iGR Insight - Journey Review

I just finished my Journey..I was skeptical seeing the bids for Journey to be 2012 GOTY and somewhat dismayed that it won the honor with some other media outlets. That was before I played Journey.

That Game Company triumphs in every way with Journey. The clean aesthetics, flowing movement, and emotion inducing instances make Journey one of the more memorable Gaming experiences I’ve ever had and possibly will have.

Journey drops you into a desert and presents you with what you believe is your one goal in the distance. Without thinking twice you start heading for the towering peak. Soon you gain the ability for more movement options like jumping and also a form of communication. I felt a bit lost during the opening moments which I’m completely sure is the intent. As things started to unfold I simply felt compelled to continue towards my goal without interruption.

Journey’s strong suit is it’s complex simplicity. the graphics in the environments are insanely detailed down to the last speck of sand. The rest of the structures and geographical landmarks simply fit into the overall presentation with ease.

As I ventured further towards my goal I ran into companions that aided me along the way, and at that point I actually felt less isolated and happy to have something/someone joining me in my quest. I was even more taken aback and pleased when a second avatar populated the screen (I stayed in the dark about this title and hadn’t read any reviews elsewhere before playing). The addition of simple communication was beautifully brought to life by my (what I thought at that time) AI companion. Only after the fact did I learn this was another player and I was thoroughly impressed with how well we worked together.

Journey is a game that Dennis Reynolds should play because it makes you feel. I was compelled to keep making forward progress towards the next instance of emotion. I felt isolated, companionship, joy, spiritual, and even fear during my experience and not many video games can boast even half that.

+Clean, simple, yet complex graphics

+Flowing experience

+Induces emotion like no other

+Fantastic Co-op

Review Score: 10/10