E3 2011: Journey

Shown at E3 2011, Journey is the third outing from the Thatgamecompany studio, whose previous works present some of the best examples of the "video games as art" argument being made by gamers and industry members alike today: flOw and Flower were games that were more appropriately designed and labeled as "relaxation exercises", getting rid of menus and even buttons in lieu of Sixaxis control. This year's showing was the first public demo this Playstation Network-exclusive title has received, and it didn't disappoint. The animation and attention to detail being given to this game is astounding; if you do not believe me, just look at the sand and the character model!

At its heart, Journey is a very simple game with a simple goal: you are a wanderer, making your way towards the mountain in the distance (the pillar of light shown in both of the videos I am posting). While there is co-operative play in this game, there are no user names or voice chat of any kind, simply a basic "shout" you can issue to other players, and they can only respond with their own shout. This lack of interaction is meant to connect you to others through your mutual exploration of the desert, without ruining the experience by having an obnoxious thirteen year-old listening to loud rap music on the other end of the voice chat - somehow, voice cracks and epic quests just do not quite go together.

For you readers, I have included the Gamespot E3 demo (posted above) and the IGN demo, which I will post below. With an expected release date of late 2011, after its closed beta finishes this summer, we still have a few months until this game comes out, and what a long few months they will be: I've been excited about this game since they first announced it over a year ago. Now if I could only just get into the beta... Guess I'm going to have to wait to play it!