Journey, by Thatgamecompany, is a poem rather than a story and an emotional journey rather than a cerebral one. It does not have depth, which I associate with story and character development. In depth’s place, it has ambiance — and that’s important, too. If you don’t own the game, you need only watch a few minutes on the Internet to see that the cinematics are stunning.
The gameplay is varied enough to entertain for a couple of hours — all it takes to beat the game. Breathless moments of flight, sliding down sand dunes as music speeds up to match your movements, exploring dark tunnels and climbing a snowy mountain… This game is filled with experiences and locales that evoke a sense of wonder in the player. But Journey forces nothing on you. Instead, it asks you to bring meaning to the game. If you don’t, you’re in for a dull ride.
If you play online, you may stumble across one other player at a time and journey with him or her, though communication is limited mainly to touching robes — helping each other and never hindering. And should you need to vocalize, you can make your character shout with the press of a button and let your cry play in harmony with the game’s music.
The game feels to me like a final journey before death, but it could just as easily be a story of redemption or triumph or conquering fears, or a simple tale that rewards curiosity with quiet adventure. If you’ve recently experienced an emotional trauma, this game — wordless and combat-less as it is — gives you plenty of breathing room to feel it and, if you let it, experience a sort of catharsis. I found myself remembering the death of someone close to me and appreciated the chance to transcend grief — something I brought to the game, which is what Journey requires the player to do in order to enjoy it, I think.
It’s similar to instances when you share an experience with someone but, years later, remember it in different colors than your companion does. Somehow you each feel very differently about it. Similarly, every player will experience Journey in a very personal way. Some will remember pure wonder, some caution or trepidation, some calm relaxation and others energetic joy.
As when you meditate, playing this game gives your mind space to wander, but you can also achieve true quiet by calming your mind for the duration of the game. And that’s what makes Journey so touching: It gives, but it also leaves room for you to give something to the game, too.
I imagine each playthrough will be unique for me as I think, feel and remember different things. And the next time I feel overwhelmed with troubles and need a mental or emotional break, I can see myself turning to this game for a meditative escape.
— Ashley
Robo♥beat 
Great review and perspective on this game. I absolutely love your explanation of how this game is different to different people. To me, that’s one of the greatest things about gaming, and an aspect of the industry that needs to be discussed more. That’s why I love watching friends play. Because as you watch them play, you begin to see the game world as they see it. I don’t own a Playstation yet, but I set aside time to find someone else’s to play on, and I’m very glad I did. This is now one of my favorite games of all time. The simplicity combined with the consistency of the world is fascinating, creating an experience that completely immerses the player. To me, I thought the metaphor was one of unintentional sacrifice. That although we might be journeying for our own personal reasons, the effects can have far reaching consequences. To me, the character was the essence of all the magic that had been drained from the world. The last remnant of that mystical force that the inhabitants of this world once utilized. However, also apparent to me was the redundancy indicated at the end of the game after reaching the peak. Was this last essence of magic merely repeating the same journey over and over, unaware of the repetition? Did the gravestones mark the final resting places of your past journeys up the slopes? For such a simple game, there’s a lot to contemplate, and even as one interpretation begins to make sense, another arises. I believe that is what will make this game live on, hopefully played from generation to generation of gamers, so that all can experience its mystical power to make you FEEL.