{"id":125103,"date":"2012-03-01T18:15:00","date_gmt":"2012-03-01T23:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jbsgame.com\/review-journey\/"},"modified":"2012-03-01T18:15:00","modified_gmt":"2012-03-01T23:15:00","slug":"review-journey","status":"publish","type":"eg_reviews","link":"https:\/\/jbsgame.com\/reviews\/review-journey\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: Journey"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/h2>

How does one describe Journey<\/em>, exactly? It’s a videogame unlike any other, to the point where calling it a videogame doesn’t quite feel right. One could call it an art game, but that would draw comparisons with infinitely less distinguished pieces of software. Whatever label you want to affix to thatgamecompany’s latest creation, there’s one description that absolutely everybody should be able to agree on. <\/p>

Journey<\/em> is … a journey.<\/p>

<\/p>

Journey <\/i>(PlayStation Network<\/strong>)
<\/strong>Developer: thatgamecompany
<\/strong>Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
<\/strong>Released: March 13, 2012
<\/strong>MSRP: $14.99<\/strong><\/p>

There is a story to Journey<\/em>, a message to take away. What elements of this story will resonate and what message is ultimately gleaned depend on the individual, and may be quite unique. As in all titles developed by thatgamecompany, there is nothing truly explicit, nothing that cannot be interpreted in any number of ways. <\/p>

At the most basic level, you are a shrouded figure traversing the desert with the ultimate goal of reaching a mountain across the vast sandy wastes. Your interactions are minimal, as your main job is simply to move. Traditional stick movement gives you direct control over your entity, while Sixaxis motions manipulate the camera. Pressing the circle button causes the player character to emit a chime, and the button can be held down to make a more significant noise, generating a spherical field that emanates from the player. This aura can bring life to surrounding objects, causing them to perform special actions that will guide the player along the correct path. <\/p>

The creature (for want of a better word) wears a scarf that contains a unique power, allowing the player to fly into the air with a press of the X button. This flight only lasts as long as the glyphs printed on the scarf remain lit, and the glyphs’ illumination naturally drains as the player remains airborne. The scarf can be recharged by touching fluttering strands of fabric, and it can be lengthened by collecting glowing symbols hidden throughout the desert. <\/p>