Coming at a time when adventure games had slid a long way from their lofty peak in the mid-90s, The Longest Journey is one of those strange series in which each title is critically acclaimed, but then swiftly forgotten. Recently however, a revived interest in the game triggered the original to be re-released on iOS, and a Kickstarter campaign to fund a new, episode-based game in the series. The Longest Journey's lack of prestige deceives the fact that it's of the greatest adventure games of all time. It revolving around April Ryan, the 18-year-old art student who also happens to possess the unique gift of being able to move between different dimensions. April's a modest character whose life story is poignant and relatable, which is perhaps why she's lauded as one of the great female characters in video-games. Alongside the world-saving main story, April faces the kind of challenges we all go through at 18 years old - fragile friendships, the taboo of virginity, uncertainty about what the hell we want to do with our lives. She's a cult icon of a different sort. She doesn't kick up a frenzy of cleavage-filled fan art, spin-off games and YouTube tributes, but is quietly admired by gamers for her humanity, which is honest to a degree almost never seen in other games.
Gamer, Researcher of strange things.
I'm a writer-editor hybrid whose writings on video games, technology and movies can be found across the internet. I've even ventured into the realm of current affairs on occasion but, unable to face reality, have retreated into expatiating on things on screens instead.
