I’m excited. This isn’t the thrill-seeking kind of excitement of when you’re about to get on a rollercoaster, but the excitement of picking up a beloved book that you haven’t read for a while. This, then, is Journey, and it’s final transition to PlayStation 4. If ever a game doesn’t demand 60fps and 1080p presentation, it’s probably this one, as even though it has undoubtedly beautiful visuals on both PS3 and PS4, it is all about the emotional responses that it draws from gamers that makes it truly special.
For many, playing the game on PS4 will be a return to one of the PS3’s greatest titles, but it should be needless to say that, for those who have not yet experienced Journey, this article contains a number of spoilers.
As the camera swiftly pans across the glittering sands, my heart actually skips a beat. Perhaps this is more like getting on a rollercoaster than I thought, and the emotional highs and lows I know I’m about to put myself through aren’t entirely dissimilar. There’s a simple voice at the back of my head though that’s telling me “I love this game”, with no context, no addendum; a perfect truth for what is, in my eyes, a perfect game.
As you push your way up to the top of that first sand dune and the land stretches out in front of you, you can’t help but feel in awe. Headstones lie askew all around, though the beauty of the game’s storytelling is that you can only be sure they’re gravestones by finding a hidden pictogram. Even then, you feel like you’re making the story up yourself.
As you’re granted the first part of your scarf, and with it the ability to jump, fly or float for a short period of time, you’re both untethered and grasping at the same time, as each use wears the imbued magic out. The glee of flight turns to a search to refilling my powers by touching the floating pieces of scarf that scull gracefully about the ruined landscape like shoals of fish.
I don’t really want to leave the first area. I know I must do so, but some part of me just wants to stay here, wondering what became of the civilisation that once lived here. And so I do, for a time, floating down the steps, panning the camera around, taking it all in again. All good things have to come to an end though, and so I use my only other ability, a musical chime, to signal that I’m ready to move on.
As I leave this area, in the distance I see someone else. They wear the same outfit as me and I know they’re on the same journey. It’s not as revelatory as that first time I played – I originally had no idea of the co-operative element of the game as I’d sworn off reading about it- but that doesn’t stop a moment’s pause when I catch up to them, and while both of us stand there, communicating in staccato chimes, some kind of bond is formed between us.
It’s easy for me to make certain assumptions about them – playing, as we were, prior to the game’s release on PS4 – but for most people, this first meeting is without any context to draw upon. I suppose that when the credits roll and their PSN ID appears you could try to add them as a friend or look at what kind of games they’ve played, but then this would take away some of the magic of the experience – or indeed be a touch creepy – despite having played alongside them for a potentially significant amount of time.
And then I lose my partner. After a swift downhill section I can’t see them any longer. I wonder if they’re ahead of me or behind, sitting waiting for a minute to see, but they don’t appear and I’m saddened by that. I can’t recall whether it’s intentional – I’ve just reached a darker, more foreboding area – but either way, I suddenly feel very alone.
Then, another companion appears on the horizon. I normally write while I play games, but I have to stop, as I become increasingly worried about losing another friend. This companion isn’t as much fun though, seemingly intent on gathering every single glyph or unlocking every hidden mosaic. I wonder if he’s playing using a guide from when the game first came out, and I can’t think of a worse way of playing the game.
I leave them after they attempt to make the same jump to a hard to reach section yet again, and immediately find myself paired with another new friend with whom I’ll finish the game. This succession of companions doesn’t cheapen the experience for me, but amplifies the fleeting nature of life and those around you. Having recently lost a close friend, I have no qualms in telling you that I shed a tear at the game’s close as I stepped into the light.
The art direction is incredible, bringing to life the concept art and locations that have adorned my PS3 background since release. There are moments within that make me gasp, despite having played the game before, and though at the increased resolution may make some items appear more simplistic in some places, it doesn’t ever take away from the vision that thatgamecompany originally had.
The game’s music and sound design plays a huge part in the experience too, with the gentle instrumentation and vocals of Austin Wintory’s gorgeous sountrack, or even the sound of the wind ebbing or easing with the locations and events, with moments of silence being incredibly impactful. It’s undeniably powerful stuff, with the beautiful final piece playing over the credits helping to ease the sensations you’ve just experienced.
Some might argue that there’s barely any ‘game’ to be had – with which I would unequivocally disagree – but when something can be as moving and as experiential as Journey is, it doesn’t matter. It could be described as a computer game and interactive film or even, heaven forbid, art, but frankly it’s whatever it is to you personally. Returning to the game on PS4 may be smoother, and sharper, but if you ask me, it was already perfect.
bunimomike
Thank the gaming gods for cross-buy. Will be enjoying this today or tomorrow. Lovely article. :-)
ron_mcphatty
Great article, I’m really looking forward to booting this game up again and how amazingly generous is this years-down-the-line cross-buy?! Thanks TGC!
Has anyone had the unreasonably noisy fan syndrome? TSBonyman mentioned Journey causes it, that’s Journey, Ether One, Rocket League and Oddworld as culprits we’ve come across so far. I’m playing GTA and Batman at the moment too, no big loud noise, maybe it’s a summer thing? My PS4 is vertical on a stand behind the telly so it couldn’t really be any better ventilated.
MrYd
Journey doesn’t appear to suffer from Noisy Fan Syndrome (which we can now refer to as NFS. Maybe ;)
Ether One did. Rocket League suffers from it even more. Oddworld didn’t seem to do it.
For some weird reason, Dynasty Warriors 8 (the proper one, not Empires) suffers from it, but Samurai Warriors 4 (which is basically the same game) doesn’t. Which is very odd.
TSBonyman
Fan got pretty loud as i started up Journey last night, had to turn my tv up louder than normal – although once i was playing it i no longer noticed the fan noise.
bunimomike
Just pretend it’s the desert winds whipping across the dunes at a steady 1200rpm… sorry… 20mph. :D
tactical20
Erm… I played it. Didn’t find it remotely ’emotional’, lol. In fact it was a pretty boring experience. I didn’t think it looked particularly pretty and when I saw someone else, I didn’t really care. It’s insanely overrated imo.
Pitcher-T
I hear what you’re saying. For me it’s the music that I find incredibly emotional.
bunimomike
Yep. You’ve hit the nail on the head. Anyone who doesn’t get it rejects it pretty-much wholeheartedly. :D
TSBonyman
I only intended playing the first two levels last night in order to savour it but i met a co-operator right away in the second level and ended up staying as their guide for the first half of the game. Felt guilty quitting at that stage but i figured i should give them a chance to make some of their own discoveries! :)
Sitorimon
I am in love with this game. I just sat there mid surf right where your screenshot is and its one of the most beautiful and iconic visiobs of gaming for me in the last decade. I never stopped going on those journeys and yet I havent found everything still and part of me doesnt ever want to. Sublime.
bunimomike
Just finished my first play through on the PS4. Utter heaven. The moment I met someone was great and then there’s the lovely dune-slide where the camera pulls out and we just surf down, crossing paths without a care in the world.
Journey has lost none of its magic.
wonkey-willy
Yeah man… Sooo peaceful….
Looks sublime on ps4 the bit where you surf and it’s changes the angle to side on..the sun shimmers on the sand through the pillars..wow.. But I still don’t get the point of it???
NicholasHeathfield
Basically it’s the Hero’s Journey boiled down and rebuilt into a ludo-narratological structure. By itself it can be quite a powerful experience – in a movie, and even in most games, you have to relate to a character taking part in a story that you have no control over and little attachment to; whereas Journey, rather than taking the simple route of making the story minimalistic, goes even further and makes each part of the story connect to each stage of the Hero’s Journey. The connection between yourself and the character on the screen is thus minimised, meaning that each emotional peak and trough in the game strikes all the more profoundly.
Having a second player in the game is the icing on the cake though, the element that turns it from an excellent game into a masterpiece – because it taps into the human desire, more noticable among the introverted, to connect with one other person and share a journey, whether that is for a venture downtown or for a whole lifetime.
Yeah, if you don’t “get it” you’ll probably loathe it, but that’s my interpretation of why people, myself included, love the game so much.
tactical20
“The connection between yourself and the character on the screen is thus minimised, meaning that each emotional peak and trough in the game strikes all the more profoundly.”
How does this make any sense? Surely the more connected you feel, the more profound the emotional peaks and troughs will be? That’s why you care more when your dog dies, rather than the dead cow you’re about to eat.
bunimomike
If you replace the word “minimised” to “distilled” it makes far more sense. Hope that was the sentiment of the original text. :-)
NicholasHeathfield
Oh yeah, sorry. I was thinking “the connection is focussed” and “the disconnect is minimised” at the same time.
I hope it didn’t hurt the gist of my comment TOO much. :/
tactical20
So it’s my fault it’s boring because I don’t get it?! What a load of pretentious nonsense, lol!
bunimomike
Of course it’s your fault. Hahaha! Same fault I have with me not getting things. No shame in that. Just a good illustration of how very different we all are. There’s certain films that have enormous critical acclaim and I sit there with an eyebrow raised and think “what? This piece of shit?!” but there we go. Journey is YOUR example for you disagreeing with the majority. It doesn’t make you any less of a gamer/person. It just means it’s not for you. Nothing more, nothing less.
The reasons behind our thinking are more fascinating because it gives us a chance to work out what type of person we all are. God knows what this means for you and god knows what it means for me but, hey-ho. That’s life. Some things resonate with us. Some things leave us stone cold.
wonkey-willy
Nope still dont get it..I thought it was about getting little brown man across various environments to a giant light in the sky..
bunimomike
Off!
tactical20
Gotta admit, walking really slowly through snow for 20minutes is always my favourite bit of any game. Also, love it when you can’t skip the credits.