| Developer | Broken Rules |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Broken Rules |
| Modes | Single-player, multiplayer |
| Director | Felix Bohatsch, Clemens Scott |
| Artist | Clemens Scott, Brian Main, Lip Comarella |
| Programmer | Jan Hackl, Stefan Kernjak |
| Composer | scntfc |
| Engine | Unity |
| Platforms | Android, iOS, macOS, Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One |
| Released |
|
Old Man's Journey is an adventure video game[1] developed and published by Broken Rules. The game was released for Android, iOS, macOS and Windows in 2017,[2] the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 in 2018 and the Xbox One in 2019.
The game follows the trip of an old man, who starts to travel after receiving a letter containing some news. Throughout the game, some semi-still flashbacks explain the past life of the man.
Gameplay
The player controls an old man using the mouse, clicking where they want him to move (tapping on mobile). To allow the character to progress, the player must click and drag hillocks (swipe on mobile) to modify the landscape, adjusting their height - except where the man is standing - within a certain limit. When the edges of the hillocks fit, the old man may then pass from one to the other - even if one is in the foreground and the other is in the background. Sometimes, additional items are part of the puzzles (such as sheep), which must be moved to let the old man pass. The old man conducts his journey on foot for the most part, but other means of transport are sometimes used. In this case, the player may need to solve some environmental puzzles to allow them to progress. At times, the old man will sit down to rest, and the player must find an item in the scenery that will trigger a memory in him, initiating a flashback and allowing the player to progress. Much of the old man's story is told through these flashbacks, which consist of short, single-shot animations (such as a man looking at a house in the rain) and eschew dialogue altogether.
Reception
The game received "generally favorable" reviews, according to Metacritic, a video game review aggregator.[3][4]
Accolades
| Year | Awards | Category | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Bolognaragazzi | Digital Award | ||
| 2018 | Emotional Games Award | Best Artistic Achievement | ||
| 2018 | Game Developers Choice Awards | Best Mobile Game | ||
| 2018 | Google Indie Games Contest | |||
| 2018 | Google Indie Games Contest | Unity Award | ||
| 2018 | Taipei Game Show | Best Visual Arts | ||
| 2018 | Taipei Game Show | Grand Prix | ||
| 2017 | The Game Awards 2017 | Best Mobile Game | [5] | |
| 2017 | Apple iPad Game of the Year | |||
| 2017 | Apple Design Awards | |||
| 2017 | IGN Best of 2017 | Best Mobile game | ||
| 2017 | AzPlay | Best Visual Art | ||
| 2017 | Busan Indie Connect Festival | Excellence in Art | ||
| 2017 | BIG Festival | Best Art Award | ||
| 2017 | BIG Festival | Innovation Award | ||
| 2017 | Golden Joystick Awards | Mobile Game of the Year | ||
| 2017 | Independent Games Festival | Excellence in Visual Arts | ||
| 2017 | Indie Plus Awards | |||
| 2017 | Sense of Wonder Night | Best Art | ||
| 2017 | TapTap Game Awards | Best Audio | ||
| 2017 | TapTap Game Awards | Best Indie Game | ||
| 2017 | TapTap Game Awards | Best Narrative | ||
| 2017 | TapTap Game Awards | Best Visual Art | ||
| 2016 | IndieCade Europe | Media Choice Award | [6] |
References
- ^ Renaudin, Clement (8 February 2017). "Old Man's Journey is a whimsical puzzle adventure game coming this year to mobile, first gameplay revealed". Pocket Gamer. Archived 14 June 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
- ^ Campbell, Colin (18 May 2017). "Old Man's Journey review". Polygon. Archived 5 October 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
- ^ "Old Man's Journey for iPhone/iPad Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived 14 July 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
- ^ "Old Man's Journey for PC Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
- ^ Makuch, Eddie (7 December 2017). "All The 2017 Game Awards Winners Revealed". GameSpot. Archived 8 December 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
- ^ "IndieCade Europe 2016 Recap | IndieCade - International Festival of Independent Games". www.indiecade.com. Archived from the original on 8 March 2018. Retrieved 7 March 2018.
Further reading
- Donlan, Christian (19 May 2017). "Old Man's Journey review". Eurogamer. Archived 9 June 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
- Warr, Philippa (18 May 2017). "Wot I Think: Old Man's Journey". Rock, Paper, Shotgun. Archived 19 May 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
- Werner, Jillian (18 May 2017). "Old Man's Journey Review: Beyond the Sea". Gamezebo. Archived 25 June 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 9 June 2017.