There's a great lack of Journey discussion on these forums. Has anyone beaten it yet? I literally just beat it minutes ago and I must say, it was incredible. If you haven't bought the game yet, then go do it!
I want to buy it, actually. :x The game art/graphics look amazing! It's a short game though, isn't it? I think it is, unsure though. Frasher also made it look fun.
The shortness of it is pretty much the only thing about it that could almost be seen as a negative, in my eyes. It really left me craving for more. The game took me tops two hours to beat, but every minute of it was incredible, a truly unique experience. The fact that it's a bit on the short side might be a good thing though, that way it doesn't lose any of its charm or atmosphere along the way. The game is gaming at its finest in my eyes, doing what only video games can do. You should buy it, Kellu! Although, it's a bit of a shame that you already watched Frashy play parts of it, as it is amazing to just go into the game basically blind. Speaking of Frash, I'll go watch them play it now.
I just got it the other day, but honestly the length of it doesn't bother me - it's such a legitimately beautiful game, there is so much to look at and explore. I've gotten all the different cloaks (all stages of the red one and got the white yesterday), and I'm working on finding all the glyphs now. I think there's a much, much deeper story than what's presented, but I think I need to find the last two glyphs to really be able to figure out the story. From what I encountered on my first few plays though, this is basically my theory (it does have spoilers, so be warned). Spoiler: playthrough one Your character dies at the end when they walk into the light. The things you were collecting throughout the game were the spirits of the travelers that went before you and didn’t succeed, with each progressing traveler getting stronger and making it further than the last because of the strength of the others’ spirits, and the multiple stone things you see sticking out of the ground are actually graves of the previous travelers, reason being that after you disappear into the light the camera focuses on one of the stone things in the snow, presumably near/at where your character falls over. Shortly after that scene a light flies out from the top of the mountain you entered, that light is your spirit, released after you died, that goes to help the next one that comes through - your spirit light even flies past another humanoid cloth-creature in the snowy area. And as your light returns to the beginning, it serves as the initial strength of the next traveler, hence the trophy “rebirth” you receive as night fades into a sunrise. Spoiler: playthrough two The very first glyph you encounter supports the theory of those being graves. The figures are travelers that went before you, the stones are their graves. Note that each panel with a figure and grave has a different symbol - their name, perhaps, just as you have your own. Why there are so many in the desert where you start I am not sure, but it does explain why these stone things are all over the place. Other travelers have tried to take the journey but have failed. Spoiler: playthrough four I think I was right about the symbols being spirits because when you get the one from the desert that falls from the mountain not only does it come from where you’re going (the mountain) scraps of red cloth float out too. The other light that flies with it (the companion it went with) seems to go back where you came from - a new traveler starting their journey. Given that, I figured the graves aren’t actually graves - they’re the remains of previous travelers, just like the whale-serpent things are skeletons of the cloth ones because when you go up to the mountain and through the clouds they stop being scary and turn into cloth whales. More proof to this is that right before your light flies from the mountain, your “grave” glows with what looks like a symbol, presumably the one you had during your life, and then as the light flies up the one on the “grave” fades out. Your spirit goes on to aid others, as there is one traveler seen in the snowy area (on the bridge), and two coming out of the area of the desert right before the surfing. Additionally, I was correct about your character having a different symbol as their call each time you play - you are technically not the same character each time, because your previous one has died. I was amazed at the amount of story detail someone could take from this, and I'm sure there's other interpretations too - either way it's a really incredible game and I'm glad it's getting so much success. On a side note, I managed to do a glitch that lets you explore the ancient city you surf by in the surfing level. It's not easy to get to, but once you're there it is insanely beautiful.
This game is defiantly a piece of art. It evokes different emotions and ideas in each people who it experience it, and that makes it a pure piece of art. I love it.
Very accurate observation I'd say, Libre. Though I havent played fl0w or Flower, I have seen some excerpts of them and I would say from what ive seen, your observations are accurate, but for journey Ican defiantly say that it is how you say it it. Journey obviously speaks about the importance of 'the journey' over the destination, the very image is always present in thought or in view and your aim throughout. But is your experiences in each new surrounding that helps shape you and the world you see. And when you reach your destination you are given 'enlightenment' in a sense. An experience of the inner most energy of the world and of the people you have lost. And after enlightenment brings rejuvenation and your journey begins again. Truly the circle of life, death and the journey in between.
I've heard great stuff about it. I love THATGAMECOMPANY, because I also played Flower by them and I was amazed/in awe from the whole game. I don't really care about the length of games as long as they are enjoyable :) So once I get some money to get a PSN card again then I'll def. get it.
Really should. It is one of my favourite Downloadable-only games ever, along with From Dust and Castle Crashers. You've really just gotta sit down with it for a little while to get your teeth into it and really let it take you away, on a Jouney.
^I would definitely agree with the comparison to Flower, here. Although It is on an incredibly different level design-wise, it still has a similar element to it that just makes you feel so much more involved in the game. I was lucky enough to get this a week prior to the public release due to having PSN + and I have to say, it was worth every cent spent. In total I have finished it seven times - 4 times with another person most of the way through - and it still doesn't bore me. The soundtrack is just absolute love (another nit of well-spent money) and I applaud Austin Wintory greatly for his emotion-evoking work. It's no wonder that it has received such hugh praise globally. Pair that up with the stunning visuals of the game itself, and you can't help but wonder if this is the pinnacle of gaming. To me, it evoked strong emotions the whole way through, whether with another player or not. The fact that it makes you feel so involved to the point that you almost feel as if you ARE the Journeyer is just absolutely fantastic. And the fact that it has no spoken dialogue or text whatsoever just makes this even more outstanding. The multiplayer interactions are always fun, even if the person you've just met ultimately goes off on their own tangent. At times, if you're one of the more experienced players (generally now marked with the white robes after "transcending") you can take great pleasure and joy in helping someone else make their way through the gorgeous world before you. The fact that it all varies so much aesthetically results in it being far from boring, and also means that you're left with a great sense of satisfaction upon completion. As previously said in this thread, the only possible downside is that it is considerably short, but the fact that you can go back and play it over and over again without feeling like you have a daunting full game ahead of you is great. In addition to this, there are the trophies hat you an gain by collecting the unique glyphs, going through fifteen gates while sand-surfing and so on that give that extra bit of reward on top of an already great game. All in all, it is a must-get game. Definitely one of the best games that I have ever played, and it truly is a piece of art. I loved flOw and Flower before this, but thatgamecompany have really outdone themselves with the greatness known as Journey.
