Journey (Game)

Journey: Beautiful Indie Exploration Games

Indie exploration video game developed by Thatgamecompany, featuring serene desert landscapes and emotional experiences.

What is Journey (Game)?

Journey is an indie adventure video game developed by Thatgamecompany and released in 2012 for the PlayStation 3. It was later ported to PlayStation 4 and Microsoft Windows. In Journey, the player controls a robed figure in a vast desert, traveling towards a mountain in the distance. Other players on the same journey can be encountered, but there is no communication other than chirping sounds.

Gameplay is centered around navigating the barren environments and uncovering the game's cryptic narrative through visual clues and symbolism. There is very little hand-holding or guidance, instead letting the player explore and come to their own conclusions about the world around them. Environments and set pieces have a unique emotional tone, punctuated by the Grammy-nominated orchestral soundtrack composed by Austin Wintory.

Journey's defining feature is the way it fosters cooperation and connection with strangers in a wordless online co-op mode. Players may meet one another and assist each other in exploration, developing an unspoken bond and fond memories along their path. The experience is relatively short at around 2 hours but leaves players with lingering thoughts on life, death, spirituality, and companionship.

Upon release, Journey was met with widespread critical acclaim, especially praising its visual and sound design. It received several Game of the Year awards and is often listed among the greatest games of all time for its innovative approach to forging human connections. Journey stands as a prime example of video games as an art form due to its masterful use of interactive medium to create emotion beyond excitement.

Journey (Game) Features

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