Why Journey Is Still The Best Game Of 2012 (So Far)

Posted on Wednesday, July 25 @ 10:00:00 Eastern by Daniel Bischoff

Track

The music in Journey is fantastic, evocative, and mature. In this cu-tscene, it's certainly evident, but the best parts of the soundtrack happen in that moment-to-moment gameplay I mentioned before. As you soar, so does the song. Catching a ride on one of Journey's Jellyfish creatures lifts both the strings and the player up into the air.

Togetherness

Despite the fact that you cannot speak to your in-game companions, you'll probably attain more productive communication through the whistles and notes of our robed protagonist. In the video above, you can see how a new companion is instantly attractive and useful.

That first unsteady hello whistle, followed by the sparse notes, and the harp blast at the end are all the dialogue you need. In a later section, my companion and I timed our movements hidden from a large enemy. Would I have bothered to say anything at all if not for this method of communication?

Flying

Many games put the toughest boss at the end and leave players unsatisfied. The best, most entertaining gameplay can sometimes come just before the end. Why let the climax start and stop so early? Why not send players off with a huge fanfare?

That's what Journey does, and it's an impactful way to ensure people remember the experience they just had. Notice how I also lose and subsequently reconnect with my friend in the clip above.

Anyway, that's why Journey is still my game of the year, despite the busy first half we've had. If you haven't already responded, check out our latest Tell GameRevolution: What's The Best Game Of 2012 (So Far)?

For our official review of Journey, click here.

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Related Games: Journey

Tags: Journey, PSN, thatgamecompany, Sony, Santa Monica Studio

Comments

Sourdeez
Joined: Feb 2012

Posted: Jul 25th, 2012 at 10:19 am
Wish it would have had a pc release

0 3

Sourdeez
Joined: Feb 2012

Posted: Jul 25th, 2012 at 10:27 am
After watching all the videos this game looks awesome to play after a toke.

3 4

danielrbischoff
Joined: Nov 2009

Posted: Jul 25th, 2012 at 1:50 pm
Why the thumb's down? He's just trying to live up to his name.

0 1

CaptainPicard
Joined: Sep 2010

Posted: Jul 26th, 2012 at 12:32 am
Because some people cant handle the thought of having massive amounts of fun while playing games inebriated

1 1

Chunibrow
Joined: Mar 2010

Posted: Jul 26th, 2012 at 10:12 am
Because people are babies and don't like others doing something they don't do thrmselved

1 0

OdiousLupous
Joined: Jul 2011

Posted: Jul 26th, 2012 at 3:30 pm
I would gladly be the medic to your heavy on 2fort, stoned out of our gourds good sir.

0 2

thedarkstar
Joined: Feb 2011

Posted: Jul 25th, 2012 at 12:37 pm
Methinks I need to try this game.

0 0

thedarkstar
Joined: Feb 2011

Posted: Jul 25th, 2012 at 12:37 pm
Methinks I need to try this game.

0 0

danielrbischoff
Joined: Nov 2009

Posted: Jul 25th, 2012 at 1:51 pm
You definitely should. Again, it's short, but I never felt it was "too" short. It's very engaging and there's certainly replay value, if not right afterwards, but a little while later.

0 0

De-Ting
Joined: Nov 2006

Posted: Jul 25th, 2012 at 12:39 pm
I'm still holding out on this game, hoping it'll go free on PS+ or something. I really want to play it, but don't know if it'll hold my attention.

0 0

danielrbischoff
Joined: Nov 2009

Posted: Jul 25th, 2012 at 1:49 pm
It is short, but it's one of the best experiences all year. At any rate I believe you get a discount with PS+ so you should jump on it.

0 0

213EDD
Joined: Sep 2007

Posted: Jul 25th, 2012 at 12:56 pm
How it feels reading this: Whats the best game of 2012 (so far) guys? Ohh okay. Time to tell you the real answer, you ****ing idiots.

1 0

thedarkstar
Joined: Feb 2011

Posted: Jul 25th, 2012 at 1:02 pm
I think it was more Dan was asking everyone their opinions, and then he gave his own. I don't think it was meant to be him talking down to us readers.

0 1

Jonathan_Leack
Joined: Jan 2012

Posted: Jul 25th, 2012 at 1:10 pm
You have to understand that Dan is an angry pirate with a wooden leg, a beard, and a deep drive for revenge for the man who stole his bottle of Captain Morgan's.

Once you remember this it all begins to make sense.

0 2

danielrbischoff
Joined: Nov 2009

Posted: Jul 25th, 2012 at 1:49 pm
Haha, yeah looking at the front page it certainly seems like that, but I promise it wasn't my intention. Now WHERE THE F*** IS MY CAPTAIN MORGAN'S?

0 1

LinksOcarina
Joined: Nov 2005

Posted: Jul 25th, 2012 at 3:44 pm
It's in contention maybe...hell likely in my top 5.

But I wouldn't put it at number 1 just yet...

1 0

MattAY
Joined: Mar 2006

Posted: Jul 25th, 2012 at 5:11 pm
I'm hoping for a Microsoft cross-over...otherwise I'll have to buy a PS3.

And FUCK - surfing on sand is cool.

0 1

De-Ting
Joined: Nov 2006

Posted: Jul 25th, 2012 at 5:20 pm
Yeah, you'll have to buy a PS3.

1 1

dirty_f
Joined: Nov 2010

Posted: Jul 25th, 2012 at 8:07 pm
Now, i aint played this game so i cant really have any opinion on whether or not it should win BUT it would be nice if an indie game did win game of the year as opposed to something from one of the lead studios.

Also it takes a lot for me me to say something positive about something with the word Indie in it... But i suppose indie games are not quite in the same world as indie music and people. God i hate those people. Put some ****ing shoes on, dammit.

0 0

danielrbischoff
Joined: Nov 2009

Posted: Jul 25th, 2012 at 11:25 pm
lol. While Journey is certainly nearer to the artistic merit Indies often shoot for, I don't know if I'd call it an indie game. It had the full force of the Sony marketing machine behind it. It's a PS3 exclusive from a developer counted among the Santa Monica Studio group (one of Sony's biggest studios).

But yes, screw hippies too.

0 0

StringerBell86
Joined: Mar 2012

Posted: Jul 25th, 2012 at 8:07 pm
I loved this game.

But is there ANY replay value, other than "let's do it again"??

0 0

friggest
Joined: Mar 2008

Posted: Jul 25th, 2012 at 8:42 pm
There is not.

0 0

danielrbischoff
Joined: Nov 2009

Posted: Jul 25th, 2012 at 11:23 pm
You can collect all the scarf pieces, you can actually become one of the god... people. Yes, it's only fresh one time, but it's definitely worth it.

0 0

dirty_f
Joined: Nov 2010

Posted: Jul 25th, 2012 at 8:09 pm
Now, i aint played this game so i cant really have any opinion on whether or not it should win BUT it would be nice if an indie game did win game of the year as opposed to something from one of the lead studios.

Also it takes a lot for me me to say something positive about something with the word Indie in it... But i suppose indie games are not quite in the same world as indie music and people. God i hate those people. Put some ****ing shoes on, dammit.

0 1

friggest
Joined: Mar 2008

Posted: Jul 25th, 2012 at 8:47 pm
I don't consider this the best game because it really doesn't fit into the game experience. It was fun to play and kind of neat, but I beat it in like 2 hours?

I cant find a game I would state as the best game for 2012. Hopefully something jumps out or 2013 gets here soon enough.

0 1

CaptainPicard
Joined: Sep 2010

Posted: Jul 26th, 2012 at 12:35 am
Thx Daniel, great article :) You just made sure that i was gonna go buy this after reading huh? I dont even own a ps3 so its gonna be me buying it for a friend, then hanging out till we beat it lol (that sounds horrible)

0 1

danielrbischoff
Joined: Nov 2009

Posted: Jul 26th, 2012 at 1:39 pm
Nah, it doesn't sound that bad. I've been in that position many, many times. And honestly, it's only 2 hours long so it's not like you're going to seriously upend your friend's life and start living on his couch.

0 0

used44
Joined: Mar 2002

Posted: Jul 26th, 2012 at 9:05 am
The plural of scarf is scarves

0 1

danielrbischoff
Joined: Nov 2009

Posted: Jul 26th, 2012 at 1:39 pm
Fixed, thanks :)

0 0

DarthDiggler
Joined: Mar 2011

Posted: Jul 26th, 2012 at 2:26 pm
Daniel,

Journey is a good game, a great game, but honestly I don't consider it game of the year.

Maybe I need to play it again, but IMHO the game seemed to be over way too quickly. I appreciate a unique experience, but I also appreciate a game with more than 2 hours of play time.

Honestly you could take any number of games out there and take the best 2 hours out of them and call them a spectacular game.

I think you could even get 2 good hours out of Haze. :)

1 0

danielrbischoff
Joined: Nov 2009

Posted: Jul 26th, 2012 at 4:04 pm
No you most certainly could not.

0 0

DarthDiggler
Joined: Mar 2011

Posted: Jul 26th, 2012 at 2:36 pm
Daniel,

Journey is a good game, a great game, but honestly I don't consider it game of the year.

Maybe I need to play it again, but IMHO the game seemed to be over way too quickly. I appreciate a unique experience, but I also appreciate a game with more than 2 hours of play time.

Honestly you could take any number of games out there and take the best 2 hours out of them and call them a spectacular game.

I think you could even get 2 good hours out of Haze. :)

0 0

OdiousLupous
Joined: Jul 2011

Posted: Jul 26th, 2012 at 3:31 pm
Could the new Steam option allow this game to come to pcs? Id buy it just on the music and atmosphere.

0 1

Masterwabbit
Joined: Mar 2009

Posted: Jul 29th, 2012 at 4:07 pm
*eyes Borderlands 3's impending release*
*looks again at his wonderful time with Journey*

We'll see about this...

0 0

Masterwabbit
Joined: Mar 2009

Posted: Jul 29th, 2012 at 4:08 pm
Erm, that would be Borderlands 2. I'm sorry, I had Assassin's Creed on the brain as well.

0 0