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| Journey | ||
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Developer | ThatGameCompany |
| Publisher | Sony | |
| Rating | PG | |
| PSN (for PS3) | ||
From Thatgamecompany Journey continues the developer's fascination with stylized gameplay titles that have become its hallmark with previous releases such as Flow and Flower.
Your approach to a game of Journey will be a personal one indeed, some people will get caught up in the majesty, and others may simply treat Journey as a platform puzzler.
Thatgamecompany however, has put all the emotional elements into this release to make it a memorable and personal experience, one full of wonder, joy and sadness as you solve puzzles almost literally hand in hand with other folks on their own journey.
Basically you move through the world, discovering your limitations, battling the elements, acquiring a magical scarf (and it's metaphor for accumulated wealth during a lifetime) on a quest to reach the beckoning mountain.
The glittering environments, the majestic soundtrack, the attempts at cutscene interpretation and the thrill of discovery await those willing to lose themselves for a couple of hours in this landmark release.
But, approach this pragmatically and the magic is broken. AU$20 for around two hours of relatively straight forward platforming game-play, 'wait a cotton picking minute!' some will say, where is the value here?
The answer lies in the experience, the compelling nature of the fiction and the way the online gaming world can be transformed from a confrontational arena of death (see Call Of Duty and just about any other online release) to one of cooperation and a place where you wait for your partner, even he or she fails to make that last jump and must repeat a recent section.
The anonymity of the short relationship adds to the eeriness of the setting. Being able to communicate only through a single bloop (either short or long) requires you to improvise and develop an understanding to help each other along the way. Whilst Journey can be completed as a single, it is much more rewarding, fun and easier as a couple, much like life itself.
