PS3’s latest downloadable game created by developers thatgamecompany, creators of flow and Flower, have created an online game called Journey that’s absolutely stunning critics and creating a buzz not heard in video gaming in years. It’s a minimalist game, no talking allowed although it’s an MMORPG game, forcing players to communicate in other unique ways.
The scenery of a desert is post-apocalyptic and so beautifully rendered that it looks like movable art. Each screen grab has great meme potential, making the game itself a great piece of art.
Here’s what some critics are saying about Journey:
According to Jordan Mallory from Joystiq’s, he gave it a 5/5 review. “Journey is, for lack of a better word, awesome. It has not only raised the bar for video games as a storytelling medium and a form of artistic expression, but it has also expanded the definition of the term “multiplayer” and changed my perception of what a cooperative gaming experience can be.”
Russ Frushtick from Vox Games gives it a 10/10: “I felt like I was in control of a Pixar movie in Journey. Like the first half of WALL-E, awash in a near-silent mix of emotions, in a mysterious world that revealed only a small sliver of its past to me.”
Industry heavyweights like Game Informer give Journey a 9/10 rating but says it’s like “a musical concert, a well-directed film, or a long-awaited book, and its rewards are substantial,” according to Matt Miller.
IGN stated gushingly, “It’s the most beautiful game of its time.”
Interestingly, Journey is not a loud game with over the top graphics and enormous budgets. Mass Effect 3, which is also one of the top rated games of year, required a massive team to create and an enormous budget on par with a blockbuster movie. Journey on the other hand, was built by a team of 12 people, illustrating a real game-changer in the industry.
Check-out the trailer.
