Let's discuss: Journey

The format of these posts is simple: let’s discuss a specific game or series!

Today (16th of April) is my birthday! So we’re discussing my favorite game of all time (tied with Outer Wilds): Journey

What aspects do you like about it? What doesn’t work for you? What are your favorite experiences in the game? Are there other games that gave you similar feelings? Feel free to share any thoughts that come up, or react to other peoples comments. Let’s get the conversation going!

If you have any recommendations for games or series for the next post(s), please feel free to DM me or add it in a comment here (no guarantees of course).

Previous entries: Resident Evil, Polybius, Tetris, Telltale Games, Kirby, LEGO Games, DOOM, Ori, Metal Gear, Slay the Spire

apotheotic,

Journey is one of the most sublime works of art in the video games medium. I have it tattooed on half my fucking arm.

I got similar feelings of awe from Citizen Sleeper. They’re vastly different games, but they both blew me away for what the “games as an art form” could be.

https://beehaw.org/pictrs/image/2980cb8f-9898-4cf9-8d1b-e56038fa20af.webphttps://beehaw.org/pictrs/image/9622b711-1da5-48ec-b4ef-a46297358f1f.webp

sceeba,
sceeba avatar

Playing Journey was one of the most moving and profound experiences I've ever had in gaming. I was lucky enough to play the entirety of the game in one sitting and with one partner. I knew going in that this was a co-op game. What I didn't realize was the effect it would have on me. Truly the closest to a spiritual experience I've had in a gaming setting. I sobbed as we walked into the light at the end.

ag_roberston_author,
@ag_roberston_author@beehaw.org avatar

Love it.

Such an incredible gaming experience with absolutely no words.

I also love Abzū, which is kind of like a sequel to it, but also not really.

I did try and get my girlfriend (non-gamer) to play Journey and she did not enjoy it at all, which made me realise a large part of why I love it is that it doesn’t hold your hand, and it assumes you are adept at gaming in some way.

Abnorc,

This is a beautiful game. The OST and visuals are amazing, and the movement is pretty fun as well. I remember playing a couple of times with one person through the whole game. Once was one of my first few runs, and the last was a white robe who showed me where all the collectibles are.

semperpeppe,

I’ve never played this game, but it’s soundtrack helped me prepare for so many exams in uni that I can’t even remember. I will have to try it once!

bermuda,

I played journey for the first time when it was posted to PC and consequentially went on sale on Steam. Very good game. I tried to connect with the guy who I played the majority of it with but he didn’t speak English and I don’t speak much Spanish so it kinda fizzled.

Deconceptualist,

Happy birthday! I actually just started playing Journey for the first time yesterday, less than an hour I’d say (on Steam). The visuals and fluidity of controls are nice, nothing spectacular by today’s standards but I’m sure they were great back in the PS3 era. The beginning felt a little slow trudging through the sand until I understood how the scarf upgrades work. But then when I encountered another player it really started to click and go more smoothly. I like how the game encourages cooperation by pinging and refilling each other’s scarf energy, though I feel like progress might go slow again if I get stuck going solo next session. The puzzles are very simple but I was feeling sick so having a ‘cozy’ game was actually pretty nice.

figaro,

Journey is a spiritual journey for me. I try to play it once every couple of years to remind me of the impermanence of life and existence.

Fuck the robot snakes, I want a long scarf.

Quexotic,

The white outfit is nice. I’ve played this game for maybe 80h. It truly was a spiritual journey for me too. It made me cry more than once.

It will always hold a special place in my heart.

frog,

I haven’t played it yet, but it was on my wishlist for a while, so when I saw it on sale a few days ago, I snapped it up and immediately installed it. I’m really excited to play it as soon as I have some free hours.

EddoWagt,

It’s not too long, but it’s a great experience, absolutely worth the time

frog,

Yeah, I’m really looking forward to it. I loved Abzu, and Journey went on my wishlist because so many people had said how similar they were. I’d have probably played it already if I wasn’t ill - I can barely hear anything right now, and that’s not the best time to play a game where the music is a big part of the experience!

EddoWagt,

Yeah Abzu was great as well, but something about Journey just resonates with you. I can’t explicitly remember the music, but it would probably be better if you just waited a bit longer until you can hear again!

Daxtron2,

Still one of my favorite gaming experiences. I recommend everyone to play it at least once through, it’s not terribly long but it is an extremely worthwhile experience.

themadcodger,
@themadcodger@kbin.earth avatar

I won't add anything new here, but just chiming in that it's also my favorite game of all time. I got to play it when it was contemporary (ps3 I think?) and a couple of years ago rebought and replayed it on Steam. I lobe everything from the artwork and symphonic score, to the play style and plot as it were, to even the communal nature of the game and the fact you can only chirp as communication. Like others, it had a very profound impact on me when playing. It's definitely one of those I wish I could play for the first time all over again.

kobold,

it is simultaneously overrated yet exactly deserving of all the praise it gets

the way it encourages cooperation with a stranger is staggeringly rare in games and i wish there were more things like it

SebKra,

I think I would have enjoyed this more, if I had played it earlier. But when I finally got around to playing it in 2021, the Multiplayer was dead and I had already seen too many pretty games for Journey to stand out.

I can see how someone would fall in love with at the right time though.

chloyster,

tied with Outer Wilds

I knew you were cool 😎

Journey is also fantastic. I didn’t get to play it until it was on PS4 but I absolutely loved it. An extremely unique experience that had my jaw on the floor with how beautiful it looked. I feel like I should try that Sky MMO kind of game the studio made that just got launched for more platforms… Doubt it can live up to journey but who knows

knokelmaat,

Yeah I never thought something could top my experience with journey. I’ve seen the comment “quasi religious” quite a lot in this comment section. If it applies to Journey, for me it applies even more to Outer Wilds. The gameplay, discovery, mystery, music are all perfect and the culmination of the story and it’s message absolutely blew me away. I’ve never seen a game depict my view on life and even spirituality as perfectly as Outer Wilds. During the final scene I felt so thoroughly moved, as if the game was releasing something from my very soul.

It was a weird realization that my all time favorite game might actually have changed, especially as I played Outer Wilds in a state of recovery from depression during which I never expected to be able to connect so strongly to something emotionally.

Paradachshund,

This game literally gave me a mind altering experience. The point at the end as you walk towards the light, I started to be unsure if I was controlling the character anymore or not, and it was actually quite dissociating like a psychedelic experience (I was sober at the time for the record). Truly incredible moment that no other game has pulled off.

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