Journey

Wow, I've been really slack with the reviews lately... I know they used to be on Sundays, then Tuesdays, now who knows..? And alot of that has been me being busy with work and work related activities, as well as just wanting to play some games that I haven't touched in ages, but really enjoy playing. Trying to squeeze full length game reviews into this time frame isn't working so well for me, but when there are Downloadable Titles like I Am Alive, and Journey, I find it frees up my time. Not much, but enough. Anyway, theres an insight into my life for all one of you. On to the review!


STORY
Journey is an interesting game, in that while it doesn't have much exposition or dialogue (at all), it still has an interesting and thought provoking story. It's also interesting that with so little explanation, the story can be so good at tugging at your emotions.

Without spoiling anything major, Journey is essentially about a lone cloaked figure making his/her way to the only truly noticeable landmark in this world; a large mountain with a holy beacon of light hitting it's peak. Your character does this at the behest of an ethereal god-like being, and on this journey, you find out some interesting things about the land and it's inhabitants via stone etchings.
It's certainly a unique way of conveying a story, and I'm sure that not every gamer will appreciate it. However, if you're one of those people who doesn't need a lot of details to piece a story together, and you enjoy filling in the blanks, then the ambiguity of Journey will suit you perfectly. It's difficult to understand how exactly a game like this can get my hair standing on end, but few games can get that kind of a response from me.

PRESENTATION
The first thing you'll notice about Journey is that it looks AMAZING. The animations of the characters and creatures are fluid like water, and it's interesting to see that a game set mainly in a large expanse of desert seems to have more in common with water. The flowing characters are on example of this, and the sand effects also lend to this. The sand flows like water down a stream and makes the environment seem all the more beautiful.

The music is very sparse, but when it does become more intense, it gave me goosebumps. I've never heard such a good use of silence, quite tones and orchestral music in a game before. Adding to the soundtrack are the little chirps that players are capable of making, which add to the atmosphere by themselves. The game's atmosphere, generally speaking, is one of loneliness. The Journey is across a desolate desert, through which you'll rarely come across a travelling companion. And when you do, communication is limited to untranslatable chirps. I'll speak more on this feature in a moment, but I thought I'd mention it as it really does help convey the mood of Journey.

GAMEPLAY

The gameplay, much like the rest of the game, is very basic but still very enjoyable. There are only two button functions, Jump and Chirp. The game functions mainly as a platformer, where players jump their way through the levels to the end. The jumping is floaty, but unlike games like LittleBigPlanet where accuracy is necessary, the weightlessness of Journey's jumping feels right.

Across the land you'll often find certain collectibles that will lengthen the jumps you can perform (presented visually through your character's scarf). Hieroglyphs can be found to lengthen the scarf, while little cloth creatures may re-energize it, allow you to jump again. The scarf essentially acts as a stamina meter, and the amount of light on it is how full it is. Very basic and very easy to pick up. This is good, because there's very little instruction.

There is another way to refill your scarf, and it involves Journey's very unique multiplayer. As I said before, the tone of Journey is one of loneliness, but also one of discovery. And while you discover power ups, you'll also discover the occasional travelling buddy. The chirping function here helps players refill their partner's jump gauge. But the interesting thing here is that there are NO identifying features about your partner(s). No Gamertag, no names at all. So it's really strange when you start feeling a connection to your travelling companion, and it's startling when you notice your new friend has been replaced by someone completely different.

It's a cool little gameplay mechanic, and I highly suggest at least two playthroughs; one with, and one without a companion. I noticed a difference I couldn't quite put my finger on, and I'd like to see if others could find this also. There really isn't much to the gameplay, but what's there is not only basic but fun too.

REPLAYABILITY

Journey is a really short game. As in, you could finish it in one sitting. So are you going to spend 20 dollars on a game you'll only play for 4 hours? Probably not. However, Journey is the sort of game that you could play over and over again fr various reasons. It could be that the music hit you in just the right way, or the visual style was just too good to not revisit. Or maybe you just want the same chills you got from that section of the game. And trust me, when it happens, you'll know. On top of that, there are a number of hidden features in the landscape that I'm sure to go back and discover.

OVERVIEW

Journey is an interesting game. Most gamers may pass it over because of it's basic gameplay and ambiguous story, but there are definitely people who will love it. It really is a love it or hate it game. So, if you're into amazing visuals over mega-detailed graphics, and a less is more approach to music and gameplay, then you should shell out the $20 for Journey. You won't regret it. Next week should be my Twisted Metal review. It's a load of fun, but I'm being distracted by alot of games at the moment. So anyway, see you next time!