I’ve already posted a few times about Journey on this site, but this week marked my first opportunity to actually play it. Beautiful, responsive, and surprising- Journey is already being compared to Fumito Ueda, but I think even that obvious compliment is a little limiting. The attention to mood and visual detail is there, but Journey is definitely bringing it’s own internally consistent and tangible world to the conversation. Also, That Game Company is not afraid to do some very unusual experimentation- The game is networked, not for any obvious competitive or collaborative purpose, but more so to add to the emotional impact of the game. Seeing a lone figure on a distant bluff stop and stare at you is an entirely different feeling when you know that there is a real person attached to it. That’s not to say that there isn’t some collaborative aspect to the gameplay (flying with another player is very cool), but it is mostly emergent, and the game does not depend on it.

This game (and the Ico/Shadow of the Colossus reissue) are probably going to sell me a PS3. Anyone know where I can get one cheaply?