It could have been a great balance between a movie and a video game. But in the reality, it wasn’t exactly it.
An unedited movie
The Longest Journey just felt like an unedited movie. It killed the rhythm of the story. Dialogues were long and could often have been reduced to half or even third of their length and the unchanging camera angles didn’t help you keeping concerned by what characters were saying nor did the limited animation. But thanks, there were the subtitles to keep your interest focused. Thought, those long dialogues often lead to an overdose of information forcing the player to click again and again, to be sure he didn’t miss something, rather than just to try to know more. The exploration was nice too, but there were so many things to explore that it was overwhelming. Although, this got better at the end.
Illogical puzzles
The puzzles were often illogical. I finally got impatient at the end of the second chapter and started using a walk-through. I felt solving the puzzles was more of a question on how lucky you were clicking everywhere rather than how cunning you were. And I didn’t felt like spending three weeks clicking everywhere just for the sake of it.
A great balance between the ordinary and the extraordinary
On a more positive note, there were parts of the story that really got me hooked, especially those in Shark. Sometimes, it really got intriguing. There was mystery, humor… and it had a balance between the extraordinary and the ordinary that other games don't have in general; or they are about superheroes, which don't sleep, don't eat and fight day after day, or they are about people and friends and daily life. In The Longest Journey, one minute, April was saving the world, and then, she went back for an evening to her normal life and had to deal with her friends and her parents. Day after day, she walked in the same environment and she developed day-to-day relationships with her peers. I thought this was the strength of the game, rather than the missions in Arcadia. I also liked how the missions were written in the form of a diary. She did know how to interpret the events going on! Also, I think this was the first video game I tried where the main character traveled in metro! And there were memorable characters in the game, the captain was the best! He knew sarcasm all right!
But too bad the game crashed so often. It really decreased the experience fighting to get the dialogue skipped for the third time.
A loooooong journey
So, The Longest Journey really was a way too loooooooong journey. It let me a bit on my hunger. The ending was fishy. Though, I liked the book of secrets. As for the story, I enjoyed parts of it, especially those related to family and friends. The puzzles bored me and so did long stories about Arcadia. But I found interesting the dept they tried to give it (real stories written in books... just for the sake of it!).
I may redo the game once, but not three or four times. It's a nice story, but it's far from being the most memorable one. The music was okay, but this too wasn't what will strike me for the rest of my life. I already forgot it. (Though, I remember the wanna-be stressful one when there is "danger" and the enemies are waiting for you to think of what to do next). Ah. No, I definitely prefer RPG. And if this is one of the best adventure games... I am not sure I want so much try the others. But still, I might try Dreamfall one day, by curiosity.
Thanks anyway for the journey, April Ryan!