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Life is a "Journey" (PS3 Game Review)
VanadromArda
Member Posts: 445
*No Spoilers---
Desolate and barren, and vast sea of gold gleems in the morning sun as the quiet mountain calls to you. A world without voice, without scripted word awaits the wanderer of the wastes. Like a fallen star the mysterious figures appears, draped in blood red cloth that burns over the golden sea. This is the world that remains, and this is where you Journey unfolds.
On March 7th, Journey, an exclusive downloadable game for the PS3 designed by ThatGameCompany, was released to Playstation Plus+ members a week before its March 13th release. For the first time, the casual gamer has been able to experience the wonder and the subtly of this work. Like many other games from ThatGameCompany (Flower, flOw), Journey is a peaceful, therapeutic game that does not challange nor punish its players. Instead, difficulty has been sublimented with light puzzles and the sheer desire to explore the unknown.
No hands guide you, no arrows or waypoints, only the mere presence of something on the horizon drives you forward. With your common need to investigate, the barren desert of Journey offers you telltale pieces that stick up out of the stand and draw you to them. Light as a feather, you play as a nimble creature that has been born of celestial cloth and starlight. Your purpose steadily is revealed a little as a time, unfolding before your very eyes through the history of those whose graves reside at your feet.
You are driven towards a mountain, a lone pillar of light summons you. You press on, always moving forward and seldom looking back. The sands and the winds whip across you, and the comforting sounds of orchestrial music illuminate the air. For a desert, the enviroment feels remarkable cool and clean. The sky is warm and inviting, ignited by vibrant, painterly colors that sooth the mind.
Full of emotion and investment, this short game packs a powerful punch -- truly nothing short of an interactive film (with NO Quick-Time Elements, yay!). While is boasts a meager 2 hours in total length, it is something you will experience time and time, and time again. There is simply no stopping the drive, and each time you will likely feel the fear and the shed the tears all over again.
Sporting a simple, yet functional online co-op.. Journey will allow two players to wander into one another as they travel the deserts. No names are shared, no text, no words.. Just the mere music of your star-bright chirping offers communication and companionship. Yet to truly feel the impact of the game, play the game alone first. When signed in online to PSN, online mode is automatic - so simply log off. Going upon the Journey alone at first will have the greatest effect, and then you will cherish and appreciate the need fror a companion in future play-throughs.
I recommend this game highly for simplicity and quality. For those of you who enjoyed Shadow of the Collossus, this broken from the same mold and is surely going to tug at your heart strings in many of the same ways. Check it out for yourself. The game is currently $14.99, and will likely remain that way.
Teaser Trailer - No Spoilers
Comments
Looks awesome. I loved SotC. Too bad it's for the PS3
What? So theres no Kung fu?
I was surprised to read that it only takes about three hours to finish. I know, that was to be expected, for the price and artistic nature of the game, from the makers of Flower, etc - but, given it's multiplayer component, it just seems wasted on such a short game. Not even knocking it really, just seems kind of odd to me, that they didn't do more to take advantage of that.
When I want a single-player story, I'll play a single-player game. When I play an MMO, I want a massively multiplayer world.
Trust me, don't let the length full you. This game is not a waste, I'd gladly pay $60 or the same 3 hours. It's a steal for $15.
$15 for a 2 hour game. That's a steep price to me. I stopped buying $60 games that only gave me 10 hours of play, like God of War, etc, so this price is just as bad if not worse.
Are you guys reading what I'm writing? It's 2 hours for a single play-through. but you're going to play it tons of times, I've already clocked in 60 hours.
I'll definitely be picking it up. Have to wait until then to see if I agree with you on that, though
When I want a single-player story, I'll play a single-player game. When I play an MMO, I want a massively multiplayer world.
Well I'm a little selfish, I want more people to experience this game. Currently I got my girlfriend into playing.
Game INformer magazine gave it a 9, and with no other blockbusters reviewed this month, it garnered a game of the month award.
IMO GI magazine is the best place to get reviews.....which is strange as it is an extention of Gamestop, so you would think they would want to promote all games. That is definitely not the case.
Asking Devs to make AAA sandbox titles is like trying to get fine dining on a McDonalds dollar menu budget.
So it s different each time you play through? Or is it just a vast game, it will seem different each time?
You can advance through the game differently, but ultimately the same things happen and the game is the same time and time again. You can make choices which can make the game more difficult for you and more challanging, or easier and more relaxing. You have that power, purely based on how you tackle the game.
Either way, the game is great, and well worth the 15 bucks I paid for it. I've only played through it once, but I did the whole playthrough in one setting with the same other player. It's funny what sort of bond you form when playing with another player, even though you can only communicate in bleeps and bloops. There were some times I felt bad, and we never really left each other behind (he actually would warn me about upcoming problems or secrets he knew about it).
The game is really pretty cool, and a pretty cool statement about how games can be art. and I hate to say it, it's about the journey you go on. Aside from that, the music is really well done. It was just a treat to play! Very different from the same old shooters we see produced month after month.
I read about this game a while ago and was very dissapointed to learn that it was on the ps3... where's the PC love?
Journey was the last game ThatGameCompany has under contract with Sony. They'll be moving onto others things now, maybe even work on things for Steam and PC - who knows. I look forward to bigger projects from those guys.
Game is now available by the way.
Game is awesome. I love the fact that there is no chat, and you are grouped with one player and you never know if its the same person or not! Towards the end of the game you get a list of all the players you met along the way and I was surprised that I was playing with 6 different people at various points even though I thought it was the same person!
MMO's could learn a thing or two from Journey
Aye I fired up my PS3 last night to play the extended version of Green Lantern(was showing on HBO). I dont get online with it often so checked the store. Shocked me to see the price, as I was under the assumption it was a full retail game. Game Informer gave it a 9, and I generally agree with their reviews. When I say generally, it should read pretty much 95% of the time.
They actually run some great deals at times on PS3 store. I know I jumped on Dragons Lair for 5 bucks for nostalgia reasons. Those looking for classic FF games can find them as well.
Anyways thanks for write up OP.
Asking Devs to make AAA sandbox titles is like trying to get fine dining on a McDonalds dollar menu budget.