Journey General

[H-Rawk]

I don't mean to hate, but  have read the many outstanding reviews and got to a point where I HAD to spent the $7 to try it. I just don't get the hype at all. 

I will agree that the music and scenerry is beautiful, but the gameplay is so "blah", and I never got any message. Is it that religious people find some higher power message in there?

Again, it was beautiful, but boy would I be **bleep** if I were one of the great traditional game makers who lost out on GotY against this.

Again, I am not a hater, and post this only for your reasons for loving it so much.

Thanks,

Heath 

[X_The_Scientist]

I understand your confusion, Journey can be very confusing for some people due to the fact that it is so different from other games. You don't shoot things, you don't jump on people, there is very little to no violence in the game, and there is only one goal, reach the top of the mountain. It is this that confuses many people but also makes it a great game. As for the story line there is no set plot, the game gives you bits of information and it is up to you to piece the story together, and I'm almost certain that every person who plays the game has a different idea of the plot, and that no two plots are the same.
Hope this helps,
-X the Science Guy.

[H-Rawk]

Good Morning X,

I tried to find a plot, but really couldn't. He's trying to save some ancient culture, or something, but aren't most video games about something like that? Plus they habe dialog, shooting, jumping on people and a legitimate plot. 

I think there is a parallel as to why I don't get either this game or religion. 

[X_The_Scientist]

What religion?

[H-Rawk]

I mean the only "plot' I can find is some spiritual journey, which I just don't understand, or identify with. 

[GrayGargoyle]

The plot of Journey isn't one that's unique, as the way to identify it is to think about the creation of humanity and civilization as a whole. That's where thatgamecompany tends to rely on its stories, or has for the most part. You'll find a common thread through their previous games. The experience of Journey, just like flOw and Flower, is one that might confuse some while it also might astound others.

Some stories don't need words to convey a message. Sometimes all you need is the emotion and the pictographs depicting what is being represented. If you have some idea of how history has been shaped, that's mostly the idea behind Journey - and that's what's there to understand.

[Cultureshock007]

Journey's plot from my point of veiw is rarely what people like about the game. The story sequences depict a culture that grew and flourished and then destroyed itself by exploting the world's resources to construct machines of war. It illustrates that this happened in the distant past and explains the setting of the places you journey through.  All the "plot" serves to do is provide background context for the places you go through, where the ruins came from, what the guardians are and forshadow the last leg of your Journey.  Really it is not the main focus of the game.

There are themes of reincarnation and of pilgimage which do have a spiritual and religious tone but one could also veiw it simply as the struggle to reach one's goal, facing opposition or  failure and  exceeding one's perceived limits. Some people may have jived with the religious themes but really that's not the game's main focus either.

The real concept behind Journey is a exploration of relationships. The setting is one that is entirely crafted to encourage two strangers with only the most basic forms of communication to become friends by setting them in a harsh environment and giving them a simple unifying goal. Even the story's tale of animosity destroying a great civilization points to a theme of co-operation. Indeed when you manage to find someone open to working symbiotically the connection you can establish is very rewarding.

It is almost more of an art installation than a game because it has no losing condition. You cannot  die and even with no scarf you can go all the way through the game.  It is not a normal sort of challenge. In an almost ironic way if you are  a goal oriented person Journey might not  resonate because the game is so short if you simply go through it end to end.  Try to make a friend in Journey and you will have a better understanding of the core concept of Journey. Everything else are just set peices to help support the experience.

[PLYMCO_PILGRIM]

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GrayGargoyle wrote:

The plot of Journey isn't one that's unique, as the way to identify it is to think about the creation of humanity and civilization as a whole. That's where thatgamecompany tends to rely on its stories, or has for the most part. You'll find a common thread through their previous games. The experience of Journey, just like flOw and Flower, is one that might confuse some while it also might astound others.

Some stories don't need words to convey a message. Sometimes all you need is the emotion and the pictographs depicting what is being represented. If you have some idea of how history has been shaped, that's mostly the idea behind Journey - and that's what's there to understand.

---

To expand on what Gargoyle said journey, to me, is more of an "experience" to go through than a game to play through.  

The game allows you to play it and ponder the "why" of what the developers were trying to convey with the game.  To me it gave me a sense of wonder and curiousity the whole time I was playing.   It truly opens you up to interpret the events and actions in your own way to make the games "story" mean whatever it might to you as an individual.

To me it represented life, the way you struggle and strive through things....explore and find stuff and with each new thing you find you grow a little more, gain a little more power as an individual and move higher up the mountain .

[prince_pika]

When I first played Journey, I just as confused as you. I picked the game up because my boyfriend told me it was fantastic and brought a tear to his eyes...and let me tell you...hes one tough son of a **bleep**.

Anyways, the concept behind Journey is Life, thats as simple as I can put it. You journey through a beautiful and wonderous world. You learn about your culture, you meet others along the way, you endure obstacles that you can't always hide from, and in the end... you die. But then you are either reborn or there is new life to begin that same journey.

There was a blog on gameinformer.com that gave a beauitful summary...You should read it.

[DarthDanMan]

This thread has so many kudos worthy posts.