Games Design - Journey

 Games Design 04/10/21:

Games Comparison:

Journey:

“Journey is an indie adventure game co-developed by Thatgamecompany and Santa Monica Studio.” “An adventure game is a video game in which the player assumes the role of a protagonist in an interactive story driven by exploration and/or puzzle solving.”

Journey Verbs(?):

• Jump/Fly
• Hover
• Move
• Sit
• Interact/chime

Journey Objectives:

• Reach the top of the mountain

Journey Mechanics:

• Multiplayer

The goal of the 2012 game “Journey” is to reach the top of the mountain that is shown at the very beginning of the game. However, throughout this journey up the mountain, you realise that the true goal of the game is to figure out who you are, and why you are there. "Faced with rolling sand dunes, age-old ruins, caves and howling winds, your passage will not be an easy one. The goal is to get to the mountaintop, but the experience is discovering who you are, what this place is, and what is your purpose."

The game journey in incredibly abstract and a little confusing. However, this is by design. As you explore this game you become less confused and you build up an understanding of the world you have found yourself in.

The multiplayer of Journey helps add to this experience through its subtlety and in focus on cooperation, rather than competition. As you wander through the desert expanse you can come across other little dudes in the same situation as yourself. You can play the game with them, helping each other to find collectibles and sneak fast strange machine-like creatures. This sense of working with someone else makes the task of finding out who you are in Journey all the more enjoyable.