The Longest Journey

The Longest Journey is an adventure game where the player controls the actions of the protagonist April Ryan, an 18-year old art student of VAVA (Venice Academy of the Visual Arts), in her journey to restore the Balance of the worlds. It is a point-and-click game where players will spend most of their time listening to the monologues/dialogues of the characters, solving the simple to complex puzzles that the game offers and adventuring in the worlds Stark, Arcadia and even elsewhere.

The goal of the game is restore the Balance of magic and science between the two worlds, Stark a world of science and technology, reason and logic, and Arcadia the world of magic. The two worlds are connected with one another only by dreams. People from Stark can only dream about Arcadia and vice versa. The imbalance occurred because the keeper of the balance, the Guardian, is to be replaced. The problem with the imbalance is that it causes the two worlds to collide even without the dreams, which causes chaos in both worlds. The destiny of April is to fix this problem and so we have a game.
The role of April is equivalent to the Matrix’s Neo as in she is also “The One” who will fulfill the prophecies and save everyone from harm’s way.

The graphics, well, it is so 1999. That’s all. The pre-rendered cinematics are so 1999, too.

The sounds are great. The quality of the voice acting is superb. The music is good too but mostly foreshadowed by speech. I did hear some nice ones particularly in the scenes in jungles and ending sequences of the game because those are the parts of the game when April may be quiet for sufficiently long periods in order for me to hear the ambient sounds and music. Moreover, the narrations of the stories are just enjoyable especially The Tale of the Stars narrated by Sa'ena, the little Alatien girl.

While playing, getting clueless as to what to do next is very common. There are some puzzles that are just plain annoying to play out so I used hints from the official website to solve them. In chapter 2, there is this sequence where the player has to unlock a fuse box in order to progress. The funny thing is that the key that unlocks this fuse box is lying on a rail road from miles away.

This is the location of the rail road that has the key


This is where the key is obtained


This is the site where you will use it


The fuse box, miles away


Why on earth is the key that you get from a train station rail going to open something miles away? What’s more is that the player has to use the combination of a rubber ducky, a clothesline and a clamp in order to obtain it. It is nonsensical. Another thing worth noting is the fact that that scene happened in Stark, the world of science and technology, of pure logic and reason.

Playing this game is similar to reading a good book. Both have their good parts and, of course, to keep the balance, dragging parts. In addition to those, they have those words that I never use, thus building my vocabulary. Like bollocks (lol), capisce, obtuse, abode, philistine, subterfuge, etc.

Even with all its downsides, the fact of the matter is that it is fun to play. Again, similar to a good book where the reader just wants to keep reading, the player will just want to keep playing to know what happens next.
Because of its nice pace, it is relaxing unlike FPS or RTS games. It is playable even after long hours of work.

This is a long and solid game. I spent around 40 hours of gaming time for this and it is totally worth it.

Approaching the end


Some lines from the game:
Vestrum Tobias: In your world, in Stark, there is no room for magic. That is, and has always been the curse of science, the fallibility of logic and order. They leave no room for the imagination. If it does not fit into the narrow perception of the laws of nature that your world adheres to, it's a fairy tale. But then, magic has its downsides too. It's unpredictable. It invites chaos in a way that science alone never could.

April: I need some information.
Burns Flipper: So visit the fucking library. Or go bother the Oracle, or whatever. The Flipper can't help you.

The Tale of Homecoming

This is the Tale of Homecoming, my Tale, and I shall tell it in my own words, as told to me by my teacher, in her words, and by her teacher in turn.

Moran was a handsome young Alatien man with strong wings and a hardy beak. He lived below the white cliffs, where the water was salty and the fish plentiful. Moran was betrothed to Anara, the loveliest girl there ever was. She was fair, and slender, and tall, and her eyes were the clearest shade of blue.

But Moran was hesitant to enter into union with Anara, to become her husband and to give her children. He would always come up with a new excuse for why they had to wait a little while longer. Now, Anara was skilled at pottery, but even more so with stories, and the Teller of the village had many times asked Anara to be her apprentice, to learn all the Tales so that some day she could take over as the Teller. But Anara refused, knowing that if she did accept the Teller's offer, she would never be able to marry Moran, because a Teller cannot have a husband nor children of her own. Her refusal to become the Teller's apprentice was unheard of, because who could refuse such an honor? But to Anara, love was more important. Her love for Moran was beyond honor, beyond reason. But despite Anara's love, Moran was still hesitant.

And then one day he told Anara, "I am traveling on a pilgrimage to the far shores. I will be gone for some time, and while I am traveling... and in accordance with our traditions, I will be freed from our betrothal. Not until I come back will the bond between us be renewed." It was not unusual for a young Alatien man at that time to go on a pilgrimage, and the bond between the betrothed would often be cut while he was away, to be formed again upon his return. But Anara was heartbroken, because she had thought that Moran would soon want to marry her. When Moran saw her tears, he said to her, "Do not weep. When I come back, I promise I will marry you. Just wait for me, and stay with your pots, to make the time pass quickly." And then Moran left on his pilgrimage to the far shores.

Many years went by, and Moran had exciting adventures on the far shores, but by and by, he began to long for home, and for Anara, and now he had finally realized that he loved her, and that he wanted to marry her. But when he returned, he could not find Anara amongst the pot makers. He went to visit her family, and they told him that, after waiting for many years, Anara accepted the Teller's offer of apprenticeship... and that when the Teller left on the last wind during the previous winter, Anara herself became the new Teller.

Angry, Moran made his way to the Teller's nest, and when he saw Anara he said to her, "You promised me you would wait!". But Anara did not say a single word in answer. She just turned around... and lifted something wrapped in leaves from the cot behind her, and gave it to Moran. Moran unwrapped the package, and inside, he found an old pot, cracked and broken in two.

"What is this pot?" he asked. "And why did you not wait for me like I asked you to?"

And finally, Anara spoke, and she said to Moran, "I made this pot for you, my dear Moran, when you left... because I wanted it to be my marriage gift to you. But when many, many years passed, I finally realized that you did not love me the way I loved you, and to live hoping otherwise would be death."

"But I want to marry you!" cried Moran. "I came back!"

But Anara just nodded at the broken pot in Moran's hands, and said, "Like an old pot that is left without care, a heart may break in two..."

And so Anara turned away, never to speak with Moran again. And Moran's heart, like the pot that was left untended, broke in two, because absence makes a heart brittle... and a broken heart can never be mended.

This was the Tale of Homecoming, my Tale, and I told it in my own words, as told to me by my teacher, and as I will tell it to my student when the time comes.

-Neema, The Longest Journey

The Tale of Sea

This was a very, very long time ago, when the Alatien were a strong people, and we could spend days riding the hot winds above the seas. We hunted fish, then, and we were at war with the Maerum... the Wettails.

Akalas was admired by everyone in his clan, and because of this, he was cocky, and arrogant. Akalas was one of the strongest warriors there was -- his claws were sharp and long, his beak pointy, and his teeth strong. So one day, the Teller of Akalas' city asked him to perform a very important, and very special duty -- to bring a sacred jewel to the Teller of an Alatien town across the sea. This particular jewel was very important because it signified a union between the two towns, and it would benefit the people of both that it was delivered safely, and promptly. Akalas grinned, and told the Teller that he would deliver the jewel both quickly and safely, and that she was not to worry. But the Teller did worry, because Akalas was young, and too sure of himself.

So Akalas set out across the sea on his flight. It was on the fourth day that he spotted something in the water that caught his attention, and forgetting his duty, and following his curiosity.. ...Akalas dived towards the water to investigate. When he came closer, he saw that there were Maerum in the water, foolishly hunting close to the surface, and Akalas saw an opportunity to again prove his might... as a great warrior to his people, and to capture the fins of a few Wettails.

But this time, Akalas' arrogance got the better of him, because the Maerum had set a trap! As he dived towards the Maerum with his claws, a spear shot up from the water to hit him. Akalas struck the water, and dropped the jewel he was carrying, and it was all he could do not to drown. Akalas was bleeding, and the Maerum were grabbing on to his wings and his legs, but he fought bravely, and finally he managed to escape. But even though he now lived, he was dead inside... because the shame of losing the sacred jewel would always be with him. Akalas could not return to his village, because he had neglected his duty to his Teller and to his people, and so he went away to a small island where he could be alone. To himself and his people, Akalas now became the Lost One, he who had been on a sacred mission, but had failed in his arrogance.

A year passed, and one day Akalas met with human traders from a ship that came close to his island. From the traders, Akalas heard speak of a hideous creature that lived in the sea -- the Octa'wo. The Octa'wo was said to have a third eye, like a jewel, and that this eye pulled hapless sailors into its deadly eight-armed grasp. Akalas knew immediately that the Octa'wo's third eye had to be the jewel that he lost in the sea a year ago, and he now saw the opportunity to redeem himself. But Alatien were not used to water, and the thought of submerging himself in the cold, harsh ocean chilled Akalas to his heart. But he was the Lost One, and if, in his death, he could at the very least redeem himself... to his own heart, then it would be worth it. So Akalas fashioned himself a spear, because in the water his claws and his beak would be too slow, and he flew out to where the Octa'wo was last seen... and then Akalas dived into the sea.

The dark water closed in on him, and his wings and legs went numb, but still Akalas kept pushing down until he saw the lair of the Octa'wo. Spotting Akalas, the Octa'wo attacked, and Akalas saw the monster's third eye, his sacred jewel, shining bright in the darkness, and his heart was filled with a sense of duty and courage that he had never felt before. But as he began fighting the eight-armed monster, Akalas realized that, if he were to fight like he usually did, he would not stand a chance. He would have to think differently. And so Akalas tricked the Octa'wo into following him through a tight chasm, where the monster got stuck, and then he swam above it, and using his spear, tipped a rock on top of the Octa'wo. Swimming back down again, the Octa'wo was flailing helplessly. Now, almost out of air, Akalas took the sacred jewel from the Octa'wo's head, and swam back up.

Finally, Akalas could deliver the sacred jewel to the town across the sea, and upon returning to his village, he went to the Teller, bowed his head, and said "Forgive me, Teller, for in my arrogance I thought I could do everything. But I could not, and I became the Lost One because of it."

"You were lost," said the Teller, "but you are no more..because now you see the limits of your own strength, and you will know that a warrior must be careful, and wise, in addition to being strong, and fierce."

But she wanted to test him, and to teach him that sharp claws, a pointy beak, and strong teeth are not all a warrior needs -- that a warrior must also be wise, and careful.

-Old Alatien Man, The Longest Journey

The Tale of Stars

In the small village of Jin'jei near the rumbling hills of Unyin, there lived a girl called Mon'aa. She was a curious girl, and she would always get in the way of the grown Alatien. "Go play somewhere else!", they would say to Mon'aa, but she didn't want to play with the other children. She wanted to be where the grown-ups were, to see what they were doing, and to learn from them. But one day, after getting many complaints from the pottery-makers, and guardsmen, and traders, and soldiers in the village, Mon'aa's mother told her that she wasn't to interfere with the grown-ups any more... and that instead she should go play with the other children, or sit still and draw or work with clay.

But Mon'aa was always curious, and now, since she wasn't to be among the grown Alatien any more... she decided to go exploring the forest that lay just outside the village of Jin'jei. She had many times been forbidden to enter the forest, because it could be a dangerous place, but Mon'aa was very curious. Of course, she wasn't planning on going far into the forest, but then her eye caught sight of a white Flufftail hopping through the tall grass, and Mon'aa, curious as ever, gave chase.

The Flufftail ran away into the forest, and Mon'aa followed, blind to where she was going, and interested only in catching the white Flufftail so that she could keep it as a pet. But then, after a good while, the Flufftail disappeared into a hole in the ground, leaving Mon'aa alone in a small clearing somewhere deep inside the forest. She was exhausted after running after the Flufftail for so long, and as she looked around the clearing at the unfamiliar trees and flowers, she realized that she hadn't been paying attention to where she was going. Not for the first time, her curiosity had gotten the better of her, but this time it was serious. Mon'aa was too young to fly, and she had very little sense of direction. And chasing the white Flufftail had made her dizzy, and tired.

It was getting darker, and Mon'aa was all alone in the deep, dangerous forest. Too sleepy and too scared to be able to go anywhere, Mon'aa curled up with her wings wrapped around her under the leaves of a tree... and began crying. Soon, it got really dark, and somewhere, not far away, wolves started howling at the moon. Mon'aa was so scared she was petrified, but after a while, her exhaustion got the better of her... and she fell asleep.

She woke up when she heard a voice calling her from somewhere far above. Looking up at the starry sky, Mon'aa saw a vision of the spirits of five Tellers, gazing down at her. "You have let your curiosity lead you astray," said one. "You are lost, and you deserve to be lost," said another. "Poor little girl," said a third. "We will help you home," said a fourth. "But remember this," said the fifth spirit, "we will lead you back to your village and to your mother only if you promise us one thing." "I promise," said Mon'aa. "Whatever it is, I promise I will do it."

"Very well," said the first spirit, "you will make the story of this night into your own Tale, and you will call it the Tale of Stars." "It will be a Tale to warn the curious to be careful," continued the third spirit, "and to not let their curiosity get the better of them." "And," said the second spirit... to remind the Alatien that the spirits of their Tellers watch out for them when they most need it."

And so the spirits of the five Tellers guided Mon'aa through the forest, and by dawn, she was home. And Mon'aa did tell her Tale, the Tale of Stars, to everyone in the village, so that everyone would remember that the curious must be cautious, and that the spirits of the Tellers are always watching.

-Sa'ena, The Longest Journey

The Tale of Winds

In the village of Kar'aan, in the Mountains of Tall Winds, there lived a young Alatien woman named Iuana. Iuana had one desire above all others -- to soar higher and farther than anyone else... and even though her wings were no broader, nor her body sleeker than anyone else's, she pursued this foolish desire without rest. And as time passed, she did soar higher and she did fly farther... than the other young Alatien in her village. And her name became known far and wide amongst the tribes of the Mountains of Tall Winds.

But still Iuana was not happy. She was not happy because, in her vanity -- even though she was a better flyer than almost everyone else -- and to her eyes, she was still not good enough. She wanted to be so much better than anyone else that she would be remembered for all time as the best flyer amongst all the Alatien. And so one day, Iuana decided to climb to the top of Mount Bak'ta'ana, the Tower of Light, and to soar from those giddy heights to the ends of the world.

Her friends and her family pleaded with her not to, because every Alatien knew that to soar from such heights was dangerous -- that, at such heights, the air was thin and the winds treacherous. But Iuana would not listen, and on a cold and clear morning, she climbed up the Tower of Light, to the rock and the ice at the very top. From there, she could see to the ends of the world... and it brought tears to her eyes to know that now, finally, she would be greater and better than any Alatien before her. And so Iuana spread her wings and leaped off the mountain...

Those who watched her from far below said that, for a split moment, Iuana soared, and she soared higher and farther than any Alatien before or since. But then the treacherous winds caught a hold of her... ...and the thin air made her plummet towards the ground, and to fall to her death amongst the rocks at the base of the mountain. In her vanity, Iuana could not see beyond her desire to be the best... and vanity always stands to fall.

-Isam, The Longest Journey

Nagdadahilan lang po

Ang tagal ko ring natigang sa pagsusulat ng kung anu-anong katarantaduhan. Bakit?

Confine.
Na-confine si mommy ng halos isang linggo. Nakaranas siya ng tinatawag na mild stroke. Sobrang taas ng blood pressure niya (200 over something) dahil, ayon sa mga doktor, sa sobrang kainitan ng panahon at sa stress na nararanasan niya. Mabuti na lang malakas ang pangagatawan niya at, ngayon, ayos na siya. Lumalaboy na nga ulit.

My gastrointestinal romance.
The morning before the mild stroke incident, na-colonoscopy at gastroscopy ako. Napadaan lang ako sa clinic tapos niyaya ako nung nurse kung gusto ko raw makita yung internal details ng large intestine at stomach ko. Siyempre pumayag ako, ilang beses ba nakikita ng isang tao ang mga laman loob niya? Sayang naman yung pagkakataon kung papalampasin ko lang.

Nawalan ng internet access sa bahay.
Pinatanggal na kasi namin yung smart broken. So nawalan ng internet sa bahay ng mga dalawang linggo. Nagpakabit kami nitong plan na mas mura pero mas malaki yung bandwidth. Ang huhusay talaga ng mga internet service providers. Naalala ko tuloy si power line networking. Gagamitin kaya ito ng mga electric utility companies sa Pilipinas?

Kinasal yung pinsan ko.
Karamihan sa mga father-side relatives ko, nasa ibang bansa na. Nagsimula silang magsialisan noong 1997. Kabilang sa mga kapamilya kong iyon ay mga pinsan kong mga kalaro ko noong mga bata pa kami. Isa sa mga pinsan kong kalaro ko lang dati, si Kim, ay nagbakasyon dito sa Pilipinas. U.S. marine na siya. Matapos ang 11-taong pagkakalayo, pagbalik niya dito may dala na siyang anak at asawa. Nagpakasal sila doon sa may Quezon city hall at ninang si mommy. Siyempre magugulat ako 'di ba?

Tarbaho.
Ano ba yan. Siyempre nagseseryoso-seryosohan ako kapag nasa opisina. Simple lang, tarbaho rito, tarbaho roon, pagbalik, tarbaho ulit, pag-ikot, tarbaho. Marami talagang kailangang tapusin sa office. Pero siyempre, hindi lang ako ang kailangang tumapos ng mga iyon.
Mukhang papasok kami ng mga ka-team ko sa project sa Labour day. May delivery kasi kami on May 2, kaya mukhang kailangang maghabol ng deadlines. That's good news. Great news. Excited na akong pumasok at magtrabaho!
Kapag dumating na ang June, mukha namang makakaluwag na kami. Gagamitin ko yung mga naipon kong mga vacation leaves. 12 days straight.

Bawal ba?