The game I chose to play is Journey, an indie adventure game developed by Thatgamecompany. Journey is a digital game that’s played individually either on iOS or Playstation. I chose to play this game on my computer, which made the experience feel more intimate and immersive because I could hone in without distractions. The intended audience of this game is everyone! The game appeals to all players, no matter their gaming experience or age, as it’s designed to accessible and emotionally resonant.
In Journey, players play as a mysterious robed character where the end goal is to reach the top of a mountain. Along the way, there are different levels with different terrains ranging from deserts, caverns, to snowpeaks. Each environment introduces new challenges, mechanics, and atmospheres/ambiances that push the story forward without using any words.
Typically, I never gravitated toward games centered around storytelling or exploration because I thought they weren’t as challenging or engaging as strategic, problem-solving games. However, Journey completed changed my perception. At first, I was skeptical of the game because there was no dialogue, and I couldn’t understand how a story could exist without words. But the longer I played, the more that silence became what pulled me in. Without being told exactly what was happening, I started creating my own interpretations of the world and the journey. The open-endedness and freedom made the experience and narrative feel uniquely personal.
Thus, Journey successfully redefines narrative in games by relying entirely on game design (visual cues, mechanics, environments, lack of dialogue) to create a deeply emotional experience. The absence of dialogue is intentional; rather than guiding players with words, the game trusts its design to spark curiosity and connection among players. This approach invites personal interpretation and emotional bonds with the world regardless of gaming experience.
Journey uses visual cues and shifting environments to communicate emotions without a single line of dialogue. For example, the game opens with a vast, golden desert under a bright sun, which makes players curious and excited for adventure. There is almost this sense that the boundary of the game (magic circle) is endless. This combined with the warm tones and the distant mountain creates an inviting yet mysterious atmosphere that pulls players into the game to better understand the narrative and further explore. As the game progresses, the environment then changes to ruins that are buried in sand. This suggest a lost civilization/lost city and evokes feelings of uneasiness, longing, and mourning. In this environment, a vast amount of action and tension takes place. There are large mechanical enemies (guardians) and players must hide and navigate carefully. The game designers created the perfect setting for building suspense and signaling a turning point in the emotional arc of the journey. Moreover, the introduction of physical boundaries, such as narrow passages and the looming presence of the guardians, forces players to act within certain constraints, amplifying the feeling of danger. These boundaries add a sense of urgency and survival, heightening the emotional stakes. This was my favorite part of the game because it felt like everything was suddenly at stake. I wasn’t just wandering anymore; I was surviving and trying to protecting myself, and that was when I knew I had become fully invested in the game.
Pictured: Different environments that spark different emotions, ambiances, and atmospheres characterized by their visuals cues.
Moreover, by removing dialogue, Journey encourages players to engage more deeply with the world, interpreting narratives and emotion through visual and auditory cues rather than relying on explicit explanations. This approach aligns with the concept of enacting stories as a narrative, where the narrative is not simply presented to the player, but actively created through their actions and interactions within the game. Without words to guide the experience, I found myself paying closer attention to the smaller details. For example, the game’s background music and sound mechanics played a large role in how I interpreted the narratives. When it would quiet down, the atmosphere felt calm and peaceful. When it would crescendo, I knew something important (i.e. conflict) would happen. These small but powerful mechanics were subtle designs that had a major impact on how I and other players emotionally navigated the game. Overall, this “silence” creates space for players to focus on the smaller, more subtle aspects of the game and follow the aesthetic of discovery. This then allows players to form their own interpretations and emotional responses. Instead of being told what to feel, they get to navigate their feelings on their own terms. Each player is on their own journey, making their own discoveries, which makes the story feel personal and uniquely meaningful.
One element I would consider adding to the game would be a more detailed companion mechanic. In the game, you can actually interact with other players with the multiplayer feature of encountering another player. However, I would love to see it expand it by allowing deeper cooperative elements, such as synchronized actions or shared goals. This could enhance the emotional connection between players and create better bonding opportunities. By doing so, Journey could foster a greater sense of partnership while also still keeping to its core of exploration and narrative.
Compared to violent games I’ve played in the past, Journey felt like a completely different experience. In most violent games, progress/”winning” is tied to using weapons and defeating enemies and surviving, which creates a sense of urgency and tension. While that can be exciting, it often becomes redundant and extremely violent. In contrast, Journey excludes violence. Players don’t have weapons and aren’t fighting against other players. Instead, the game relies on exploration and environmental storytelling to guide the player. I was never thinking about how to win or who to beat, I was thinking about where I was and what everything meant. The lack of violent mechanics make the game feel more nuanced and human, as I wasn’t constantly worrying about threats from enemies or other characters. I was given the ability to take full control over my discoveries, which wouldn’t be possible had violence been a larger factor of the game. I was able to fully immerse myself in and emotionally connect to the game, which is what made Journey so enjoyable.
