Journey (2012)
Jenova Chen
When you start the game you get the impression that your character,
an unknown robed figure feels about as lost and confused as you do,
until you spy in the distance a large mountain with a glowing light at its summit.
This becomes the only goal available to you so you begin your journey to reach it. The landscape is vast and empty, and you immediately feel a real sense of loneliness.
- Stephen O’Donnell, video game reviewer (ABC)
an unknown robed figure feels about as lost and confused as you do,
until you spy in the distance a large mountain with a glowing light at its summit.
This becomes the only goal available to you so you begin your journey to reach it. The landscape is vast and empty, and you immediately feel a real sense of loneliness.
- Stephen O’Donnell, video game reviewer (ABC)
Entire game. 77 mins long.
A behind-the-scenes look at what sort of work went into creating The Art of Journey.
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Journey is another beautiful yet simplistic game from Jenova Chen. The game is made up just three fundamental actions: walking, jumping, and speaking but from this, complexity is created through a mixture of the elements while traversing the environment and following the character on their journey to reach the summit of the mountain.
These play mechanics work smoothly from start to finish, though their simplicity works more to facilitate exploration of the world as opposed to reward you with traditional feedback like points or gained levels. Ryan Clements describes Journey as being “unlike its peers”, “Journey ignores many conventional gaming traditions like scorekeeping, lives, and statistics. As a nameless, cloaked traveler, you only have one goal: walk towards the shining mountain in the distance. Along the way you'll uncover the secrets of the barren world at your feet and perhaps meet other travelers. Like thatgamecompany's other works, Journey is more an emotional investment than a game” Journalist for the Guardian, Keza MacDonald (2012) says “Journey is profound, or at least it can be. The studio describes it as an interactive parable, the story of a lone traveller and their path through life told in the form of a voyage that starts in the vast expanses of a desert and ends … well, to tell you how it ends would spoil it.” She also states that “there is not the slightest inconsistency in its art direction, and this, together with extremely clever sound design and natural signposting, absorbs you in the game's world entirely.” |
Suggested Questions
- Identify and discuss the dominant elements or principles in Journey - Consider the messages and meanings which may be presented through the art style and narrative of Journey - How does a game review differ to an art review? Think about the types of experiences, discussion of aesthetics and the terminology used - Research and discuss Chen's ideas and inspiration behind Flower - Brainstorm 10 ways that could might create another artwork expressing the themes or experience of the game |
Suggested Activities
- In small groups, explore ways that the concept of communicating with other viewers could be explored within other art forms - As a class, discuss what the implications could be if the aesthetics of the game were different. For example, if the colour scheme was different, there was emphasis on a different art element or principle - Watch the video which outlines the creation process of ‘The Art of Journey’ Art book that was published after the game was created. Discuss the potential of the design and developmental work that goes into a game being art. Is this any less valid as art compared to a renaissance painting? Further resources The Guardian Review http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/gamesblog/2012/mar/13/journey-ps3-review The Art of Journey book http://thatgamecompany.com/fan-art/the-art-of-journey-releases-in-september/ ABC's Good Game Video Review http://www.abc.net.au/tv/goodgame/video/default.htm?src=/tv/goodgame/video/xml/20120320_2030.xml&item=03 |