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Game
Game2017
Old Man's Journey
Developer Broken Rules
Old Man's Journey is an adventure video game developed and published by Broken Rules. The game was released for Android, iOS, macOS and Windows in 2017, 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. From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
231 reactions from 3 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Lemmy) · newest Oct 31, 2026 · last updated Nov 5, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
85
LovedLoved
167 positive · 29 negative
95% range 80–89%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 167 | 29 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 5 | 2 | 22 |
| Lemmy * | 0 | 0 | 6 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
1,590 of 1,852 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
84% recommend · 162 yes, 30 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 192 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Very Positive (3,714 of 4,280 positive).
Players praise the game's beautiful, hand-painted art style and touching story. [1][2][3] Some find the gameplay shallow and the walking speed painfully slow. [4][5][6] Many note it is a short, relaxing experience best for a single evening. [7][8][9]
Liked
Representative posts
- [4]
Loved art and sound. Gameplay and story are shallow and not fun though. Also guy's walking speed is painfully slow
- [1]
An old man receives a letter, and upon reading it, he decides to head out, packing his belongings, and so it starts. This game leads the old man and us through his treasured memories, all in hopes of reaching his destination. We get to see his life in short images from his memory while he wanders across the land. The whole art of the game has something bittersweet that captures the feeling very well. I mean, I am …
- [2]
Beautiful, relaxing game with a short but touching story about life, loss and hope in which the old man remembers his past as he travels. I found the concept of having to move the landscape for the puzzles pretty unique and interesting. Perfect if you want to play something short as the game is only around 1.5h long.
- [3]
A touching story told with beautiful art about coming to terms with life and choices. As a senior myself, it is refreshing to play a game that reflects the complexities of later life, treated with care and heart. Many thanks for a wonderful experience! Recommended.
- [7]
Note that I played the game twice.....once several years ago, and once just last week with the addition of achievements, thus the long play time; in reality it will only take you ~2 hours to finish the game. Old Man's Journey is a charming, tender-hearted puzzle game where you manipulate different layers of the environment, based on perspective, in order to create walking paths for an old man seeking to reunite with …
Summarised from 34 of the 227 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 12, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
Old Man's Journey sits at 85% positive across 196 opinionated reactions from 3 sources. Fresh or rotten — where do you land?
Critics, per Wikipedia
The game received "generally favorable" reviews, according to Metacritic, a video game review aggregator..mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px…
From the “Reception” section of Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Critic context only — not part of the audience score.
Reactions
60 of 231 · most liked firstMy favorite PAID games on the Play Store (+ user recommendations 💬). 👉*For my **free** games list, please go [here](https://discuss.tchncs.de/post/40095267).* **New list entries - updated June 2026:** - **[Ugly](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pid.ugly) 🌟 🎮 - Puzzle platformer** - **[Lunar Silver Star Story Touch](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.somoga.lunar1android) 🌟 🎮 - Turn-based RPG** - **[Cat Quest…
neutral · AI labelView post →My favorite PAID games on the Play Store (+ user recommendations 💬). **Latest entries - 28 June 2025:** - [Levelhead](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bscotch.levelhead) 💬 🎮 👥️ - Platform** - [Crashlands 2](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bscotch.crashlands2) 💬 🎮 - Survival crafting** ::: spoiler Other recent entries - **[Ogu and the Secret Forest](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.SinkHoleStudio.OguForest) 🎮 - Action adventure** -…
neutral · AI labelView post →My favorite PAID games on the Play Store (+ user recommendations). cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/58686627 If you want to save this list, I suggest doing so with the [original post](https://lemm.ee/post/58686627), as I'll keep it updated with new entries. > **Latest entries - March 15th, 2025:** > > - **[Cursed Treasure Tower Defense](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.iriysoft.cursedtreasure) - Tower defense** > > **Latest entries Netflix - March 15th, 2025:** > >…
neutral · AI labelView post →took advantage of switch store sales to pick up a buncha indie games on the cheap! 6 games for about $20 behold the fresh haul! -In Other Waters -Citizen Sleeper -Old Man's Journey -thomas was alone 1/
neutral · AI labelView post →An old man receives a letter, and upon reading it, he decides to head out, packing his belongings, and so it starts. This game leads the old man and us through his treasured memories, all in hopes of reaching his destination. We get to see his life in short images from his memory while he wanders across the land. The whole art of the game has something bittersweet that captures the feeling very well. I mean, I am nowhere near this age, but I wonder if this is what it feels like when looking…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Move Worlds and Hearts with the As I Began to Dream and Old Man's Journey Bundle! 🎁 Huge shoutout to @brokenrulesgames.bsky.social for making such a cool game, and for collaborating with us on this! store.steampowered.com/bundle/63505... #indiegame #indiegames #cozygame
neutral · AI labelView post →A short and simple but beautiful wordless tale laced with sentiment. It includes an interesting casual puzzle mechanic that links movement access to manipulable terrain, somewhat like changing visual perspective. Pretty to look at and well supported by the lovely soundtrack, it is a slow, casual game that I would recommend to people old enough to reflect on their own lives. The nostalgic will find it sad.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Hi Rami nice to see you here. I'm currently making a creativity tool instead of a game but I hope it's useful for games too, so here we go. Previously of Broken Rules (Old Man's Journey, And Yet It Moves, Secrets of Raetikon).
neutral · AI labelView post →Old Man's Journey. It's 100% playable touch, but it's short.
neutral · AI labelView post →Our friends Strayflux and @sspublishing.bsky.social just launched their wonderful game As I Began to Dream. Congrats! 🥳 Check it out! s.team/a/2482180 We joined forces with them and bundled our very own Old Man's Journey with it. Such a great match. 👉 store.steampowered.com/bundle/63505...
neutral · AI labelView post →Today, I was thinking about an old indie game (Old Man's Journey), a calm game with interesting interactives. My gamer sons did not appreciate it, but I was glad we bought it and tried it. I was thinking it was like a book; someone toiled at it, a few people got it, some liked it. That's enough.
positive · AI labelView post →For today’s work soundtrack, I’m listening to Old Man’s Journey! A game that left a lasting impression on me a number of years ago! #OldMansJourney #AdventureGames
positive · AI labelView post →Loved art and sound. Gameplay and story are shallow and not fun though. Also guy's walking speed is painfully slow
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Loved the serene vibe! This bittersweet story blends captivating visuals with light puzzles. It can get a bit repetitive, but it's manageable since it’s not that long.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Note that I played the game twice.....once several years ago, and once just last week with the addition of achievements, thus the long play time; in reality it will only take you ~2 hours to finish the game. Old Man's Journey is a charming, tender-hearted puzzle game where you manipulate different layers of the environment, based on perspective, in order to create walking paths for an old man seeking to reunite with his estranged wife and daughter. It's more intuitive than that sounds ;-)…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game is good. It's very short, less than an hour to finish. I couldn't even get the card drops. Some achievements were added recently but i think they will add ~10-20 extra minutes at most. The art style and enviroments are beautiful, just beautiful. Every place you visit is gorgeous, well done and full of details. The story is very simple, personal and emotional. It's the story of an old man told by a few slides, where you can see key moments of his life and understand more of him.…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A shallow boring walking simulator. PROS: -Beautiful animation CONS: -Not really a game. You just move a few lines then wait for him to slowly walk. Lots of additional waiting in between for no reason (attempts at storytelling but you will fall asleep)
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Short, one-playthrough game. It has lovely hand-drawn art and a nice soundtrack as well. I was a little confused by how to play the game, as I sort of kept hoping there would be more to it than just dragging and dropping slopes. I am sure a lot of work went into drawing and composing—it definitely shows. It is indeed very gorgeous to look at, but that is also sort of all the game has going for it, I am afraid. The story is easy to understand but also very basic from start to finish. I don't…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Very beautiful visual, a bit short but good cozy game for the evening.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Nice lil' visual and heartwarming experience, though not much else. Wouldn't spend full price, but for $1 or so it's decent game to relax and play through for a couple hours. =]
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →impressive, very nice. now let's see the abandoned single mother's perspective.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Role play as an old man. Walk around. Take a lot of breaks. Avoid tripping and a life threatening fall! Don't forget your pills!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I really wanted to like this game. It looks like lot of work was put into this and they really nailed the art and visual design. So yes, the game is beautiful to look at, but... that's it? The story is disappointing and the gameplay is tedious and boring. After only about 15% of the way through I found myself wanting to hurry up and get to the end so I can just finish the damn game. Thankfully it's short but it sure didn't feel like it. I only have this much playtime recorded because I went afk…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Old Man's Journey is portrayed like an adventure film of - you guessed it - an old bloke who still wants to explore the world via foot and train later on. There are many sweet and touching cutscenes and cinematic with lively effect and animations (i.e Fireworks, shuffling bushes and trees, as well as other moving animals and NPCs). The art style reminds me of a children's interactive book, with in-between stories. The music is an upbeat ukulele, this the occasional interactive sound effects on…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game is a walking simulator at its core with a few light puzzle mechanics sprinkled throughout. It is a quite melancholic experience focusing on the regret of our protagonist. The art direction and music is brilliant, and the latter especially does its job at complementing the narrative’s themes and the character’s emotions. For some reason, the bittersweet vibe reminded me of the 2002 film “Frida”, especially while playing the earlier sections.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Beautiful, relaxing game with a short but touching story about life, loss and hope in which the old man remembers his past as he travels. I found the concept of having to move the landscape for the puzzles pretty unique and interesting. Perfect if you want to play something short as the game is only around 1.5h long.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I wanted to like this game. The graphics are charming and the premise seemed right up my alley, but unfortunately it just didn't deliver. The music started out cute, but as I continued to play, I ended up turning the volume way down. It's not bad, but the music in a puzzle/story game should either accentuate the story being told, or fade into the background to stimulate focus. The music in this game was almost there, but missed the mark and eventually became grating due to the instrumentation…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Oh boy. So I thought this game looked cute. I mean the art style is simple and just fun to look at. But this is where this game just drops off for me. I have this same issue with several of these artsy 'deep' style games with a simple game mechanic. The issue is, some of the art style games are good, and some aren't. But you just don't know which ones will be great until you get elbow deep into them and by then if it's a poorly done game or has a crud message, well...enjoy because you're in it…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →What can never be fully described... is an individual’s love. Affection for the one, passion for the dream, appreciation for the time... whatever it is, it is something, pure yet strong, that tugs at the heartstrings, strikes the soul and renders the sacred within the ephemeral. So here if ever was a game, transcending mere aesthetic brilliance to become a luminous galaxy of an old man’s life odyssey. “We all have separate paths to follow. It's been a pleasure.”
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Seen ppl posting their interests, so I guess I will too?? ✽ Slice of life anime ~ Hidamari Sketch ~ Yuru Camp ~ Honey & Clover ✽ Cozy video games ~ Animal Crossing ~ Pokemon ~ A Short Hike/Lil Gator Game/Cozy Grove ~ Other indie titles (Oxenfree, Old Man's Journey...) ✽ Nature/Food/Travel
neutral · AI labelView post →Old Man's Journey - $1.99 -> $0.99. A story game about life’s precious moments, broken dreams, and changed plans.
neutral · AI labelView post →Oh hi, I'm streaming today (right now) because I didn't yesterday. I'm playing "Old Man's Journey" because I'm turning 36 next Tuesday and that means I'm closer to 40 than 30 now. We have to learn what it's like to be old... So- old man puzzle game for practice. www.twitch.tv/goblinhugger
neutral · AI labelView post →A Stunning Walk but Lacks the Shoes to Run Rating: 7/10 Old Man's Journey presents itself as an emotional narrative about reflection, regret, and reconciliation, wrapped in a vibrant, storybook art-style game. However, once you look past the stunning vistas, the experience reveals serious limitations in both gameplay and presentation. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3796878247 The Good Without a doubt, the visuals are the absolute selling point here. Every landscape…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Let's just say this isn’t a touching story about dreams and forgiveness. It’s a disgusting story about an incredibly irresponsible a♥♥♥hole getting off way too easily and being rewarded with forgiveness he absolutely did not deserve. Don’t be fooled by the pretty art like I was.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →You can get our game Old Man's Journey right now in this super nice Short Games Humble Bundle, together with other great gems. Hosted by @ogrepixel.bsky.social Go and check it out 👉 www.humblebundle.com/games/short-...
neutral · AI labelView post →Beautiful heartwarming story about an old man that goes on a hike. Played it through when it was just new and loved it. Achievements were added and I played through again being reminede how much I liked it and remembered to leave behind a comment this time around. Innovative mechanics that I havent seen anywhere else around, and a genereally touching and enjoyable game - thanks.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A beautiful story told through landscapes, movement, and emotion. In Indie Game Works, I explore the artistry behind Old Man's Journey and how its visual design helped create one of indie gaming's most heartfelt experiences. #IndieGames #GameArt @BrokenRules @mcloister
neutral · AI labelView post →like many adventures, this one is about how adventure is not more important than your family. also, it's a nice, chill, non-ordinary puzzle game. it has only one gameplay idea, only one mechanic, but the devs are constantly trying to explore it differently and even challenge you sometimes. it's short, yes, but i think it's worth it.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →11. Old Man's Journey (Mobile, 2017) A drop-dead gorgeous game with minimal puzzle gameplay and a story that did absolutely nothing for me. A case of style over substance. They can't all be winners!
negative · AI labelView post →The game is beautifully illustrated, but unfortunately the positives pretty much end there. In practice, the gameplay boils down to a single mechanic: moving lines up and down over and over again. It becomes repetitive very quickly and gets boring not long after you start playing. The story is dull at best, and overall the game feels like something that could easily pass as a simple Flash game. If it were free, I’d say it might be worth trying just out of curiosity. But since it actually…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Check in with Broken Rules and learn all about their game Old Man's Journey! Subscribe by February 20th to read their developer interview in the March volume. #OldMan'sJourney #CozyCompanian #CozyGames
neutral · AI labelView post →Pros: Beautiful, and a unique puzzle design Cons: middling story and the mechanics gets old about a third of the way through I think it was an alright game mechanically, I did have it break once and have to exit out of a little chapter and restart that little zone. It's decently made, very pretty and has nice music. Definitely something you could enjoy for a little sad story if you're the type to cry at anything conventionally sad. I didn't find the story very compelling, just ok. I'm glad I…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A touching story told with beautiful art about coming to terms with life and choices. As a senior myself, it is refreshing to play a game that reflects the complexities of later life, treated with care and heart. Many thanks for a wonderful experience! Recommended.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →people making games should understand that they are making game as a conent piece its okay with its sound and art style but a in a gameplay way doing same thing over and over againg for 2 hours its super boring
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Ah man, that was just a beautiful 2 hours
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A simple, yet touching story of an elderly man. Throughout the game, you'll find out the story of this person through his memories by solving simple puzzles. Interesting approach to the landscape you interact with. Great style and art. This is a gem among indie games (a real one's), especially among all of those trash currently being released by "half-baked developers" on Steam. There should be more games like this.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →bitter sweet story with a sad ending. i loved the level design and having to alter the terrain or moving sheep so the old man could progress forward, and there were lots of interactive elements in the background too. the art and music were lovely too. takes around 1.5 hours to complete all levels, although i had only unlocked 2/5 trading cards by this point, so will need to keep the game running longer to get them all. it would have been nice if there were achievements also.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I have mixed feelings about this game. In the end, I'm torn between 'recommend' and 'don't recommend'.... As many reviews have said, the art style is the biggest asset. It's really beautiful, it sets a very good tone for the whole game and I feel that everything comes together well (gameplay, art, sound). The gameplay is not really complex, you just adjust the height of the landscape so that the old man can walk freely. But it fits somehow. If the gameplay is like that, the story should be…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Unique mechanics, and a fairly short playtime, but the story is amazing even though it is delivered without dialog. The world is drawn very beautifully, and we can enjoy the game's beauty while completing the game mechanics in continuing the journey.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Old Man's Journey It's cute? Really chill to play with the touch screen. Feels a bit... not-actually-a-game like?? Idk kinda empty somehow. Still really pretty tho
neutral · AI labelView post →A short but beautiful and tranquil adventure.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Just a sweet game to remind you that the journey is the story.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I loved playing this game. Stunning scenery, lovely storyline and relaxing. played it to unwind and de-stress
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →What a beautiful game! It's the kind of game where you don't mind not getting all the achievements in one playthrough because playing it again means you get to be a part of this Old Man's Journey once more. It pulls at heartstrings that's for sure. The art style and puzzles are well done and the storyline....all I can say with tears in my eye is .... go call your parents or grandparents. Go on, they need it just as much as you do. 5 beautiful stars for Old Man's Journey.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The game is a relatively short and sweet. point-and-click puzzle adventure on the journey of an Old Man, digging out his past with a relatively good soundtrack as well. There is nothing too unique to say about it but its not a bad game. Can recommend on a good deal.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This was pretty enjoyable, but there are a few things I'd prefer to see that I don't understand as far as choices went. Why are the story bits tied to achievements? Why not just tell in game what the achievements say? Needing to shift tab to see what the characters were could have just as easily been a message box. I understand the story through showing, and I appreciate that, but I don't feel like the story itself would have been hurt with those lore bits actually in game versus us needing…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Very short, so perhaps get it on sale if you don't think you can warrant $10, but a great way to spend a couple hours. The art style is absolutely gorgeous, I genuinely considered making one shot my wallpaper. The puzzles are simple and easy but varied enough as to not get boring. Short and sweet, definitely worth playing in my opinion.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Really lovely little game. I went into it not knowing anything really about it but the mechanics were easy to pick up and I've never seen this idea done before. The art style has to be my favourite part of the game though, a lot of thought has gone into it such as the colour combinations and little hidden details. I think this is one of those games where it's best to take your time and relax as the puzzles won't slow you down too much. Perfect as a relaxing game to de-stress, too.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →tedious 2-hour walking sim of the 2d side-scrolling variety. looks really nice and the puzzle mechanic of creating paths for the guy by moving layers of the scenery around is cool at first. then it gets old like the protagonist and sheep herding comes in, pissed me off to no end, couldn't wait for it all to be over. all in all, the usual indie style over substance, artists trying to make a video game instead of a picture book or short film. and of course it used to be $8 on pc outside a sale,…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The art is lovely and it's a cute story but your only task as a player is to drag and connect paths over and over and over and over. It bored me very quickly. Kept going in hopes of something more, then to at least finish the story but the dragging slopes just dragged on and after about 45 min I'd simply had more than enough. If anything it felt like my having to connect the slopes was just slowing down the story. I would have loved this as an animated short story but with only really one…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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