By Broken Rules · Broken Rules · Adventure
Old Man's Journey, from Austrian studio Broken Rules, is a short puzzle adventure about looking back on a life. It begins when an old man living by the sea receives a letter and decides to set off on a journey inland, walking with his stick through villages, fields, mountains and railway lines.
The main mechanic is inventive and easy to understand. The landscape is made of layered hills, and you can drag the nearest layers up or down. When the edge of one hill lines up with another, a path opens and the old man can cross. As the journey goes on, new elements such as sheep, rivers and trains add small twists to the puzzles.
Along the way, he pauses to remember moments from his past, shown as illustrated scenes that gradually reveal his story. There is no dialogue, and none is needed. The hand-drawn art and soft music make it a calm, touching experience that can be finished in about an hour or two.
Images © Broken Rules, shown editorially.
