Video games have always been an interest of mine. I'm not terribly keen on the first-person shooters, sports or racing games. When I go looking for a game to play, the main criteria for what I want always lies in the story. I love a game that unfolds an intriguing and complex plot while you make your way through each level. Not every game is expert at telling their story, and even fewer have a great story to tell. However, every once in a while I come across a game that changes the way I think about storytelling.
This past weekend I had the opportunity to play a game called Journey. The game play is simple, there's no way to die, and it took me around an hour to beat the game. That said, it was one of the most impressive games I have played in a long time. Before moving on to the story elements of the game, it must be said that the game is visually stunning. The landscapes, the architecture, even the characters have a beauty about them that no words can do justice to.
As you play through each level, you discover new elements of the world around you. No words are ever spoken but through the genius use of pictograms the tale unfolds of the rise and fall of a once great civilization. As you play, a companion may join you in your Journey towards the mystical mountain peak where the final answers are hidden. This companion is another player and you may work together or ignore one another as you make your way through the world. The game is quite beatable going solo and so there is no real stress on relying on one another. That said, as the story unfolded I found myself impressed by the emotional impact of having a companion with me through the Journey.
At the end of the game I was stunned by the deep symbolism and found myself wondering, in the best possible way, what it all meant. I know I've been rather vague in a lot of my descriptions, and for that I apologize. But understand that I could never do justice to the story and symbolism with my words. This is truly a story that must be played to be understood
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