Drewch – LookingOutwards02

That Game Company’s website: http://thatgamecompany.com/games/journey/

This is Journey, a game developed by That Game Company in 2012. They had a crew of 19 people and used PhyreEngine (and had inspiration from games like Braid). This is THE gaming experience of this decade, a story that I will never forget! Journey tells it’s narrative wordlessly, and its game mechanics aren’t particularly challenging. You won’t ever find yourself stuck on a puzzle, but Journey isn’t really a game about solving things. Journey is about finding your way up a mountain towards a light while being guided by another player who has already done the pilgrimage. This game tells a story that the player gives meaning in their own way, touching the soul in a way that only games can.

Journey excites me, not only because it is a beautiful game, but because it has made a major impact in the gaming community. It paved the way for more and more abstractionist/First Word games, and my new favorite game to come out this year: Bound, has clear inspiration from Journey. I feel like the path towards becoming a better person starts with understanding yourself, and these sorts of games are incredibly helpful at that.

Bound