Old Man's Journey: Everything you need to know

Old Man's Journey is a point-and-click adventure game from the indie game studio known as Broken Rules. The game hit the App Store in May 2017 and quickly garnered praise, by both critics and players, for its amazing visuals and superb storytelling.

Old Man's Journey on Nintendo Switch!

The absolutely beautiful and heart-wrenching game Old Man's Journey is now available on Nintendo Switch.

Although the hardware is different, the Nintendo Switch edition is identical to the mobile game that launched last year. If you're just diving into Old Man's Journey, here are some things you should know for both the Switch and iOS versions!

While I don't want to dive too deep into what the game is all about, thus robbing you of the experience it provides, I can give you a quick look at what's in store for you inside the game. Here's everything you need to know about Old Man's Journey.

The objective

Being a point-and-click adventure game with absolutely no dialogue, Old Man's Journey lets you figure out what you need to do on your own.

Left to your own devices, you quickly figure out that your goal in the game is to journey across the various landscapes and uncover the mystery of this old man's past. In order to do this successfully, you'll need to solve a few simple but rewarding puzzles.

Move the landscape

While you can tap or select anywhere on the screen, the old man won't be able to reach every location on the first try; sometimes you need to do a little terra-morphing.

If you tap or select on the hills and other scenery in the game, you'll notice a faint yellow outline appear around the edges. You can drag your finger up and down in order to manipulate the scenery around you and allow the old man to reach new locations.

Waterfalls are helpful

It may seem scary to tell the old man to ride down a waterfall, but at some points, in the game it will be necessary.

If you instruct the old man to walk on the waterfalls you encounter during the game, they will gently carry you downwards, allowing you to reach lower platforms.

Keep the train on the tracks

At some point in the game, you will board a train that takes you across the beautiful countryside; however, the train tracks are all over the place.

Just like you did with the hills in the game, you'll need to drag the tracks up or down so the train can keep moving.

Animals

On more than one occasion, you will come across some animals in the game. Some are there to help you and some get in your way. A good rule of thumb is to interact with the animals you encounter and see how they behave.

For example, early on in the game, there is a cat you can follow, which helps guide you through that part of the game. A little later on, you'll come across some sheep that you'll need shoo out of your way so you can continue.

What else do you want to know?

Let me know in the comments below!

Updated February 2018: Updated for the Nintendo Switch release.

Luke Filipowicz
Staff Writer

Luke Filipowicz has been a writer at iMore, covering Apple for nearly a decade now. He writes a lot about Apple Watch and iPad but covers the iPhone and Mac as well. He often describes himself as an "Apple user on a budget" and firmly believes that great technology can be affordable if you know where to look. Luke also heads up the iMore Show — a weekly podcast focusing on Apple news, rumors, and products but likes to have some fun along the way. 

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