Intro
Journey is a indi game developed by That Game Company, released in 2012 on PlayStation 3, and now available on PlayStation 4, Windows, and iOS. The producer of Journey is Robin Hunicke, and the creative director is Jenova Chen. This game is a “walking simulator” that lacks traditional combat mechanics and failure penalties, allowing players to explore and experience the world at their own pace. Journey is suitable for players looking for relaxation and emotional resonance rather than stimulation and challenge, making it ideal for exploration-oriented players and those who enjoy immersive experiences.
Though “walking simulator” was initially a pejorative term, I believe it accurately describes the positive aspects of this genre. Walking doesn’t equate to boredom. Walking in beautiful places is incredibly satisfying, and chatting with friends while walking is even more enjoyable. Journey embodies this experience, using beautiful art and simple mechanics to evoke the feeling of hiking in a national park with close friends. This doesn’t imply that the game is boring; on the contrary, throughout the journey, I felt emotional ups and downs that were both engaging and profound. How does Journey achieve this through its simple mechanics?
History Book Without Words
When I first entered the game, I was a traveler in the desert, with no guidance and even no UI. I instinctively walked towards a few tombstones in the distance. I found that there would always be a clear goal in the scene, sometimes a beam of light, sometimes a door. The game designers used players’ intuition rather than task lists to guide player behavior, making me feel like I was freely exploring rather than being forced to follow a script.
In the process of exploration, I felt that the game designers were guiding my emotional experience through scene design. For example, after entering a scene, I found that the surroundings were all sand dunes with no points of interest, making me feel helpless. But when I tentatively took a few steps forward, a large number of buildings were perfectly hidden behind the dunes. I climbed up the dune and felt surprised and excited.
Most scenes in the game feature ancient stone pillars, broken bridges, and shattered buildings. I could imagine the former splendor of this civilization. I read the story of this world through walking. The game’s excellent art and music made this process very satisfying. Although I couldn’t fully understand the story during playtesting, I could feel its depth.
Communication Without Language
In the course of my game, another traveler suddenly appeared beside me. After discovering my presence, he walked around me. I observed his behavior and felt he wasn’t an NPC, but I couldn’t find a way to communicate with him. For the next half hour, we explored together, got lost together, and when we hurried along, we both jumped together. When I called out, he would respond. The originally lonely journey suddenly became lively.
Journey only provides very simple mechanics: players can move, jump, and make sounds. There is no way for companions to communicate, and the only interaction is the seemingly useless sound. Of course, there is no cooperation or betrayal. These mechanics create a unique dynamic: companionship. In traditional multiplayer games, players either cooperate or compete. However, in this game, two lonely travelers accompany each other, providing emotional support. This dynamic gives me a sense of fellowship and pleasure.
Game Without Violence
Unlike most games, Journey has no combat mechanics. There are no enemies, no weapons, and no way to perform any attack actions. This “non-violent” design allows players’ attention to be completely focused on exploration and emotional experience, rather than combat feedback or skill tree growth. The process of wandering through the world is the entirety of the story.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is similar to Journey in many aspects, such as exquisite fantasy-style art, carefully designed exploration experiences, and attempts to tell a historical story through scene design. The difference is that Breath of the Wild still considers combat as one of its core gameplay elements, where players face monsters, upgrade equipment, and enhance character attributes. In contrast, Journey completely abandons combat, focusing all attention on slow walking and environmental interpretation, creating a more introspective and peaceful atmosphere.
Violence elements can greatly change the way a game tells its story: when combat exists, the narrative is often driven by conflict and victory or defeat, and the rhythm is interrupted by tense encounters. In contrast, in Journey, where there is no violence, the narrative rhythm is determined by the player’s pace and environmental changes. Emotional ups and downs come from the grandeur of the scenery, interpretation of symbols, and brief encounters with strangers.
