Journey of a Roach Reviews

Journey of a Roach is a short but memorable point-and-click adventure developed by Koboldgames and published by Daedalic Entertainment. Set in a post-apocalyptic world where cockroaches have become the accidental inheritors of the Earth, the game takes players on a whimsical, dialogue-free journey through the ruins of human civilization. With its darkly comic premise, offbeat charm, and unique movement mechanics, Journey of a Roach carves out a niche experience that’s as much about atmosphere as it is about classic adventure gameplay. The story revolves around two cockroach friends, Jim and Bud, who live in the remains of a bomb shelter following the end of the world. The game opens with the duo dreaming of exploring the surface—an unreachable paradise in their bug-like minds. When Bud is kidnapped early on, Jim sets off on a quest through the strange, cluttered underground landscape to rescue his friend and, ultimately, reach the surface. What makes the narrative unique is its lack of spoken dialogue. Instead, all communication is delivered through pictorial thought bubbles, body language, and sound effects. This non-verbal storytelling is surprisingly effective, lending the game a universal, wordless humor while also emphasizing the expressiveness of its insect characters. Visually, Journey of a Roach leans into a stylized, cartoonish aesthetic, with hand-drawn textures and exaggerated character designs that emphasize its comic book inspirations. The environments are detailed and full of personality—each level is cluttered with oversized human debris like bottle caps, wires, and discarded appliances, recontextualized as hazards or tools by the roach protagonists. The developers made excellent use of the game’s verticality. Unlike traditional point-and-click adventures, Jim can walk not only across floors but also up walls and across ceilings, giving players a true 360-degree space to explore. This mechanic is intuitive and cleverly implemented, though it can occasionally disorient players not used to navigating in full 3D space. Puzzle design is at the core of the experience, and here the game offers a solid, if slightly uneven, challenge. Most puzzles involve classic inventory combinations and environmental interaction—finding the right object, using it in the right place, and observing the often humorous results. While a few solutions feel obscure or overly reliant on trial and error, the majority are logical and satisfying, especially when tied to the game’s quirky logic. The lack of dialogue actually enhances the puzzles, forcing players to pay closer attention to visual cues and character animations to piece together what needs to be done. It’s a refreshing change of pace from text-heavy adventures. One of the game's strongest aspects is its tone. Despite the post-apocalyptic setting, Journey of a Roach is never bleak or depressing. Instead, it’s filled with gentle humor, slapstick gags, and a kind of childlike wonder. There’s a lighthearted optimism in Jim’s journey, and the relationship between the two main characters adds an emotional core that’s surprisingly endearing, even with zero spoken lines. The sound design helps reinforce this tone—sound effects are punchy and cartoon-like, and the music is whimsical without being intrusive, supporting the atmosphere without overwhelming it. That said, Journey of a Roach is not without its limitations. The game is short—most players can finish it in under three hours. While that brevity keeps the pacing tight and avoids filler, it also means that the characters and world don’t get the development they might deserve. The story wraps up quickly, and the puzzles, while clever, don’t always escalate in complexity as much as genre veterans might hope. Additionally, the camera and movement controls, especially in wall-climbing sequences, can sometimes be fiddly or awkward, briefly pulling players out of the immersion. Still, what Journey of a Roach lacks in length or polish, it makes up for in creativity and heart. It’s a small game with a big personality—one that invites players to see a familiar post-apocalyptic setting from a radically different perspective. It doesn’t try to do too much, but what it sets out to do, it does well: tell a simple, sweet, and surprisingly emotional story through visual storytelling and unconventional design. It’s perfect for fans of point-and-click adventures who appreciate charm over complexity, and it serves as a reminder that even in a ruined world, hope—and humor—can still thrive. In conclusion, Journey of a Roach is a charming, offbeat adventure that’s worth experiencing, even if only for a few hours. Its inventive use of perspective, expressive animation, and dialogue-free storytelling make it stand out in a crowded genre. While it may not revolutionize point-and-click design, it offers a heartfelt and memorable journey that leaves a smile long after the final scene. Rating: 8/10