Journey (2012)

Every once in a while, it's nice to take a break from all those action games. Sometimes, the beauty of a game is in the simple exploration of a new world. Thatgamecompany has made a few really great, relaxing, laid back games with Flower and Fl0w. Their crowning achievement to date, however, was 2012's beautiful Journey.

The joy of Journey is that they don't really tell you anything. Instead, you just go. Dropped in this expansive desert, you're given no explanation, no real tutorial period, no hand-holding. All they do is give you a destination (the large mountain off in the distance) and the player just goes. There are a few moments where the game provides a brief text tutorial bit, but there is little in the ways of control. One button actives magical carpets that restore your power. Another button jumps. And another button plays a musical chime. Movement of the character is controlled by the left stick, with camera control on the right. That's it!

Thatgamecompany makes incredible games that defy description sometimes. It's hard to describe Journey as a platformer - you will jump around platforms, but that's only a tiny part, and there's no fail state. Yet it's also not quite right to call it a puzzle game either - you will need to figure out how to get through certain sections, but it's mostly about finding the right place to go, not the correct actions to take.

The title of the game perfectly describes it, though. It's just a literal journey. What's perfect is the way they direct your attention to a particular path or destination, but rarely force you to go straight through. Some of the areas, especially in the deserts, are huge. Though you're really only motivated to move linearly through these sections, going from object in the distance to object in the distance, the game never feels like you can only go that route. It feels wide open, as if you could go in any direction you want and wander for however long you wish.

Environments are gorgeous and well realized. Making it better are the distribution of magical carpets, the source of the player's powers. Encountering them restores your energy, allowing you to jump and chime and transform objects. These magic carpets move and feel like individual creatures. There are even occasions featuring a giant hammerhead shark, except made out of carpets. The aesthetic of the game is consistent through and through, and it's interesting and gorgeous.

At times, you will encounter other players online. There isn't really much to do overall. Players cannot communicate via voice or messaging. The only way to get the attention of the other player is to hit your musical chime. Mostly, players will help each other out by showing them the way. For instance, I was having a moment at what seemed to be a dead end. Another player had been around, found a magic rug, and followed it upward to the next area. That player chimes, got my attention, and led me to the next area too.

It's kind of brilliant. Low-key interactivity online in a game means that it's almost impossible to have a negative experience. It also adds to the sense that you are simply on a journey, start to finish. Scattered about, you'll run into other players who are also on their own journey.

Oh yeah: we can't forget about the score! Since there's no dialogue, and sound effects are minimal, most of the audio is the simply wonderful score conducted by Austin Wintory. Wintory's epic and perfectly matched soundtrack was the first, and remains the only video game score to have been nominated for a Grammy.

Overall, it's such a unique experience. Die hard gamers may be reluctant to call anything Thatgamecompany does a "real game." After all, there is virtually no challenge, nor is their a fail state. You cannot lose Journey.  But sometimes, the best part of a game is not the challenge, or feeling empowered to succeed. Sometimes, it's just about getting to the end. Journey is a magical adventure that really makes you lean back and enjoy the view. While this kind of relaxing, yet touching game isn't for everyone, it's definitely for anyone just looking for an experience without any of the frustration that can sometimes accompany more traditional games.