While the technical aspects of the game (Graphics, UI, Controls, Sound) are all perfectly fine for a game developed in the late 90's, the gameplay is kind of broken. Now, I'm an old-timer when it comes to point-n-click adventures. I've played all the LucasArts classics and some other games that were mostly overlooked (e.g. Woodruff the Shnibble of Azimuth) and I'm used to difficult puzzles. But TLJ takes it way too far. The puzzles are extremely cryptic and all over the place. Sometimes, they don't even make any sense. The distance between one part of a puzzle and the other part is way too big, there are often way too many items involved and, as said, making the connection between a combination of items (which is ridiculous in itself, item combination puzzles are inherently broken) and their use in the game is way too cryptic. I like difficult puzzles where the solution isn't absolutely obvious, but they still have to make sense. And in TLJ they often don't. That said, TLJ is a mediocre to good game at best. Even though I'm only giving it a score of 6, I still think it is worth playing, considering that, by now, it's extremely cheap and you can sink (thanks to those cryptic puzzles) a lot of time into it.… Expand

Given that this is a hardcore quest is also a great story that can not not listen to the end, is a drug, first it will interest you, then you're at it podsyadet and want more and more, and then begin to stretch the last crumbs of pleasure, because few what game can stir up so you and lead you along in a Longest Journey

I feel the need to write something since it seems like most people are just giving this insanely high scores. Why this game has become highly regarded through the years has always been somewhat of a mystery to me it is one of the last big adventure games published in the `90s, and one of the most widely distributed (I think it's large retail footprint, after Sierra Lucasarts had mostly left the adventure game, contribued a lot to it's success, I think).

I don't mind old-school graphics, but they are from a cringe-worthy era of pre-rendered 3d be warned. The gameplay controls also have not-so-bad quirks.

The story was vaguely interesting, and gripping at times, but extremely slow-paced, and long there are definitely good bits here, but relative to other adventure games from Sierra/Lucasarts/Wadjet Eye or even Telltale... I am just baffled by the ratings this gets. There are many more important classic games to play through and ones that have stood up much better.… Expand

I have been playing video games for twenty years. FPS, RPG, RTS, Point & Click adventure, platformer, puzzle, et cetera. Some of my favourites include Arcanum, Baldurs Gate II, System Shock 2, Mass Effect, and Deus Ex. But The Longest Journey is my all time number one favourite game. I got it for like $3 on a steam sale, on a whim. Three dollars for thirty-ish hours of the finest game I have evert played is a steal. Sure, the graphics are **** But the game is fun and the story rocks.… Expand

Brilliant point+click adventure. The story is brilliant, amazing voice acting and very few annoying/tedious parts. This game is far superior to the sequel (which doesn't really have a connection to the original). There is no fighting. It also has some funny references to Monkey Island ;)
The dialogues are very good and immerse you into the universe around you which you want to learn more about, there is back-story to characters and they are not totally bland. I enjoyed the game a lot considering I'm not really into these types of games. Just don't complain about the graphics.… Expand

I was extremely impressed by this game. It was a very fun experience even though the graphics were clearly dated (I played this in Nov 2012). The characters are great, the puzzles are fun but not too difficult. I got stuck and checked the UHS hints a few times, but 95% of the time I could solve the puzzle on my own. For me the difficulty level was perfect. It is always clear what the next problem to solve is. The game does a good job of giving the player cues as to what is important, what needs to happen next, etc. So in this way the game design was really well done. There was a good combination of humor and drama that I also like. The only downside is that is is maybe a bit too long. It took me ~30 hours (yes, I am slow) to finish. Some editing might have improved the game somewhat. The main character is a teenage girl, maybe hard for some players to identify with, although she is a likeable character. I am sure this game was a graphics phenomenon in 1999 when it was released. In 2012 the low res graphics and primitive animations are a bit distracting, so this is the main reason I give the game an 8 instead of a 9 or 10.… Expand

This is a gem for its engrossing story and excellent adventure based game play with some clever puzzles. The graphics, however, are not great even given the age of the game - but that can be easily overlooked and the story more than makes up for the sub par graphics.

Brilliant! Ragnar Tornquist is a genius. Probably the first real adventure title I truly fell in love with. The storyline is magical and epic. The protagonist is witty and cunning. The puzzles are challenging. And the world is immersive and interesting. This game brings back memories. Good memories.

My favourite adventure game of all time! It has all - great characters and dialogues, interesting puzzles and story...story that makes you think, laugh and cry.When it comes to gaming this is truly a masterpiece! My rating:10/10.

For such an old game, playing it in 2012 and it still entertains and is fun to play. Great story, good music and voices, graphics are totally fine given its age. Puzzles are easy, hence the -1, but otherwise, highly recommended even in 2012 to fans of point-and-click games.

If something it's old, doesn't mean it's not good, i used to play this back in the days it we're released, but sadly wasn't able to complete the entire story, now i finally did it, and i must say i missed lots of nice things, join April on her longest journey, meet many strange people that you would probably never think about, of some fantasy world, this game is filled with fun, and very good puzzles, it's worth to be bought and played.… Expand

I'm playing this game in 2012 and although the graphics are a piece of **** the story is simply amazing! I am pushing on to continue the story, which I feel is very unique. The idea of parallel worlds between chaos and science etc... I love story in my games, and this is coming from a gamer whos never played this game, playing it in 2012. This matches modern games just for the story. Good job funcom.… Expand

If you're looking for a balanced review of the game read on. Fanboys just downvote me and move along. The highlight of the game is the way the story and voice-acting haul you into the game and create a compelling atmosphere to find out what happens next. Every character is well-developed and the art assets all converge in a convincing way to support the text. The story is one of the best in any adventure game. On the downside the graphic resolution is poor and is a major distraction. The character animations are laughably bad. Moreover, the pacing of the game plays very very slow. Many of the puzzles are obtuse or simply inane. If you read the user reviews the common theme of those who rate this game a 10 is "great story" and it's true. The story is great. The common theme for those who dislike this game are "poor game" and that too is true. The design of this game is below average. Personally, I played this game all the way to the end to see how it ended. But unlike those blinded by nostalgia I won't pretend this the super awesome game because it's not. It's a great story that covers up a rather poor game.… Collapse

If you're too lazy to *read* a good story, then you should skip The Longest Journey. However, if you have a bit more common sense than that, you'll like amazing stories and know that reading those stories is, well, amazing. If you like the idea of following a plot that transcends what you could expect to find in a game, then The Longest Journey is for you. It's the best "point 'n' click" adventure I ever played (and I played more than 40 games of the genre): it's filled with great written dialogs, puzzles, characters and worlds. Yes, it's so good it stands up when confronted with other gems like Grim Fandango, Gabriel Knight and Sanitarium.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Great game!… Expand

This is the second best game I have ever played, and I've been a gamer my entire life. This game draws you in. It's a ridiculous masterpiece. The voice acting is brilliant, and the story... the story is no less than art. It's a puzzle game of sorts, but that won't stop anyone with an imagination from going wild over it, even if you're more into shooters or othersuch. Absolutely, 100%, buy it. Buy it and play it. You'll think about this game long after it's finished.

Get the sequel too. It's excellent.… Expand

10 out of 10, and I wish there were more points to give...

The Longest Journey is not for everyone. If you're looking for shiny, fancy graphics, or a quick, mindless shoot-em-up, well, what are you doing on this page in the first place? If, however, you're looking for an intriguing story in a richly developed world, you need to play this game. First, the bad news: It's slow. Yes, the barely literate reviews saying it was slow to play are correct. The walking speed is irritating sometimes, and trial and error puzzles between screens can take a while. The graphics are also primitive, but, hey, it's from 2000. I only mention it because, once you've played more recent games, it takes a while to adjust back. I missed a couple items because I'm used to more recent games. Once I'd played for a little while, though, I got my brain back into 2000 and it was all good.
The medium news: Language and Content. This isn't a game for kids. It's a mature adventure. (not the porn version of mature, which, let's face it, is an odd use for the word anyway) TLJ simply deals with adults on their level, which includes profanity, drugs, etc. It's not gratuitous, but it is worth noting. So don't let your kids play it.
The interface is fine. Nothing special, but nothing irritating either. Standard adventure fare here.
The good news: Everything else. WoutT complained in his review that the game was made for the story, rather than the other way around. If you think this is a bad thing, then this isn't the game for you. If, however, you're looking for that oh-so-rare story-driven gameplay, then this is a gem not to be missed. There is lots of dialogue, written not just to advance the story, but to flesh out the world, making it an immersive and detailed place, rather than just a backdrop. Humor, drama, suspense, and even some action spread over the many hours of gameplay keep the story from becoming monotonous. There is a rich variety of characters, and while I'd love to give examples, to show the variety, discovering them is too much of a joy to ruin. But with a "realistic" world and a fantasy world in one game, the characters never feel cloned or stale. A few are more obviously placed as quest-givers, but most have at least some backstory and all the main characters feel real and nuanced. The puzzles, as in any good adventure game, will have different reactions from different players. Some will find them obvious, some will be baffled constantly. Personally, (and I'm not very good at adventure games, at least without the occasional hint) I did pretty well. They get easier as you learn how the developers thought, but they never get stale. On the occasions when I did check online (UHS hints is a godsend) I found myself smacking my forehead, because I really should have thought of the solution myself. There are few moments when you have to do something really inane to solve a puzzle, and just as few when it's all laid out for you. The gameplay is linear, but this was never meant to be sandbox. It's about the story, so it follows a relatively straight path. The Longest Journey is like an interactive novel with puzzles, so the linearity didn't bother me in the slightest. Frankly, with the size of the world(s) and the slow walking speed, knowing which puzzle to solve next was nice. The sound contributes nicely to the overall experience. I wasn't blown away by its brilliance, but it was always well-suited and effective.
Replayability is moderate to low, since it's an adventure game, but at 40+ hours for a single play-through, that's still pretty darn good.

I'm not a big adventure game fan. I rarely play them and even more seldom enjoy them. So for me to rave about an adventure game means it really goes above and beyond. A mature story with well developed settings and characters, told with rich dialogue over plenty of play-time, The Longest Journey does what few games have even approached in the decade since it was released. Play this game.


P.S. It's hard to take an opinion seriously if the writing in a review is so poor that it becomes comedy. Saying that the game is not "intriguently" sophisticated doesn't make your case very well. There's even a spell checker available for posts. Just saying.....… Expand

The Longest Journey was a very fun, in depth story about a college student (April Ryan) and her epic journey through two different worlds. The game was fun, but it was VERY winded with unnecessary dialog, slightly thin characters and a lot of loose ends. The puzzles started off difficult, but became rather easy and common sense oriented after awhile. All of the art work and game design was very well done for an older point n' click game. Overall if you are looking for a long adventure game with lots of puzzles, check it out just make sure to skip through much of the 10 min plus dialog (From every damn character! jeez!!). Make sure to save often, you do not want to have to re-sit through some of these story or dialog segments trust me! 5/10… Expand

Definitely one of the greatest adventure game I have ever played in my life, because of its funny dialogues, charming and deep characters, clever humour and enchanting atmosphere.
If you like adventure games, it is one of those you have to try at least once in your life. Seriously.

It is in my top 5 forever favorite game list =)

This game is crap.If a crap could crap and its crap could crap and make a game, this would be it. This is the epitimy of crapstains on adventure gaming. Do not buy this game. Take a chick flick and turn it into a game and Dreamfall is what you get. First of all the story is way to confusing and boring to care about it (spoiler alert) the first hour of the game is (no kidding and I quote) "My dad is away so lets throw a party". After wasting an hour and getting some drama with the main characters ex getting abducted blah blah blah chick crap blah blah blah. She is set after him-I stopped playing here because of sheer boredom. I literally wasted 3 hours just to get there. The fighting is terrible, and there is like 10 fight scenes in the game thats going to last forever.My advice? Skip this game and pick up Oblivion, because that had a good story.… Expand

Masterpiece! This game is over 10 years old and could teach nearly all modern developers how to tell a story. Sod next-gen physics and fancy graphics, this is engrossing. No game since Ico has had me actually caring for characters like this one has. Even if you don't like the genre (I myself am a racer/fps guy) this is a must buy.

Probably my favourite game I ever played, although it's more like an interactive movie, but then it's an enjoyable one. (for me at least) Even thought it's another ' traveling to another world' fantasy story, the story and characters had the kind of content I'm usually looking for. Too bad the sequel was total crap.

This is one of my favourite games I have ever played. It doesn't have so much replay value, as you need to wait a good long time before you can forget enough to play through it again, but the game is well worth it. The story is incredible, and easily makes up for the dated graphics and somewhat slow pace. DON'T rush through this game, to really enjoy it, take your time, explore your environment, talk to everyone. I was a skeptical that a point and click adventure could stand against all the modern developments in gaming, but I couldn't have been more pleased with this game.… Expand

AWESOME! Great story, great dialogues! I loved it!

The Longest Journey is a masterpiece. It has one of the most interesting storyline of any game I've ever played (except for perhaps Planescape: Torment). The environments are rich, varied, and interesting. The puzzles aren't up to the level of those in Riven and Myst, but they are challenging and fun. This game is undoubtedly one of the best adventure games since Myst. Only Syberia has topped it since its release.… Expand

One problem with the game is that it is extremely lineair: If you figure out hints before the game wants you to, you still have to click the right thingy or start the right dialogue to continue. About 60% of the dialogues is extra reading not needed to understand the story or the assignments, which is a pain because the store is rather boring, certainly not intriguently sophisticated or intelligent like Myst. Characters have a deep level of depth, but share out a lot of unneeded information. Puzzles are often unlogical and relay heavy on trial and error. The biggest problem however is the fact that the playstyle is slow to the extreme. Click item 1, walk map A (15secs) map B (20 sec), click item 2, walk map C (20secs) etc etc. Just trying out one idea might take you more than three minutes. If you add dozen lines of text, you can see that the game was created for the story, rather than the other way around. This is bad, because you tend to figure things out faster than the game let you play.… Expand

Really a masterpiece, yeah its an old game but still is simply one of the best adventure games ever made

Best adventure game of all time,a must have journey for adventure lovers.

A master Piece, to bad some people can't appreciate both this games incredible story, relaxing game play, and the then stunning visuals. A must own.

This game is so overhyped. The graphics are horrible, HORRIBLE. The pre-rendered backgrounds are nothing special especially for the year it got released. The future/fantasy story is so lame, it gets you confused quickly and then ask yourself: do you really care? Does it really matter if the girl is from some prophecy? It's all so predictable and with each new development is becomes ridicilous. All characters are idiots, from the guy in the border house to the mechanic hiding out - worse is the crow. The only reason I tried this is because of its high score here, what a letdown that all these reviewers could get it so wrong.… Expand

One of the best games of all time. Some people may not appreciate it because of the lower quality graphics, but to me graphics don't matter as much as long as the storyline is good, and this game has enough story to keep you hooked. I would compare it to a very good book that you cannot seem to part from; one minute you're reading it and the next time you look up it's 3:30am. This game will suck you in and make it hard to stop playing. If you like a challenging game with a great story, humorous (and sometimes crude) dialogue, a good character line-up, long game-play time, and puzzles that make you exercise your brain then The Longest Journey should be on your to-buy list in the #1 slot. You will not be disappointed. … Expand

This was _the_ best game I've ever played. I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a story with depth. If you hate puzzles, download a walkthrough and play this game anyway. Graphically, it's not the most impressive title on the market, but it more than makes up for that in story and depth of characters. My favorite thing about this game was that all the characters seemed motivated in a way that fit their personality. From the obligatory characters you love to hate, to the "wow, I never saw that coming" moments with others, this game is just beautiful.… Expand

Ignore Shawn T - stupid comment. Either trolling or thought he was buying an FPS. The metacritic score is on the money. If you want a very good adventure game then this is it. Graphics are in line with this kind of game mechanic and the overall story and adventure are very enjoyable indeed.

Interesting stoyline, but the graphics are HORRIBLE!

This is the lamest game ever invented the only reason why i bought it is because it got such a high metascore. Please do not buy this game unless you are looking for something to help you fall asleep. Trust me this is a stupid game and you will hate it. I have played thousands of games and this one falls at the bottom of my list. I wish I could get my money back!

I'll put it very simply: The Longest Journey is the only game I have ever played that rises out of the realm of games and into the true realm of fiction. It's not just a game story. It's a great work of fiction that can be more easily compared to novels than to any other game story in existence. It is epic and dramatic. It has characters so real you've probably met the people somewhere. It has a world as rich in depth and lore as the great classics, and it is the greatest adventure story you will ever experience.… Expand

This game is on of the very few that has actually made me feel something for the characters within it. With the humorous and believable voice acting of each character I don't think there is an adventure game anywhere that can match the depth of this one.

This must be the best game i've ever played, the game leaves you with so many unanswered questions and mysteries that you cant even stop thinking about them on your free time! Tumbs up peps!

Very good game, quite challenging.

Incredible. an amazing achievement. the best adventure game in Years.

Simply one of the best click-adventures ever. Everypart of it is a masterpiece, gameplay. graphics, music and the story is brilliant.

This game is the best adventure game to come out in a long while. The music, imagery, storytelling, puzzles and dialogue make this an incredible classic that stands the test of time.

The Longest Journey is an awesome game. The characters feels real and the story is one of the best ever. I love Dreamfall aswell so if you like this game you HAVE to try Dreamfall since its one of the best games ever.. doesn't beat HL2 or BG2 though. ;-)

First of all, for those that are wondering, a story and some great puzzles may drive those uninterested away from the game, but those that have been seeking a game that will wrap them up in a universe never before seen. this is a truly amazing game. Ever since Leisure Suit Larry stopped being fun and became more of a adult game, I have found nothing but contempt in my heart for adventure games, and then I stumbled on a game that looked promiceing, and looks sometimes are all it takes to make a game approachable, and after approaching this game, and finding that the conversations made since, I was completely wrapped up in a story that is still ongoing, and I still love this game 7 years after it's 2000 release. gameplay depth:10 visual art:10 fun-factor:9.8 real average:9.933333333333 rounded average:10… Expand

THE Greatest graphic adventure ever written. Some of the best graphic adventures have got 9.7 or 96% scores in magazines, so TLJ quite simply should have got 12.8 or 126% scores, because that's how far ahead of the competition it is!

Glad i bought it and certainly a stunnigly storyline , thats why i bought dreamfall too and not a second regret of those games.

The Longest Journey is the best game I've ever played. I can see that you all like the voice of Sarah, and I agree, but the Norwegian vioce of Synove Svaboe is SO much better, and the other vioces as well. The graphics were outstanding compared to the other 1999 games, and the story is the best there ever was. It's bound to become a movie sooner or later. I can't wait for the 20. of April, wich is the date that Dreamfall, the sequel, is supposed to be released.… Expand

Simply the best adventure game and story ever.

Sarah hamilton did a super job!

This game is amazing. Second only to Grim Fandango in my books.

The most wonderful story, with great characters and very well designed graphics. The sound effects and voiceovers are great. Sarah Hamilton who voiced April Ryan should be winning awards everywhere! Can't believe it won't be a book or film too eventually. The sum of the parts make more than the whole, so I would give this "event" a 12/10!

A truly outstanding game. This is one of my all-time favorites. Its has the best plot I have ever seen in a video game, in fact the plot of this game is stronger than most movies or novels. This game might not be technically perfect, but as a whole game and a work of art it is perfect.

Absolutely the best game I have ever played. Still waiting for part II. Adventure gamers will love this and hate for the story to end. Excellent! In three years I have yet to find one that equals LJ.

This has to be the best game ever!!!!!!!!! I love the cool graphics, and the amazing soundtrack not to mention the voice acting. The story line is soo cool as well. So what if there are a few swear words, and that some people talk for a while - it helps you get to know the characters more, and besides you can skip the long convos! Longest Journey rules!!!!

Man, this game is awesome...even after finishing it for the 4th time, i kinda feel like starting it all over again ;)... A well-deserved 10 for FunCom and for this baby...

If you're an adventure games fan you really should play this game. It's worth every minute.

I loved this game from the second I started playing it. All I can say is, it has charm - bucketloads of it. In retrospect, I think it is possibly the best game I have ever played. I am a big fan of dialogue in games, and TLJ is often criticised for this in the same way as Broken Sword and the like. Some sequences could have been a little shorter (I got particularly impatient during the directionless storytelling-species segment) - so, I guess for some people this will be too much. I have one thing to say: You want to go shoot things, there are plenty of thriving genres out there that allow you to do just that. You want to enjoy a *story*, you want a classic adventure game - and with The Longest Journey, that is what you undoubtedly get.… Expand

One of the best adventure games I have ever played, and certainly the best story in any game. I would recommend this game to anyone, and I just wish that all adventure games could be this good!

Visually stunning! Except for the characters. They don't look that great. Bad facial animations. LOTS AND LOTS OF DIALOGUE...just skip through it all and read the conversation log afterward, it goes faster. Not for the tender of ear, lots of cussing. Lots of nice mind bending puzzles. The music is rather nice too.. Fun game from Funcom, GOOD LUCK.

A storyteller's story. This was obviously written by someone who understands plot, characterization, and emotion. All of the intricate sub-stories, propecies and myths are fantastic. Most of all, the game hooks you from the Prologue and doesn't let go. When I finished the game, I felt like I'd just read a very emotionally satisfying novel. I just hope there's a sequel.

Boring, boring, boring! Endless, ongoing dialogues hold up the game too long, as well as the endless walks from one place to the other and back again. After chapter 4, I just couldn't stand it any more!

I have always loved adventure games and, when I heard about this one, I knew I had to have it. When I got it my jew literally dropped and I couldn't breath. The graphics took my breath away, the charcters took my heart away, and the storyline took my life away. I don't want any of it back either. I now have all my friends hooked and they are constantly asking for it! In fact, I would hardly rate it a ten, but a least a twenty. Best game I've played since FF9!!… Expand

This is the best game ever. It makes you think and solve problems. It's wonderful!!