tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967694277763110629.post2664184068878006142..comments2024-03-28T07:16:05.720-07:00Comments on Experience Points: Waiting for JourneyJorge Alborhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04857765716032886965noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967694277763110629.post-21148202990260806022012-03-16T22:59:53.838-07:002012-03-16T22:59:53.838-07:00Totally on the same page regarding the communicati...Totally on the same page regarding the communication.<br /><br />Like you, I think Flower might be a more timeless experience. It might also be a more novice-friendly one. For non/casual game players, the dual-stick set up and somewhat floaty platforming can take a while to get used to. <br /><br />Still, I think it's one of the more notable accomplishments of the past few years. Every thatgamecompany game makes me more interested in what they decide to tackle next.<br /><br />In any case, thanks for sharing your thoughts. Jorge and I are looking forward to putting out a Journey-podcast soon.Scott Justerhttp://www.experiencepoints.net/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967694277763110629.post-86700807925011593562012-03-15T19:31:32.990-07:002012-03-15T19:31:32.990-07:00I was glad to see you playing this on the first da...I was glad to see you playing this on the first day too : )<br /><br />I will be looking forward to your thoughts. I might even add one or two of mine! It certainly tickled my contemplative bone.Louis F.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967694277763110629.post-5033899258092028112012-03-13T23:56:39.194-07:002012-03-13T23:56:39.194-07:00I can't wait to check this out tonight! I hope...I can't wait to check this out tonight! I hope it is out in the European store as well...Mads Darø Kristensennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967694277763110629.post-4024015403073455952012-03-13T23:20:24.762-07:002012-03-13T23:20:24.762-07:00Just completed my first play through and thoroughl...Just completed my first play through and thoroughly enjoyed it. (For the benefit of those who've yet to delve into it, I highly recommend setting aside about 2-3 hours in order to play it from start to finish in one sitting. Also, there'll be some mild spoilers in the comments ahead.)<br /><br />For me, the game was all about the emotional connection you establish with your companion(s). (The plural being added because from one "level" to the next it can theoretically be a different player, although in my case I was accompanied by the same person for the duration of the entire game.)<br /><br />At first there's trepidation and uncertainty. Who is this person you've spotted on the horizon? Will they want to work with you or go off and do their own thing? Will they be patient or impatient? As the game unfolds, you establish a unique bond with this person. Your only ability to communicate with one another rests with the sounds you can emit, but the two of you soon begin to build a unique vocabulary. <br /><br />In my case, we eventually established a recognizable means of exclaiming, "Look over here!", "I'm right with you!", "I'm scared!", "WTF?", "A job well done!", "Thanks for helping me!", "Holy shit!", etc.<br /><br />By the end of the game, you've established a special emotional bond with the other player that goes way beyond what most multiplayer games (even traditional co-op) are capable of generating.<br /><br />I've seen much talk about Journey being a game that, once completed, has zero replay value. True, there won't be any major surprises next time round, but this game really is about the journey, not the final destination. I'm already itching for my next play through just to see how the emotional experience plays out with different people, or how people on their second or third play through behave differently.<br /><br />It's sad to contemplate the fact that, at some point in the future, Journey's user base is going to dry up. What will become of the game once that happens? Solo play throughs could become quite poignant affairs, with the player yearning for companionship that may never come, or be merely glimpsed on the horizon but always beyond reach. What happens to Journey at the end of its journey?<br /><br />In the long run, I probably won't revisit Journey as often as I've visited Flower, but it's probably fair to say that Journey has the greater emotional impact the first time it's played. And that's certainly something that most gamers need to experience while the opportunity exists to do so.Mark Stevenshttp://twitter.com/retrobliquenoreply@blogger.com