The Big Journey

Genre: Platformer

Players: 1

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Review:

The Big Journey is a family-friendly Platformer originally released on mobile devices in 2017, subsequently being ported to PCs and in 2019 coming to the Nintendo Switch. And I’ll just come out and say it – this game is very clearly directly inspired by the Loco Roco franchise, with the formless blobs of that franchise replaced here by a round, rolling cat. However, as I often say, there’s nothing wrong with a game being a knockoff as long as it’s a good knockoff, so the question is, is this game good?

Well, to start with, I can say that the presentation here is absolutely delightful, with a cute and cuddly vibe that’s very reminiscent of Loco Roco. The game’s colorful 2D visuals are all rounded and abstract in a way that’s very appealing, and this is perfectly complimented by the sounds, which have your cat making adorable “plupp” noises, giving a subdued growl when near enemies, and purring at the end of each level. There are also some nice environmental noises here too. And all of this is backed by a wonderful soundtrack with lighthearted and soothing themes. In particular, I really enjoy Book of Life (the version in the game removes some of the vocals, but I’d say it’s just as lovely, if a bit more minimalist).

As for the gameplay, for those who haven’t played Loco Roco, the basic idea is that you’re not moving around your character so much as you’re tilting the world so they can roll around, with the only other interaction you have being to make your character jump. Here, the interaction is much the same, but instead of collecting more blobs to make your blob bigger, you’re collecting dumplings to grow the size of your cat.

The result of this is that the gameplay ends up being simple, straightforward, and at times even a bit on the passive side – you’re sorta’ guiding the cat through the level, changing the angle of the ground and telling him to jump when needed, but his reactions are a bit sluggish (by design) and as a result the level geometry isn’t too demanding. As a Platformer, this game isn’t about the platforming challenge, so much as it is moving the cat through the level and maybe occasionally trying to negotiate the angle of a jump to get to a specific place. That’s not to say this game is completely without challenge – in every level players earn up to three stars – one for completion, one for finding a certain number of dumplings, and one for finding a certain number of smaller pickups (glowbugs). However, even this challenge is fairly light.

Beyond the low challenge level, I’d say that the level design here isn’t nearly as inventive as what’s in Loco Roco, and the short length of the levels (and frequent interruptions by dialogue with various animals you meet on the way) really slows down the game’s pacing. On the positive side, this game makes good use of motion controls so players can tilt the controller rather than using the analog stick (I actually find this works best in handheld mode, where your movements directly correlate with the screen’s movements), and the game uses optional touchscreen controls as well for the menu and the jump command (though the latter I find is better done with buttons anyway). On balance, I still feel like Loco Roco is the better game, though The Big Journey is no slouch.

In the end, while The Big Journey isn’t quite on par with Loco Roco, it is still an absolute delight of a Platformer, and while its low challenge level may not be for everyone, I think it may be an ideal game for youngsters, with its adorable theme fitting in beautifully with the gameplay. If you’re looking for a fun, simple Platformer for a young kid, or if the comparisons to Loco Roco sound enticing, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed with The Big Journey.

tl;dr – The Big Journey is a family-friendly Platformer with gameaply and a presentation that seem directly inspired by Loco Roco. And while this game doesn’t quite match Loco Roco’s creativity, it is nevertheless an absolute delight that’s worth seeking out if you’re a fan of that franchise, or if you’re looking for an easier Platformer for younger players.

Grade: B

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