Отзывы

• gamedeal user

  Sep 28, 2021

  I don't know how to describe this game. It's an oddball FPS that feels like a nightmare spiritual successor to Forbidden Forest. It feels like it comes from another time but not in an affected 'retro' way. It's surprisingly expansive and strange and I love the gnarly, damp atmosphere that leeches from every scene!
• gamedeal user

  Oct 19, 2021

  I randomly saw one of my favorite Twitch streamers playing this and had to stop the stream like 20 minutes in so I could immediately purchase the game for myself. This thing has atmosphere locked down. Sports a creepy, surreal vibe. Not like horror, but more like old folklore/fairytale-bizarre characters and story beats. It’s unsettling but at the same time curiously engaging where you want to inhabit the world to see where everything goes next. An interesting balance. Gameplay feels great where it’s equal measures walking sim with combat and enemy/boss encounters (kinda like Elder Scrolls I guess?). Movement speed is surprisingly hyper-fast and feels great, esp. when you toggle the sprint button (though it’s not an action game). I think it’s cause the maps are so big. Also has those Dark Souls path unlocks where areas loop back into themselves creating shortcuts for easy back & forth traversal. Lots of biome diversity where each new map introduces fresh new themes with a common Nordic wilderness through line. With little handholding, the dev trusts the player to figure things out on their own. You're given a journal with generalized goals, but there's zero quest markers leading you by the nose from Point A to Point B. A refreshing break from the icon-laden maps of modern game design. The entire production is made by one guy out of Norway. Music, art, coding. Everything. And it’s only $12. Feels like an absolute steal at the asking price. Just keep in mind that as it's a one-man production it's a bit crusty around the edges. Everything fits together and works just fine, only don't go in expecting TLOU2 production values. I personally find this approach to game design endearing as hell. What I love about solo dev projects is that it's the undistilled vision of a single mind without compromise. A window into the creativity of a single person that isn't muddied by dozens of other voices in the room. It feels so pure and refreshing. I'm just amazed of the sheer scope of this project with all the above taken into consideration. Easily going down as one of my surprise hits of the year.
• gamedeal user

  Oct 27, 2021

  I haven't finished Northern Journey yet, but I want to write a review to help it start climbing its way through the Steam algorithm, because more people need to play this weird, beautiful, fascinating game. Best way to describe it would be... umm... well, an FPS with light metroidvania elements maybe? That doesn't really do it justice though. There's nothing else like Northern Journey. You explore massive extremely vertical levels, fight lots of strange animals with assorted primitive weaponry, talk with some friendly NPCs who channel the spirit of Pathologic dialogue in the best way, and encounter all sorts of other surprises along the way that I'm not going to spoil. All while listening to an awesome soundtrack. Is it the most polished game on Steam? No. It definitely has rough edges and plenty of those quirks that we tend to collect under the "jank" umbrella. But I mean... that's also part of the appeal. Right now this is a hidden gem. I hope in the coming months it will become less hidden.
• gamedeal user

  Nov 5, 2021

  Northern Journey is an immensely charming albeit rough adventure through a gorgeous, mystical land. From the beautiful falls of Deadwell to the murky Nokkpond and the rotten Sourwood, the world of Northern Journey is full of whimsical characters, enemies, atmosphere and music. Combat is an active element - sporting various weaponry like slings, bows, crossbows, spears and axes. The actual fighting can be a little janky, particularly in the later areas when the terrain becomes quite rugged and full of instant death falls. Still, the sights are well worth seeing and the experience constantly finds new ways to surprise you. There is a *lot* here to love. I also would be remiss to mention that the vast majority of the bestiary are arachnids and other horrific insects, so if you have arachnophobia or entomophobia, you may want to look elsewhere.
• gamedeal user

  Dec 8, 2021

  An astounding piece of work from a single, passionate developer, and my favourite game of 2021. I learned about it purely by chance, through a passing recommendation on Twitter. The imagination and vision shown in this game is refreshing, the breadth of scenery, the massive scope of the game absolutely astounded me at times. And the title is perfect. You really do feel like you’re going on a journey, through different landscapes, different adventures, with incredible sights along the way. What kind of game is Northern Journey? It’s not really an RPG because you’re not managing your inventory and upgrading your character or gear, but it still feels like one. In fact it reminds me of Morrowind the most, that sense of exploring strange, almost alien landscapes full of odd creatures. The mythology here, though, feels unique. It’s openly described as Norwegian, but it feels unfamiliar. It has gothic darkness and an inescapable sense that monsters lurk in every dark shadow. This is mostly a game of exploration, and what a place to explore. There is a stark beauty to the outdoor areas, almost photoreal in many places – I took 137 screenshots during the game, to give you some idea. It's also vast and incredibly vertical. You'll be climbing almost sheer cliff faces, looking down at yawning chasms, balancing along narrow wooden beams that some fool bolted to the side of a cliff face. I suffer from vertigo in games quite often, but strangely this didn't really trigger it. At times it almost has a Dear Esther vibe, the developer is absolutely not afraid to offer long stretches of nothing but beautiful natural scenery, the only challenge being to traverse it. How one dev made all this boggles my mind. Characters you meet, whether friend or foe (and yes reader, there are plenty of foes) are quite the opposite; low-poly, angular, often quite ugly. It has the effect of making them very unsettling indeed, which matches the tone of the game. You don’t feel like you can really trust anyone, and – well – you shouldn’t. Dialog is often terse and standoffish, as though your presence is neither welcome nor appreciated. It’s really part of the feel of the game. Although this is a game of exploration, combat certainly plays a big role. You’ll often encounter groups of creatures intent on nothing but beating you up. You’re assisted by a number of weapons to fight them off. There is no melee here, every weapon relies on range combat, and learning to hit things in the distance becomes a useful skill. Your enemies, on the other hand, have no problem getting in your face, and combat varies from picking things off at a distance to staying one step ahead of ravenous groups. Let’s be clear, this is not Doom Eternal. Combat is slightly awkward, and if you try to stand your ground you’ll often die horribly. There are boss fights as well, the good kind that seem insurmountable at first but once you figure out the best approach end up being quite manageable. This is no Dark Souls, but it's no walkover either. The enemies themselves are both numerous and diverse. But fair warning: if you’re an arachnophobe, you might want to reconsider this game! The developer has lovingly modelled all manner of arachnids and insects in an unsettlingly realistic way! You will know fear when being attacked by giant, blood-sucking ticks that drop from the trees. The developer mentioned somewhere that this was partially inspired by the critters in his basement, so I only hope he makes enough money from this game to rent a better place to live! I could wax lyrical about this game for much longer, how every area seems to have its own theme or gameplay mechanic, how interconnected everything is, how you're constantly going "Oh wow!" every few minutes (although maybe that was just me) but I’m sure you all have lives to lead. Northern Journey is one of those rare games that make me glad people still make games like this, an ambitious project that won't appeal to everyone partly because it's full of imagination and passion. It almost feels too good, and the developer is far too generous selling it at such a low price! If there was any justice this would be an indie GOTY contender for 2021 for sure, but even if the masses don’t discover or appreciate it, know that some of us certainly did.
• gamedeal user

  Jan 15, 2022

  take: -the low poly but monumental level design of a Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II -the grimy, inexplicably atmospheric eurojank of a Pathologic 1 -the music of an LSD fueled 1970s renaissance fair -Norway mix well
• gamedeal user

  Jan 21, 2022

  I'm quite sure this is probably the most unique game I have in my 1000+ Steam library. I liked the game so much that I interviewed the developer, Slid Studio, about the creation of the Northern Journey! Check it out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buA49oOboNA This is a game of antagonistic characteristics: - Bittersweet - Atmospheric and chaotic - Slow and fast-paced - Beautiful and ugly - Haunting and welcoming I still haven't finished it yet, but I had to review it, it's one of the most unique games I played (so far). It also has a unique setting, unique atmosphere and you can see and feel how handcrafted the environments are. Varied amount of weapons, encounters and enemies - a lot of creativity has been put into this aspect. This is such a delightful game. I discovered the game via the developer's one-man journey devlog. I recommend you to check him out on YouTube too!
• gamedeal user

  Feb 21, 2022

  Go get lost in the woods and die in a ditch somewhere. Don't forget to fullscreen at your preferable resolution. In other words, gorgeous view ahead!
• gamedeal user

  Apr 5, 2022

  Northern Journey is a real hidden gem of a game. I have yet to play anything else quite like it. It can most basically be described as a first person shooter and adventure game, but that doesn't quite give an accurate presentation of its qualities. To give a summation of the game, you are a lost, lone traveler who gets his boat sunk in a mysterious river valley. Shortly after, you meet a strange flute player who makes a deal to help you out if you help him retrieve three lost devices of his. What follows is a weird, and often creepy, journey that takes you farther and farther north as you navigate dangerous terrain, fight off all sorts of creatures, and search for the locations of these devices. Much like Half-Life, the game is experienced from an unbroken first person perspective. It plays like a first person shooter, but the way it handles weapons is novel. You get no guns. Instead, your weapons are slower projectile weapons like a sling, a bow, throwing spears, and the occasional magic weapon. This is emphasized with the fact that the targeting cursor is an arced line, rather than a centered point or area, with different points on the line corresponding to different target distances. The further the target, the further down the line you aim. Some weapons, like the sling and bow, take time to ready before each shot, while others can be fired immediately but take a good few seconds to reload. This makes the combat much more deliberate, as you have to put more thought into where you're aiming as well as when you can actually take a shot. As far as the level design goes, exploration is the main tenant here. The game takes place in one large, interconnected world, divided into several separate maps. Most of the maps aren't huge, but they are very dense in pathways and areas to explore. And you want to explore those areas, as the only way to gain ammo and health is to find it. Health can come in the form of immediate use pickups, or in potions you can save for later. You can also find health and capacity upgrades throughout the game to make your life a bit easier. All of these maps are interestingly crafted and rich in atmosphere. Every section feels new and unique, there's no padding or repetition to really speak of. Atmosphere is definitely the game's biggest strength. While the world isn't exactly bright and joyous, it also isn't dreadful and depressing. It straddles a fine line of surrealism, where you're entrenched deep in Norwegian folklore and mythology. This isn't to say the game doesn't get outright spooky and unnerving at times. While I wouldn't call it a horror game, there are sections that are definitely horror-adjacent. Those with serious fears of arachnids and/or deep water should avoid playing this. Many of the enemies are some variety of big arthropod with many legs, and there is a small number of instances where you must explore deep, dark water while possibly under threat. Where the game stumbles is when it emphasizes the combat. There are moments where you must fight hoards of enemies in almost Serious Sam-like encounters. These don't really mesh well with the style of weapons available, and thus they turn into tedious slogs that last longer than they really should. Certain boss fights are also rather punishing. However, these moments make up a small part of the game. Overall, this is a unique, fantastic, underrated game that I heartily recommend to those that enjoy exploring strange worlds.
• gamedeal user

  May 1, 2022

  I have been using Steam since around 2008 and this is my first ever review, I guess that says a lot about Northern Journey. As a hobbyist developer myself, I have never played a game before that has made me so excited about what I do. Northern Journey is such a clear passion project that it overshadows the games annoyances and shortcomings (and it does certainly have its frustrations) and by the end of the game you really feel like you have a solid understanding of the developers own interests and passions. It feels like an intimate experience, if that makes sense. Its not a game for everyone, but in particular if you are a solo game dev, I think Northern Journey will be as helpful to your own personal game development journey, as it will be exciting and inspiring.