When IGN first reviewed Journey on PlayStation 3 back in 2012, we gave it score of 9.0, for “Amazing.” Here’s what we said then:
“Journey celebrates the poignancy of nature, it startles you with the unexpected, and empowers you in an exhilarating, unforgettable conclusion. The hours spent completing Journey will create memories that last for years.”
Over three years after its original release, Journey on PlayStation 4 proves to be every bit as remarkable as it was when IGN awarded it Game of the Year for 2012. While the increase to 1080p and 60fps is definitely appreciated, what really shines here is the same concise, emotional, and gorgeous adventure that originally wowed us.
Developer Thatgamecompany took the beauty of Flow and the meditative gameplay of Flower, and added an immense sense of scale in its third and most impressive game. In the length of a standard movie, Journey is able to consistently make me feel emotion in a way that few games ever have.
At just over two hours long, Journey delivers an adventure that runs the gamut of human emotions. The awe that comes from cresting your first hill and spotting the mountain on the horizon is paired expertly with the fear that stems from exploring the ancient caverns beneath your destination. The playful curiosity of stumbling across a fellow traveler – another player having their own experience – and wordlessly cooperating with them to explore this world is only strengthened by the isolation and desperation that awaits near the mountain's frozen summit.
Without spoiling the ending, the visual and emotional catharsis that exists at the top of that mountain makes playing Journey a powerful circle that I want to constantly revisit.
