The Long Reach

 Switch
The Long Reach Image
Metascore
58

Mixed or average reviews - based on 9 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
6.3

Mixed or average reviews- based on 24 Ratings

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  • Summary: The Long Reach is an adventure game filled with colourful characters, puzzles, and a shock of discovery. Wait, weren't we supposed to say, "joy of discovery?" That can't be right. The Long Reach takes place in New Hampshire, in the fictional town of Baervox. The game draws its inspirationThe Long Reach is an adventure game filled with colourful characters, puzzles, and a shock of discovery. Wait, weren't we supposed to say, "joy of discovery?" That can't be right. The Long Reach takes place in New Hampshire, in the fictional town of Baervox. The game draws its inspiration from Lone Survivor and The Cave and all the classical adventures (except that The Long Reach is set in the present day). You don't play in a post-apocalyptic world or explore a fairy-filled fantasy world. You're in the thick of it, just around the corner from the place where you buy your groceries. [Nintendo]… Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 9
  3. Negative: 1 out of 9
  1. IGN Spain
    Mar 13, 2018
    80
    A good debut from Painted Black Games with a personal and intimate work.
  2. Nintenderos
    Mar 23, 2018
    65
    The greatness of this game relies on its willfulness, trying to carry out a project full of tension, characteristic of the madness and the dilemmas of the science fiction genre. To accomplish that, they introduce insane characters, capable of causing real apprehension, especially accentuated by a good soundtrack. Sadly, all these great ideas fail to amaze us due to a simplistic level design and because it's deprived of terror.
  3. Nintendo Life
    Mar 14, 2018
    60
    A quirky 2D adventure with hints of psychological horror and some classic puzzles. Though its gameplay is riddled with glitches and its narrative full of flaws, The Long Reach keeps tempting you to peer around the next murky corner.
  4. Pocket Gamer UK
    Mar 19, 2018
    60
    Fans of classic point-and-click adventures will feel right at home here, but anyone else might find The Long Reach a little flat.
  5. Switch Player
    Apr 20, 2018
    60
    The Long Reach is a fantastic debut from developer Painted Black Games in terms of presentation, but its lacking story (or explanation thereof) and technical hiccups hold it back. If you fancy a short horror experience with sleek, pixel art visuals and classic point and click elements, it's worth giving it a try.
  6. Cubed3
    Mar 21, 2018
    50
    The Long Reach just barely misses the mark thanks to a painfully tone deaf script full of juvenile dialogue and puzzles that rely on process of elimination as much as actual thought-work. The general aesthetic of the world is appealing, with just well-crafted sprites, and the atmosphere is appropriately oppressive, but the overall story feels bound together by a script that can't decide between humour and tension.
  7. Digitally Downloaded
    Mar 22, 2018
    40
    I left the game feeling frustrated more than anything else. With arbitrary, esoteric puzzles and a wildly inconsistent tone exacerbated by technical issues, I found it hard to get sucked into the game’s atmosphere. The clever plot twists and unique setting were all but drowned out by errant jokes about office politics.

See all 9 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 14
  3. Negative: 3 out of 14
  1. Mason1969
    Oct 2, 2018
    10
    A good pixel art adventure game. Although the game was short-lived, personally I find the game as I would expect it from watching the trailer.A good pixel art adventure game. Although the game was short-lived, personally I find the game as I would expect it from watching the trailer. Highly recommended game just for playing on the side… Expand
  2. General_Tzu
    Sep 3, 2019
    10
    A messed up game with a messed up ending. I love it! The story line is bizarre and entertaining. I bought it on sale and wasn't disappointed.A messed up game with a messed up ending. I love it! The story line is bizarre and entertaining. I bought it on sale and wasn't disappointed. Probably only worth the playthrough once, but it was AWESOME!… Expand
  4. luckymasie
    Nov 14, 2019
    10
    I can not give this game enough praise. Amazing story, creative characters and well built puzzles are just the tip of the iceberg. The longI can not give this game enough praise. Amazing story, creative characters and well built puzzles are just the tip of the iceberg. The long reach will keep your attention from beginning to end, and is somber and scary at all the right places. I only noticed a single glitch during the hours I played it, and it was a minimal one. It has the unique quality of drawing you into the story, and is definitely a must-buy for anyone that enjoys point-and-click or horror games.… Expand
  5. mibuenzora
    Dec 9, 2019
    7
    A spooky and atmospheric adventure game with just the right amount of story and puzzles. If you're not into slow paced, cryptic sci-fiA spooky and atmospheric adventure game with just the right amount of story and puzzles. If you're not into slow paced, cryptic sci-fi storytelling, you probably won't like it. However, the excellent pixel art might by just enough to keep you hooked!… Expand
  6. HaikuReview
    Mar 21, 2018
    5
    .......
    Try hard dialogue
    No logic to most puzzles
    Spooky tedium
    ......
  7. jobythedog
    Aug 9, 2018
    5
    I came into this game knowing it had poor reviews. It was on sale for $5 and I decided to give it a shot since I was drawn in by its artI came into this game knowing it had poor reviews. It was on sale for $5 and I decided to give it a shot since I was drawn in by its art style, music and trailer for the game. For $15, I can't recommend this game. For $5...maybe. I would probably give this game a 4/10, but I think it deserves an extra point for being a debut game from Painted Black.

    I'd like to talk about the good, the bad, and the ugly in this game.

    The Good:
    - Great consistent art style with great lighting effects.
    - Music was fantastic during certain scenes and would give me goose bumps.
    - interesting story.
    - Genuine spooks from a pixel art game? You bet.

    The Bad:
    - Music could be better. Instead of songs looping back to themselves, they tend to have a hard stop and a restart. This makes you feel like you've been trying to solve a puzzle for longer than intended.
    - Anticlimactic death. This could be fixed by some screen shake, a change in music, and a more inspired death screen.
    - A few annoying bugs here and there, but nothing that would make the game unplayable.
    - Puzzles seemed to lack logic most of the time, but most of the challenge was wondering around trying to find objects to use. It's a bad feeling running around the entire area only to backtrack to see a very small object you missed.

    The Ugly:
    - As many have stated before, the dialogue is dreadful. I thought I could move past this since there wasn't any voice acting, but I found myself audibly yelling at the game to shut up.
    - Gameplay was tedious and boring. You have the ability to sprint, but you can't use it when looking for a new object to glow yellow since you're basically always looking for an object that glows yellow, and you can often miss it if you are running.

    Overall, I really wish I enjoyed The Long Reach more. This game has potential, but it is ruined by terrible dialogue, tedious gameplay, illogical puzzles and spotty sound design. The game is only saved from a completely negative review because of its pleasing art direction, some memorable music moments, interesting story and conclusion. I hope Painted Black Games can return with a game with a similar aesthetic, but better writing and gameplay.    … Expand
  8. BusinessCat
    Jan 2, 2019
    0
    Score: 0 - Would not play again. Would not recommend. Would talk someone else out of wasting their precious time.

    Gameplay style: This is    Score: 0 - Would not play again. Would not recommend. Would talk someone else out of wasting their precious time.

    Gameplay style: This is an exploration game where you walk left or right in long rooms and use doors to enter and explore other rooms. There are limited items to interact with and fetch-like puzzles.

    I've played games with this style before, and this one was easier to play in terms of finding the items and combining/using items. It helps that all the items you can interact with highlight.

    About 1-2 hours in i asked myself "wait, what is going on" because it wasn't 100% clear why people were losing their minds and how this incident spread and effected the entire planet, or if that was even real. It was unclear and it was never answered and the game ends suddenly.

    Even though it was easy to play, the story drags this down all the way. In a world with so many games and so little time, put your time somewhere else.    … Expand

See all 14 User Reviews

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