Journey of a RoachJourney of a Roach

Game Details:  Comedy, 2013

Links:  Moby Games, Steam, Adventure Gamers

Walkthrough Updated:  11/24/2022

Suggested Listening:  Caught Up in the Panic (Ash 25)

Journey of a Roach is an adventure set after a nuclear apocalypse, where only cockroaches and other creepy-crawlies have survived. You follow the story of Jim and Bud, two roaches who must escape their home after the entrance is blocked, but on the way discover a miracle - a living flower. There are 18 Steam Achievements, all documented in the walkthrough below. One of these achievements requires that you play between November 4 and November 30.

Sewers

Blow out the birthday cake (1/12) on the table. Head left from the start until you find a maggot (1/10) to eat. Continue left to find Bud, who is trapped. Click on the barrel to free him. Now head right until you reach a locked gate. Click on the lock to reveal a key from behind a rock. Use this on the lock and the gate will open. Click on the bars to free Bud once more.

Continue right into a larger room. Come forward and climb up the left wall, following it around until you find a maggot (2/10) to eat. Next pull the left lever. Climb back down to the floor and pick up the bone from the skeleton. Go back up and use the bone on the right lever, then pull it. Follow Bud to the far right and up out of the sewers.

Spider Webs

Click on the 3 webs holding you suspended and you will be free. Take the duct tape from the shelves and the broom from the blue bucket. Climb up to the ceiling and take the plunger. Combine all 3 items in your inventory, then use this to free Bud Walk like a roach. Head back and right along the fallen ventilation shaft to reach a new area with a mother spider.

Climb down to the floor and pick up a fly. Put the fly into the bags hanging on the left of the ironing board. Pick up the net that falls down. Head to the right of the room and search the blue crate, then pick up the toy airplane that falls out. Blow out the birthday cake (2/12) just to the left. Come forward and head right to a narrow corridor, where you can pick up two further objects. Head back to the left and up to the ceiling above the mother spider. Go a little further, past the ceiling fan, to get a spool of red string, then continue further to get a third object. Keep going to find a nail to pick up, which will lead to you breaking something (1/6). Also find another maggot (3/10) to eat.

Return to the mother spider and hang your net on the 3 pegs on the side wall. Fix the net with your red string. Now stand near the ramp on the floor to force the moving fly up the ramp and into the net. Put the second fly into the bags. Pick up the can that falls down. Use the can on the sewing machine, then add the nail to it. Use the foot pedal to activate the sewing machine, then take the opened can and use it in the red bowl to the right. Pick up a third fly and go and put it into the bags. Now take the toy mouse that falls to the ground. Climb up to the ceiling fan and try to take another fly, which will lead to you breaking something (2/6).

Go down into the new room, which is a laundry. Take the red boxing gloves from the ceiling and the funnel from the side wall. Go to the floor and chase the fly, which will end up in a safe. Examine the safe to see 3 dials, and use these items:

  1. Toy mouse and funnel
  2. Clown-faced object
  3. Toy plane and lid from can

After the safe opens, use the boxing gloves on yourself, then collect the fly from the safe. Also pick up the box of soap from next to the washing machine, and the paint brush from the right side of the room. Go to the room just to the left and use the paint brush in the paint bucket. Head to the far left room and put your fly into the bags.

Just in front of the mother spider, use your paint brush on the cardboard on the floor. Go up to the ceiling to scare the fly down, then go back down and collect it from the cardboard. Head to the laundry and use the washing machine 3 times Cleaning Bug. Use your soap in the washing machine, then use the washing machine once more. Go and put the last fly into the bags Fly Whisperer.

Follow the mother spider back into a new area.

Elevator Shaft

Head down to the bottom of the elevator shaft and pick up the remote control. Blow out the birthday cake (3/12). Press the green button on the wall to turn it red and the nearby fan will stop spinning. Head past the fan into the ventilation shafts and pick up a maggot (4/10) from inside, then continue until you find another room. Search the ceiling for a small bag of chocolates. Take the wooden barricade from the door and enter the next room. Talk to the rat in here and pick up the glass that he throws. Climb the wall and take the golden lightning bolt from over the doorway. Head through the doorway to the next area.

The Bar

Go up on to the platform in front of the bar and take a battery from the small table. Continue left into the kitchen. Take some rotten milk from the refrigerator, then climb up into the air vents above the kitchen and eat another maggot (5/10). As you come back down to the kitchen, blow out the birthday cake (4/12) above the next entrance to the left. Return into the kitchen and put the battery in the glass, then use this combination on the soda dispenser behind the bar.

Go back into the main part of the bar and use the lightning bolt on the piano, then pick up the cigar from the top of the piano. Head up to the ceiling here to blow out another birthday cake (5/12). Take the light bulb from above the singer. Explore the rest of the ceiling and put the bulb in the smashed light fitting. Now head down to the floor again and click on the left insect playing games at the table. Give this insect your chocolate, then click on the glasses to start a game. Choose a random glass and you will lose. Repeat this and lose 5 times Honest soul. Give the insert some more chocolate and start another game. This time click on the light switch picture, then quickly click on the glasses to see where the ball is located. Once the insect returns, click on the correct glass to win the game.

Take the map from the broken piano, then head right and give the map to the rat. Take the jar from near the gate where the rat just left, then head to the room on the right. Go up to the ceiling and you will see a baby ant sleeping in a hammock; use your glass (with the battery and soda) on the baby ant to wake him up. Go down to the floor and use your cigar on the older ant who has now woken up. Talk to the old ant, who now wants a light. Click on the top of the furnace to the left 3 times to tilt it towards the old ant, then click the bottom of the furnace to light his cigar. Pick up the coin that he gives you.

Head to the room on the left and use the coin on the vending machine, then pick up the fan it dispenses. Return right and go up to the ceiling. Replace the broken fan with your new one, then press the red button on the wall to start it up again. Go down to the floor and look at the book under the corner of the couch. Go back up to the ceiling and search to find a scarf in a secret compartment that has just opened. Use your jar on the baby ant, then quickly use your scarf on the jar to trap the baby ant inside. Pick up the jar, then go back down to the stage and give the jar to the singer, who is crying.

Pick up the bag of chocolates from near the large table on the right, and give it to the insect at the left table wearing the pirate hat. Click on the glasses to start a game, then click on the picture frame and quickly on the glasses to see where the ball is located. Once the insect is paying attention again, click on the correct glass to win the game (and receive a wooden leg). Use this on the toy truck on the other side of the game table. Use your bag of chocolates on the last game player. Click on the glasses to start a game, then use your remote on the picture of the toy truck; while the insect is distracted, quickly click on the glasses to see where the ball is located. Once the insect is paying attention again, click on the correct glass to win the game (and receive a uniform).

Return right to the old ant and give him the uniform in exchange for some goggles and a walkie-talkie. Stand to the left of the old ant and use the bottom of the furnace 3 times to burn yourself. Now head back up the elevator shaft to the mother spider. Give her the rotten milk in exchange for some silk. Go far left to the kitchen and use the silk on the pot of black soup, then pick up your new black silk. Next use the silk, shower head and goggles on yourself. You should now be able to enter the small elevator at the bottom left of the kitchen Down-Town.

Radiation Lab

Walk around to the ceiling and take the green handkerchief. Continue into the next room with the spilled waste material. Make your way up into the ventilation duct in the ceiling to find a birthday cake (6/12). Climb back down to the floor again. Pick up the sponge from the drawer in the right side of the room. Continue right over a narrow plank to reach a control room. There is another birthday cake (7/12) on the right. Pick up the blue key from the right end of the console, and use it on the nearby blue slot. Now climb down the ladders to the left and head right to see Bud in a cage. Continue right and talk to the ant to see he wants a burger. Climb up to the right to find the next birthday cake (8/12). Head to the left past the cage and pick up the electric rod to the right of the large wheels. Pull the lever to the left until the 4th green light is activated.

Head to the left and press the red button to move the water to the right. Continue left and pick up the can of fish food and then the shoe. Press the red button again then head right, up the ladders and left to the spilled waste. Use the can of fish food on the aquarium 5 times No additives!. Use your fish food on the waste, then go right and use the food on the aquarium, which will result in your breaking something (3/6). Pick up the screwdriver, then head back down the ladders and right to the ant that wants a burger. In your inventory, combine the shoe, sponge and handkerchief, and give this to the ant. Next pick up the gold key and use it on the cage so you can take the yellow rubber ducky. While you are here, look at the music on the chart just to the left and take note of the colors on the bottom row. Go back up to the control room and put the yellow rubber ducky in its space on the large desk. Now click on the rubber duckies in the order from the music (yellow, dark blue, green, red, black, dark blue) - this will put the ant up here to sleep. Pick up the keycard from next to him. Return to the room on the left and climb up the left wall, then go to the ceiling over the sleeping ant go get a maggot (6/10).

Return down the ladders to the large wheels and pull the lever until the 1st green light is activated. Continue left and use your screwdriver on the electrical box, which results in breaking something (4/6). Now climb up to the ceiling and use your electric rod on the sparking device on the ceiling. Now you need to get down to the ceiling while maintaining your electric charge:

  • Go up until you hit the wall
  • Go left down the side wall until you are stopped
  • Walk slowly between the cut pipes
  • Go down to the floor

Touch the screwdriver to transfer the charge to the electrical box. Press the red button to move the water again and go left. Use your keycard on the slot, then go through the door and collect the med-kit. In this room you will also find a birthday cake (9/12) and a maggot (7/10). Return right and press the red button again. Go right and pull the lever until the 3rd green light is activated. Give the med-kit to the caterpillar in the wheel. Get into the wheel on the right and run left - you will be caught and put in the cage after Bud escapes.

Pick up the spoon from the crate, and use it on the patch of dirt to the left until it is cleared. Climb down into the shaft. In here you must avoid a series of fans; after passing each one, press the green button so that if you get hit you don't need to avoid the same fans again. At the very end, open the latch on the gate and head through. Climb around and go back in to press the final green button. There is an achievement for doing this without hitting any of the fans Welcome to Alcatraz. Climb out and go right into a new room Out of the frying pan into the fire.

Missile Control

Climb up the left wall and pick up the Swiss army knife. Continue up this wall and go slightly forward to find a green fuel tank to collect. There is also a birthday cake (10/12) here. Go back down to the ground and use the crane controls. You move the crane around using the red buttons and activate the crane to pick up or drop a crate by pulling the grey lever. Pick up the crates and move one to the middle left spot, one to the middle right, and one to the lower right. Now you can safely go down the new opening right near the controls. Go to the end of this passage and pick up the pickaxe. Climb back out and head further to the right, so you can pick up the nail-gun (this will remove one of the guards).

Go to the back right part of the room and pull the large lever to open another trapdoor. Climb down and you will end up on the roof of a cave. Use your pickaxe on the large brown stalactite and you will end up breaking something (5/6). Climb into the other shaft and grab the maggot (8/10), then return to the cave. Pick up the batteries at the other end of the cave (on top of a barrel on the ground) and combine them with your walkie-talkie. Return up and use the lever to close the trapdoor again.

Climb up to the platform above the crane controls. Use your walkie-talkie on the radio transmitter, then use it to call in your friends.

Use the crane controls again to stack all 3 crates at the upper right location. Go over and climb them to get another maggot (9/10). Go around to the ground to the left of the large missile and climb up the left wall to find the last maggot (10/10) Slimy, yet satisfying. Pick up the mushroom from next to where Bud is being held. Pull the lever to open the trapdoor once more. Return to the crane controls and put the mushroom in the empty space. Use the crane controls to pick up the insect guarding Bud and place him down beneath the trapdoor. Stack all 3 crates on the central platform Pile'em Up. Put two of them in the middle right position, and one in the top right position (down through the trapdoor). Use the crane to pick up the central platform where the guard was standing.

Climb up the right wall to find a birthday cake (11/12) on a catwalk. Continue up to the ceiling and use your Swiss army knife on the rope holding up an angled catwalk to make it fall. Climb down and walk over this to reach the top of the missile, and pick up another fuel tank. Walk down and left to where the guard's platform is being held and take a purple key. Go to the under-surface of this platform and use the hook to save Bud. Now go back down the shaft where you placed the guard, and you will see him being beaten up by the rat. Pick up a third fuel tank from here. Blow out the candle on the final birthday cake (12/12) The cake is not a lie.

Climb up to the missile again and use all 3 of your fuel tanks on the hatch on the right side. Back at the crane controls, release the guard's platform, then press the bottom left button to end up breaking something (6/6) Like a bull in a china shop. Head up through the broken glass and use your key in the slot on the right. Push the big red button to launch the missile A new hope.

Final Achievements

You can only find the cakes if you are playing the game between the dates of November 4 and November 30. There are several other achievements that will require you to play the game at least once more:

  • Take a total of 5000 steps cumulatively Hardcore Walking
  • Finish the game a second time Once doesn't count
  • Finish the game without saving or loading Super Retro!
  • Finish the game within 18 minutes Roach on speed
  • Get all other achievements Like a boss!