The Longest Journey is a magical realist point-and-click adventure game. The game was developed by Funcom, a Norwegian studio known for massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) like Anarchy Online and Age of Conan. It was first released for Microsoft Windows on November 18, 1999 in Norway. The Longest Journey was released for the United Kingdom and North America a year later. The game takes inspiration from several pieces of iconic media including Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman and Books of Magic, Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers, Swamp Thing, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
The game received not only positive reviews, but universal acclaim. The protagonist, April Ryan, is considered one of the most memorable female characters in the history of adventure games. Critics also love The Longest Journey for its high production value, obscure puzzles, and its both magical and mature story. It also won several awards like Best Computer Adventure Game of 2000 by Computer Gaming World and GameSpot.
The Longest Journey Premise
The Longest Journey takes place in two parallel universes, the magical Arcadia and the sci-fi, industrial Stark. Between these two worlds, there is an ancient Balance. This Balance ensures the harmony between the two twin worlds. But now, Chaos threatens to tip the scales and bring nightmares to life. The Guardian of Balance has abandoned his thrown and an evil storm is coming. The fate of these two worlds lies in the hands of one person, April Ryan.
This game is an adventure game with no guns, no explosives, and none of your traditional weapons. Your greatest weapon is your mind. The Longest Journey is about solving complex puzzles, exploring new worlds, and saving the worlds. Since the game is a point-and-click adventure, gameplay mainly involves players interacting with objects to solve these puzzles and advance the story.
The Longest Journey Main Character
Players follow the journey of April Ryan, an 18-year-old art student who attends the Venice Academy of the Visual Arts and lives in Stark. This young adult also happens to be a Shifter, a person who can move between the two separate worlds. As a Shifter, it is up to her to restore the Balance. But Arcadia and the reality of magic is all new to April, so the players learn along side her.
The Longest Journey Series
The Longest Journey is the first installment in this magical story. However the follow-up games are not direct sequels but more of a spin-off. They revolved around new protagonist and new storylines. But if you are interested in the full series, check out the list below.
- The Longest Journey (1999)
- Dreamfall: The Longest Journey (2006)
- Dreamfall Chapters (2014)
There was also a possible direct sequel to The Longest Journey called The Longest Journey Home, but unfortunately the crowdfunding goal was not met.
The Longest Journey Cheat Codes
Unfortunately for players on all platforms, The Longest Journey does not have any cheat codes or cheat trainers. Point-and-click games have little need for cheat codes and cheats since there are no traditional combat, no weapons, and no need for super jumps.
The Longest Journey Cheat Code FAQ
Does The Longest Journey have any cheat codes?
No, The Longest Journey does not have any cheats, codes, or cheat trainers. They are unnecessary for games that focus on narrative choices and have no combat gameplay.