The major strength of AFK Journey lies in its community aspect, with players embracing the game's minimal skill requirements and focusing on communication and coordination instead. This aspect was on full display during the October 18th VIP meetup in San Diego, where I had the chance to speak with several community members about how AFK Journey has impacted their lives and what keeps them coming back for more. With Thanksgiving later this week, it was the perfect time to reminisce on my time at the community event, where a dozens of gamers underscored how impactful AFK Journey has been in their lives.
Earlier this year I started down my own path with AFK Journey, and in my review I found myself consistently drawn to the game's unique blend of casual gameplay, community engagement, and canvas art style. In my review, I highlighted the strategy, game modes, and gacha mechanics that set the game apart from its competition. Despite the game captivating me for months, and despite the game rolling out multiple updates, it was difficult for me to continue along long term.
Equally, to my surprise, my own guild had fallen on some difficult times as well, and leading up to October 18th, I was a little sad to see that most of my guild had moved on to other guilds, or in some cases, other games entirely. But as I logged into the game ahead of the community meetup, I found that the community at large was still bristling with energy over the latest update, Waves of Intrigue. While I wasn't entirely sure if my guild disbanding was a common experience, I couldn't deny that there was still a fervor among the community for the style of game AFK Journey has built.
It's Not How You Play It's Who You Know
One of the standout interactions I had was with a player named Michael, who attended the meetup in an impressive cosplay of his AFK Journey character, complete with a hat and rose-adorned eye covering. Our conversation naturally shifted to why the game has kept him engaged. Michael shared his experiences with other gacha games, like SinoAlice, which unfortunately shut down, leading him to seek a new gaming community.
AFK Journey caught Michael's attention with its striking art style, easy-to-understand mechanics, and engaging story. But he explained that it wasn't just the game itself that made him stay; it was the community, particularly his guildmaster, Dan. "This hasn't been as extensive for me because I'm much busier now than I was then," Michael explained when comparing his time in AFK Journey to previous games. "But still, Dan is probably one of the most positive guild masters I have ever met in my entire life." His guild experience in AFK Journey extended into their shared Discord, where Michael now spends more time chatting with guildmates, discussing character builds, and planning weekly raid strategies.
Another player in attendance, Danielle, told me about her time within the game and how the ease of play with AFK Journey really facilitates a calm and laid-back experience that doesn't require constant focus, unlike games such as Valorant, Overwatch, or Helldivers. Danielle appreciated how AFK Journey allowed her to relax and unwind without the pressure of intense competition or the need to be on guard.
Others among the more than 40 players who attended were initially captivated by the game's art style alone, while some came from AFK Arena and were eager to see a more fleshed-out world and story for the characters they had come to know and love from Lilith's previous game. It seemed though, that the major thread through everyone's experience circled back to the idea that the nature of the game lent itself to a focus on community. Even when it came to some of the more frustrating parts of the game, banding together with others seemed to take center stage.
One question brought up during the group Q&A was related to the RNG elements the game employs as part of the core mechanics. At times, it can be a strange and difficult experience for players who are attempting to utilize builds that have shown to be successful in certain encounters, but the disparity in RNG for some of these engagements can cause some players to fail while others succeed. Moving a character just one tile to the right or left could also make the difference between beating a level or losing.
"We made some efforts to make it less RNG compared to the AFK Arena." said Red, the Lead Developer of AFK Journey. "But actually a real time battle cannot just get rid of it." But in a lot of ways this is part of what makes AFK Journey and the collaborative nature of team play so interesting. By reaching out to guild mates and friends for advice, or even requesting they lend a powerful character where applicable, the game itself becomes far more palatable to those that vie for community involvement than those that choose to go it alone.
Giving Thanks for the Community
As I recounted my time playing AFK Journey alongside those around me, I recalled those first couple months racing to endgame with my guildmates. Despite being a pseudo-MMO, in many ways AFK Journey was able to scratch an itch for camaraderie that is sorely lacking in many other online games. From the stories I heard, there were bonds here that transcended the in-game guild chat, spilling over into the real world in ways that weren't just necessary to coordinate Battle Drills, but were welcomed by players looking for a game that gives them that shot of getting to know players without having to be constantly berated by what they might lack.
Now that AFK Journey's Waves of Intrigue update has added plenty of new story, and the 1.2.3 update is rolling out across servers worldwide, bringing new characters, trials, and quests, players who may have stepped back for a bit might find it the perfect time to jump back in during Thanksgiving. In the very least, it will be easy to reconnect with friends, gobble up the new content, and rediscover what makes AFK Journey such a special experience for so many players while languishing after a hearty feast.
