DeLight: The Journey Home (DLTJH) has you step into the shoes of the newly blinded Sammy who’s thrusted cruelly into a war-torn nation. With only her furry good boi (Deli) by her side, she embarks on a journey to reunite with her parents.
Story (★★★★☆)
✔️ Emotional narrative
✔️ Touches on heavy topics
❌ Flat storyline at times
If you thought the war-torn setting was dark (You haven't seen nothing yet), DLTJH throws disability, loss, and PTSD at you too. But that also means if everything is sad, nothing is sad—ygm? It falls flat after a while, but that being said, the characters are relatable, well-realised and you definitely root for them.
Gameplay (★★☆☆☆)
✔️ Point-and-click game
✔️ Unique blind gameplay with quick time events
❌ Memorisation is KEY
❌ Excruciatingly slow pace
❌ No clear instructions
❌ Clunky controls
❌ Buggy in certain areas
DLTJH is a classic example of a point-and-click game with stealth and exploration elements. Think TellTale Games’ The Walking Dead or Fable. Interact with people, objects and make tough decisions with [SPOILER ALERT] real consequences 🥺.
Due to Sammy’s blindness, DLTJH immerses you in the frustration of blindness. You move excruciatingly slow (understandably so) and your vision is creatively set in how she imagines her surroundings. WARNING: If you like your hand held, there’s no Mini Map. So just like the real world, you have to remember where everything is or be forced to waste your time going back and forth to attempt retracing your steps >.>
Graphics (★★★☆☆)
✔️ Decent animation
❌ Somewhat outdated
The art style is cute while the graphics walk the line between retro and outdated.
With Sammy’s lack of sight, you’ll find that you are only able to see what’s in close proximity, but I enjoy what DreamTree Studio has done for the gradual reveal of the environment as you explore the world.
Audio (★★★★☆)
✔️ Immersive music
✔️ Well-composed
When it comes to the sound design, I reckon that it is well-composed—It is uplifting when it needs to be and it tugs at your heartstrings at the appropriate moments. As such, the music seems to augment my entire experience on screen.
Verdict (★★★★★★☆☆☆☆)
DeLight: The Journey Home didn’t quite hit the bullseye. The element of consequential choice is interesting but doesn’t go far or frequently enough. Even so, it has done a great job of presenting heavy issues during times of war.
Just before I end it off, prepare yourselves for dark and heartbreaking moments, but know that you’ve got Deli to make everything better! 🐕🐶
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