The Longest Journey (video game)
A point-and-click adventure spanning science and magic worlds.
The Longest Journey is a point-and-click adventure game from Funcom, first released for Windows in November 1999, with an iOS version arriving on October 28, 2014. Players take on the role of a young art student from Earth who is pulled into a situation where she learns about a parallel world filled with magic, and how a fragile separation between the two worlds is falling into disorder. The game blends science fiction with high fantasy in its setting. It was praised for its main character and intricate story, though critics had concerns about the puzzle design. Commercially, it sold over half a million copies by 2004, and later led to two sequels: *Dreamfall: The Longest Journey* in 2006, and *Dreamfall Chapters*, an episodic sequel released between 2014 and 2016.
**Gameplay** The game is a third-person point-and-click adventure divided into chapters. The protagonist, April Ryan, must complete tasks to move the story forward, such as talking to characters and solving puzzles. Conversations include extensive recorded dialogue, most of which is optional but adds background to characters, locations, and lore. Controls differ by platform: on PC, players use a mouse to guide April and interact with the environment via a cursor that changes to show possible actions; on iOS, players use a touch-screen. Icons indicate actions—an Eye for examining, a Mouth for talking or consuming, and a Hand for using or picking up objects. On PC, the default cursor is an arrow, turning red to mark exits and light blue for objects with multiple actions. A map screen sometimes allows travel between major locations, with new places added as the story reveals them. Puzzles often include subtle clues found in locations and NPC conversations. Items go into an inventory, where they can be used or combined; such items flash when near the correct object. Some items trigger a close-up view, letting players search for specific parts (like a hidden object inside another). The menu includes options for saving/loading, reviewing April’s diary for key moments, changing settings, and quitting.
**Plot**
**Setting** The story takes place across two parallel worlds formed from a divided Earth. One, Stark, is driven by science and logic; the other, Arcadia, is governed by magic and inhabited by magical races and creatures.
Quick Facts
- Title
- The Longest Journey
- Developer
- Funcom
- Publisher
- NOR · IQ Media Nordic · UK · Empire Interactive · NA · Tri Synergy
- Producer
- Ragnar Tørnquist
- Designer
- Didrik Tollefsen / Ragnar Tørnquist
- Programmer
- Morten Lode / Audun Tørnquist
- Artist
- Didrik Tollefsen
- Composer
- Bjørn Arve Lagim
- Platforms
- Microsoft Windows, iOS
- Released
- Windows / NOR · November 18, 1999 · UK · April 20, 2000 · NA · November 17, 2000iOS / AUS · October 28, 2014 · WW · November 25, 2014
- Genre
- Point-and-click adventure
- Modes
- Single-player
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The Longest Journey takes place across two parallel worlds formed from the division of Earth: Stark, a world driven by science and logic, and Arcadia, a world governed by magic. Before their creation, Earth was home to both science and magic, which coexisted until abused by humans. The Draic Kin, an alien race resembling dragons, devised a plan to separate the two powers, requiring a single human to become a Guardian—a divine being who would live for a thousand years and keep the worlds separate. This division is called the Balance, protected by twelve humans known as the Sentinel, six in each world.
Stark is set in the year 2209 and features science fiction elements such as mega-corporations, hovercars, and space travel. Arcadia is depicted with high fantasy elements, including magical races and creatures. The story follows April Ryan, an art student in Newport, who experiences odd dreams and is sent through a portal to Arcadia by Manny Cortez. There, she learns she is a Shifter—someone with the power to move between worlds—and must find the second disc, information on the rogue Vanguard group, and the entrance to the Guardian's realm to prevent chaos.
The game is played from a third-person perspective across chapters, with players using a mouse on PC or touch-screen on iOS to interact with the environment. Icons indicate actions such as examining, talking, or using objects. Puzzles often include subtle clues found in locations and NPC conversations. Items are held in an inventory and can be combined or used on highlighted objects.
Reader's Guide
The Longest Journey was a commercial success, selling over 500,000 units by 2004. It received praise for its protagonist and complex storyline, though critics raised issues with the puzzles. The game later spawned two sequels: Dreamfall: The Longest Journey in 2006, and Dreamfall Chapters, an episodic sequel released over two years between 2014 and 2016. An iOS version was developed and released on October 28, 2014. The game's mixture of science fiction and high fantasy elements, along with its expansive dialogue and lore, contributed to its lasting recognition in the adventure game genre.
Did You Know?
- The game was developed by Funcom and released on Microsoft Windows in November 1999.
- An iOS version was released on October 28, 2014.
- The game sold over 500,000 units by 2004.
- The story features two parallel worlds: Stark (science) and Arcadia (magic).
More in Adventure Games of the 1990s 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced