After Sky: Children of the Light, the previous game from developer thatgamecompany is now also available in the App Store. In our Journey review you can read whether it is still worth it six years later.
Journey review: travel with me
In our review of Sky: Children of the Light we already praised the previous game from maker thatcamecompany: Journey. This game was first released in 2012 for the PlayStation 3. Now you can also experience the journey on your iPhone or iPad. The question is, of course, is it still worth it six years later?
In Journey you start in an empty desert, with a mountain in the distance from which light comes out. You start gliding over the sand plains, but soon you find out that the mountain is further than you thought. Also, obstacles keep you from traveling on. Fortunately, you have a few tools.
wrap around
First your scarf. This scarf gives you the power to make a big jump and float a bit. However, the scarf must grow first and be charged after each jump. You can grow by collecting hidden symbols in the world. Charging is done by touching small floating scarves or magical creatures.
You can also get help from a second player. Suddenly someone else can show up in your world who has the same goal as you: to travel to that mountain. You can’t talk to each other, but still help each other. It is possible to make a sound, for example if you have found a hidden symbol. If you are close to each other, you fill each other’s scarf.
Nowadays it’s the most natural thing in the world to play against or with each other in games, but Journey is still unique in the fact that you can find one random other player, not talk to them and still have an amazing experience together .
Wonderful adventure
The journey to the mountain is not easy. It all starts nicely with sunny sand plains and simple puzzles, where you have to repair a scarf bridge, for example. Later in this adventure of about two to three hours, however, it becomes more difficult. Monsters and the cold prey on your scarf and your life. That’s when it’s nice to have someone with you, so you can drag each other to that mountain top.
In our Sky: Children of the Light review we stated that Sky feels like an ode to Journey, with the highlights being repeated. Yet Journey still stands strong on its own. The game especially has a better focus than Sky. It’s just a maximum of two players with one clear, beautiful journey without distractions.
Journey is really a game that you have to play. One that shows what wonderful adventures are possible with this medium. Without any dialogue, Journey arouses all kinds of emotions. Whether that’s because of the beautiful images, the magical soundtrack or your travel companion who stays with you until the end. This is a journey to take on your iPhone today and never to be forgotten.
More games
Want to play even more great games? Every month we pick five new games in the App Store. For example, check out the five best games of July 2019. Sign up for our newsletter to receive five new game tips every month.