Game review: Journey

A screengrab from PS4 game Journey.

You wake up in a desert. Lost, confused and alone, you begin exploring - but you have no idea what you're looking for. You stumble up sand dunes, slide down the other side, then stagger across some more. You might find some jagged ruins. You might cross a crumbling bridge. You might bump into someone. With their red robes and pointy feet, they look just like you. You say hi and jump around together for a bit before they disappear into a sand storm. So you start wandering again. Up sand dunes, down sand dunes.

A screengrab from PS4 game Journey.

Sounds like a terrible game right? That's where you're wrong. Initially released for PlayStation 3 in 2012, thatgamecompany's third release is a triumph of art, design and emotion over technology. There are no big boss battles, no weapons upgrades, no chainsaw-wielding zombie-monsters, no high-octane action thrills and spills. There are barely any objectives. Heck, it only uses two of the controller's buttons. But Journey is as close to a perfect gaming experience you can have. I don't think I've ever been as emotionally invested in a game as I have with Journey, yet I have no idea why.

That seems to be part of the fun. Journey is a very easy game to recommend, but nearly impossible to describe. Its simplicity is its biggest strength. Journey's graphics - mostly misty yellows, grainy oranges and bluey whites - are basic, but beautiful. And this upgrade makes them even better, with a graphical makeover running at 1080p and 60 frames a second. The few characters involved remain at arm's length. There's no dialogue, cut scenes are few and far between, and there's no discernable villain. The game's challenges are so short, this Journey will take you at most two hours to complete. That's little longer than a drive to Hamilton.

A screengrab from PS4 game Journey.

So what do you do? It's hard to say. Explore, mostly. You'll spend a lot of time soaking up the game's extraordinary artistic vision, and being hypnotised by its Grammy-nominated soundtrack. Every now and then you'll connect with another player, with whom you can communicate by "pinging". It's here Journey really comes into its own. You'll never know who is playing by your side, but there are parts of the game where you'll need them. And having them there when you complete a section of the game gives Journey even more emotional heft.

A screengrab from PS4 game Journey.

Is it making a grand statement about life and connections? Has it just honed in on what makes gaming so great? Whatever it is, it's worth discovering for yourself. If you've never taken this Journey, heck, if you've never even played a game, embark on it immediately. And if you have, the PS4 upgrade is free. Do it again. It's addictive, captivating and emotional, a mesmerising masterpiece that gives you everything you want in a game.

Game: Journey
Rating: G
Platform: PlayStation 4
Reviewed on: Samsung 55-inch SUHD TV, PS4
Verdict: Remaster makes a masterpiece even better

- TimeOut