The Journeyman Project 1: Pegasus Prime

One of the great 'lost' games For those who don't know, Pegasus Prime is a remake of the original Journeyman Project from way back in 1993. Originally planned for release in 1997 it was plagued with problems. Firstly the Saturn version got cancelled, then the Pippin version was released for a platform that quickly vanished into the long list of Apple failures in the mid 90s. Then the Playstation version was cancelled when the publisher went bankrupt. Eventually a rather cut down version was released solely for the Powermac, unlike the original game which was also available on Windows. So even though Pegasus Prime has been technically available (although long out of print) for some years, it's been a real pain to play, if you can even find a copy. However, in 2012 ScummVM added tentative support for Pegasus Prime. Now the game could be played on modern systems, although you still needed one of the rare copies of the 1997 release and a method of extracting the datafiles (which isn't easy). But in a wonderful twist, some of the original Presto staff started working with ScummVM and between them they managed to fix some of the bugs, spliced back in content that was dummied out long ago like the interactive chases, and released a funky modern version compatible with newer systems that was available on digital download services. So now we have effectively the Director's Cut of the Director's Cut of The Journeyman Project. So...how does it compare to the original? As a longtime fan of the original JP I'd say it is a vast improvement in almost every area. The graphics are miles better, the world is more fleshed out and interactive, there are more puzzles, many of the live action actors from Buried in Time and Legacy of Time return as the same characters to provide a nice sense of continuity, and in general it feels like a more lively, snappy game. My favourite enhancements are the vastle expanded Martian Maze, which always felt like a bit of a letdown and too easy in the original, the little bits of video calling that make you feel there is a world going on outside of what you're seeing, the challenge faced when returning to the TSA after the wave hits and you have to deal with the new staff unaware anything is wrong...and the submarine section, which now actually gives the dock a purpose other than providing atmosphere. On the downside, eh...the new music isn't as good as Geno Andrews' original compositions, and there are a few places where you feel that they're just padding for the sake of length rather than bringing anything new to the game, but they can be excused. Also the interface is a little clunky, requiring a bizarre mix of keyboard and mouse - it's not possible to play with one or the other and the default settings aren't very intuitive. There is a lot more back-and-forth between the time periods than in the original game, but I don't really feel this is a downside...it makes it more of challenge and requires a different method of thinking rather than just "Finish zone A then B then C", as all three zones require something from one or both of the others...this is a trait inherited from the sequels. Most of the problems this game has are present in the original too. Perhaps that's no excuse as they could have fixed them...things like how you have to wait for doors to close behind you before you can move off...and the way that every single interactive display feels the need to read the text out to you before you can do anything. But these are minor complaints. I always felt sad that these games were overshadowed by the likes of Myst and 7th Guest which are the ones people remember, but I never enjoyed them. 7th Guest is nothing more than a series of ancient puzzles loosely strung together with pre-rendered video, and Myst is pretty, but very VERY dull and relies an awful lot on thinking-outside-the-box and "solving the soup cans". By comparison the Journeyman series has a great plot, excellent worldbuilding and a much better sense of immersion. Overall, yes. I would say if you're fan of mid to late 90s interactive adventure games then give this one a try. There is a huge amount of worldbuilding, some really interesting puzzles, and whilst it is possible to die the game does let you carry on from an autosave some moments before, so it's never more than a minor annoyance. The Steam integration is great too, with some really interesting achievements to work for. And then check out the sequels, which for some reason aren't on Steam but you can get them from GOG.com. Buried in Time is a little more...dastardly and perhaps unfair, but Legacy of Time is the best of the lot.

This game was made many years ago, do not rate it as a modern game, you're not going to find that here. For its time it was a great game. and difficult. in the early 90's they didn't really care to provide you forgiveness in games yet. If your a fan of games like shivers or Myst. You'll enjoy this game. I wish they would port over the rest of the journeyman games.

The Journeyman Project is the kind of unforgiving that characterized a lot of early generation CD games - not because its creators were sadists (necessarily) but because forgiving gameplay actually relies on a ton of features and functionality that would have cost important disk space. One of the features you'll miss most when playing this game is autosave, because when you make any kind of a mistake, this game will kill you dead, game over. Fortunately, this is not a game where you can make a wrong move 50 steps back and then only realize you have to pay for it later [*cough most Soulslike narrative structure cough*]. You pay for mistakes almost immediately. Walk into an elevator shaft? Shouldn't have done that - dead. Pissed off the wrong robot? Shouldn't have done that - dead. This means that while there are puzzles where you'll bang your head against the screen, you'll never actually be in a position where you are trapped. In fact, part of the fun of the game is understanding why you're not trapped and working around an apparent limitation. The puzzles hold up even decades later. They're not astounding or brain-melting in the category of, say, the Witness, but they're good fun and many get solved after careful exploration. If you're OK with the clearly dated HUD, writing, acting, and speed, this is a fun afternoon of play. Worth jumping into.

Always loved Journeyman Project. Would be AMAZING to get the second or third installment :)

I remember being disappointed when I found out the original PC release was missing things which were in the Mac version. When this version was released and I found it would include the stuff Mac players got to experience, i was ecstatic. This is an amazing series. The very notion of a time machine that doesn't lead to the destruction of the time line (Ala BTTF) is such a wonderful take on the genre. If you grew up in the 90s playing Myst or 7th Guest, you might very well enjoy this game. I would love for Steam to have the sequels, but, for now, you can get them on gog.com. I can't recommend this game enough.

I loved the idea of the game when i was a kid. trying to play old games i grow up with but never finished. after finding this on Steam and reading on the website I thought i was all three games..... NOT THE CASE only the 1st game, overall not wroth $10 by its self. this was the only game in this series at this time :( . 4.6 hours game play total to finished the game with almost everything done. will we see more?

An absolute masterpiece! One of the best game series ever made, no question, full stop, this is a hill I will die on. This series is the poster child for 90s adventure masterpieces. To anyone lucky enough to have had their 90's PC with Windows 95 have Turbo bundled with it, you will completely understand. The story, the game play, and most definitely not least of all, the soundtrack... EPIC at a scale games in todays world only dream of, yet never reach! Get this, immediately!

I am an '80s baby, the '90s brought innovation in the gaming community. This piece of my childhood is most welcome, however I would have preferred the Original game, not this updated version.

Great game but its ruined by a game breaking bug. anytime i launch the game its super zoomed in and ive tried everything possible. cant get it to run in a window, theres no resolution settings. im at a loss.

The Journeyman Project series are still fun to play. I loved the original "TURBO" release. I also loved the 3rd one (wish it was on steam). The 2nd one was more frustrating cuz of the puzzles but also the interface felt more claustrophobic. This is a remake of the original and it is amazing. A lot of fun to play through this and the only real criticism I have is some of the hammy acting. The guy playing Baldwin really seems to be overacting like his life depends on it (which is wierd cuz in the 3rd game he's actually pretty watchable). Glad this masterpiece is available to everyone now.