t find anything out of place or a piece that didn’t suit the game’s style. I can truly understand why it got so much praise and awards. A standing ovation guys and girls. A standing ovation indeed! If you ever needed some art pieces to look at to calm yourself down a bit, but haven’t got the time to visit an art gallery? Then I would recommend you give this game a try.
- Sound design: The art department did its job, there’s no question about it. But let us give some love to the sound designers as well. They created the soundtrack that suits this artwork o so well. Gentle and fuelled with relaxing tunes, Old Man’s Journey ‘s soundtrack will carry you across its beautiful surroundings like no other. On top of that, you can really imagine yourself sitting there, on a bench with the soft breeze of a lukewarm day if you close your eyes and just listen to the ambient sounds. Aah, almost makes me wish that I was at that age already, almost…
- Unique!: I got to say, I’ve not really come across the mechanic that’s being employed here. “But Alexis, point and click adventures are literally everywhere!” you might think. But no no my friends! I mean the way traversing these serene landscapes are done. You will notice that every scene will have curved landscapes. Each one of these curves is adjustable by clicking and dragging it to the appropriate height. Once the landscapes match, you’ll be able to continue further down the road. This sets Old Man’s Journey apart from all the rest and gives it its own category.
- Realistic Story: This game doesn’t hit far from home. Many people will find that what is being told here, will have some reflections in the comings and goings of your own life. And that’s what I really enjoyed here. The fact that the story is so relatable, will bring pause to your daily life and bring back memories. Some good, and some bad. But never will if feel unenjoyable. I applaud you, Broken Rules. For making this beautiful little piece of art.
- Storytelling: I absolutely love when the story is a bit of a puzzle for you to piece together. But I know that this isn’t for everyone. Sure you will be able to understand most of it. But the subtle nuances that this game gently injects won’t be picked up by all of its players. It misses a bit of narration to fully understand the meaning of every bit that’s happening around our chubby old man. On the other hand, for those with keen senses will know the meaning of everything that’s going on.
- The moving puzzles: Ugh, my tiny little bane in this game. The ones where you had to adjust the landscape while there was an
automated movement. Fail? And everything would slow down. This was mostly due to the camera not working with you, but against you. It just wouldn’t show the segments on time causing you to stumble and ruin that smooth “race” against the camera.
Developer: Broken Rules Publisher: Self-published
Played on: Xbox One X Also available
Xbox Game Store link
