Journeystrikesawe,grandeur,andinsignificanceintotheheartsofgamerswhoaretoo

usedtobeingthefrontandcenterofattention.Farfromthemaddingcrowdoffirstperson
shootersandMMORPGs,Journeystrailerevokesazenliketranscendenceandanauraof
calmnesswheretheonlyimpetustoexploreisbythewanderingofthehumanmind.Without
bossesoringamecurrency,motivesbecomepure,andcuriositybecomesessential.Asthe
undulatingdunesandscorchingsunprovideanatmosphereofultimateisolation,astark
contrasttomultiplayergamesclutteredwithteammatesandenemies,theonlywaytorealize
thepotentialofthegameisthroughinteractingwiththeenvironment.Nolongeristhe
environmentsimplyabackdrop,butitbecomesatroveofendlesspossibilitiesandexploration.
ThetrailergeneratesappealbyframingJourneyassomethingradicallydifferentfrom
anyothergameinexistence.Foranyonefamiliarwiththatgamecompanyspreviouscreations,
thetrailersopeningdoesnothesitatetoidentifywithfansofminimalistartisticgameslikeFlow
andFlower.Simultaneously,asinuousandmelancholycellosolocompelstheviewerto
considerthedepthofthegamebeforeanyvisualsareevenshown.Themusiccreatesmajesty
andwonder,emotionsrarelyevokedbyconventionalgames.Theseemotionsforcetheviewer
toconfronttheuniquenessofthegameandtheatmosphereitpresents.Thedeliberateslow
marchoftheopeningcreditsbuildsanticipation,andfurtherreinforcetheseriousnessof
Journey.
Already,Journeydemonstratesitsdistinctionasanopportunityforintrospection.The
camerapansuptouncoveravastdesertexpansethattranscendstimeandspace,pepperedby
crumblingruinsanddistantdunespartiallyshroudedinatmosphere.Thebackgrounditselfisthe
subject,butthetraveler,whoremainsaredspeckinthevista,ismerelyanagentofthe
environment.Extendedshotsofthelandscapeattunetheviewertotheimportanceofnoticing
theexternalworldratherthaninternallevelups,combat,andinventory.

Atthismoment,thetravelerhoversacrossthesandinatrancelikedance.Witheach
step,thetravelersbloodredandgoldgarmentsripplethroughthescreen,andtheplayer
becomesonewiththeenvironment,subjecttotheebbsandflowsofthewind.Thecontrailsand
themovingscarfestablishthekineticnatureofthegameanddemonstratetheendless
interactionbetweentheplayerandtheenvironment.Thecellosurrendersitssolotoafluteand
handcymbalsreminiscentofMiddleEasternmusic,andheightenstheillusionofadventureand
journeythroughadesertexpanse.Theascensionoftheflute,withthewanderingofthetraveler
combineintoasenseofliberation,asiftheplayerhasfullcontrolandcanexploretheworldin
entirety.Thetraileralsorevealsthatthetravelerisandrogynous,wearingascarfandflowing
gownwithoutobvioussexualcharacteristics,appealingtoprospectivemaleandfemaleplayers
alike.
Thetravelercontinuestorun,juxtaposedinfrontoftoweringcrumblingpillars,ruinsfrom
anancientcivilization.Thecontrastenhancesthesignificanceofthevastenvironmentand
minimizestheattentiononthetraveler.Theviewercontinuestofeelsmall,overwhelmedbythe
sublime.Obviouslymanmade,thepillarspiqueanintensecuriosity.Theimpressionoffreedom
isalreadyingrainedwithintheviewersmindwhatcanpreventsomeonefromexploring
anything?Thepillarsconnotethatthegamerisnotaloneinherjourney,andtheremaybea
civilizationwithinreach.Cataclysmicruinsmayrevealapast,onethattheaimlesslywandering
travelerwilldiscover.
Here,theimmersivenatureofthegameisthemostpronounced.Gameplayconsists
entirelyofbeautifulcinematography,withtheplayerasasolitaryfigureframedbythe
landscape.Thegamerbecomesthetraveleracrossspaceandtime,withouthealthbars,points,
oranyotherdistractions.Itisalmostasifthegamerisonewiththelandscape.Thisseamless
immersionenablesthetrailertomaintaintheviewersfascinationandfixation.

Whatsreallystrikingistheutterlackofexplicitnarrativeinthetrailer.Withoutthe
grandiosestorylinesortheselfmoralizingphilosophicalvoiceovers,Journeystrailerispure
serenityandwanderingcultivatedfromcuriosityandwonder.Bylackinganexplicitstoryline,the
narrativearcofthegameishiddenfromtheviewer,furtherinvitingthegamertodecidethe
adventuresandquestsofthetraveler.Furthermore,thefreedomthatthegameprovidesdirectly
appealstothecreativetendenciesofgamers.Byprovidingasandboxenvironment,gamersfeel
unboundbytheconstraintsthatothergamesimpose.
Andthesettingimmediatelychangestopinkhillsgentlyblanketedwithsnow.Thehills
provideanenormouschangeofsceneryfromthedunes,andsuggestthepresenceofother
locales.Thispromisedvarietypersuadestheviewertoexplore.Here,wemeetacompanion,a
cloneofthetraveler.Thetraileroffersanopportunityforcompanionship,andprovidesan
imperativeforthegamertoknowmoreaboutthedouble.Insteadoffocusingsolelyonthe
environment,thetrailerpresentsanalternativemodeofinteractionwithanothercharacterinthe
game.Again,thecinematographyiscarefullyengineeredtoremindthegamerofhersmallness
despitethepresenceofanothercharacter.
Theascensionandcrescendoofthecelloasthetwofiguresglideupthedunesandhills
leadtheviewertosuspectthatthereisanobjectivebehindthegame.Thepurposefulclimbing
andthedeliberateplacementofthefiguresinaloftyforegroundagainstaveryfarbackdrop
suggestthattheaveragegamercanachievetriumphoverthenaturalworldandscalevast
mountainsinminutes.Astheorchestrafadesin,thecamerapanstosuggestimmensesize,
andtheviewerperceivestheuniverseofJourneytobeinfinite.
Thetravelerfliesuptomeethiscompanion,indefianceofthenaturalworld.Awhirlwind
ofstripsofclothseemtopropelhimfromthegroundtothegrandruinsonwhichhiscompanion
stands.Thisimageryofcompanionship,devotion,andtheprospectofemotionalinvestmentin

anisolateddesolateplaceappealstothefantasyofhavingacompanioninasolitaryworld.This
emotionalappealcontributestothegamestranscendentnature,andthecompanionshipbrings
thefocusoutsideoftheplayerhimself.
Inadarkmansion,thetravelershoverthroughspiresofglowingclothreachingintothe
sky.Thedarkbluesandtheglidingofthetravelersarereminiscentofanaquaticlandscape,a
starkcontrasttothescorchingdunesofthedesert.Thisvarietyaugmentstheexpansivenature
ofthegameandthefarreachoftheJourneyuniverse.Gamerswonderifthereareotherworlds
toexploreandotherplacestoconquer.
Andthedreamscapecontinues.Piecesofclothflyinharmonywiththetravelersinan
ultimatedisplayoffreedom.Thejuxtapositionofdynamismandthestaticruinsenhancesthe
meditativebeautyofthegame,andthemysticsupernaturalaurathegamepresents.Andwhen
thetwotravelersstandadistanceapartfromeachotherinthedarkroom,anominoustension
presentsitself.Theseparationimpliesthatthetravelersmustnowpartways,whichleavesthe
mysteryoftheirstory.Theviewerispersuadedtoplaythegameanddeterminethenarrativearc
thatdrovethearrivalanddepartureofthecompanion.Withoutplaying,alltheviewercandois
speculate.
Thefinalshotistriumphantandvictorious.Theobjectiveappearsclear:reachthe
toweringsummit.Theenormousscaleemphasizesthedifficultyofthegoalandthearduous
journeythetravelermustcompleteinordertogetthere.Andfinally,thetitleofthegame
presentsitself.Bypresentingthetitlelast,thetrailerpreservesitscinematicintegrity,
demonstratingallofthecompellingreasonstopurchasethegamebeforeeventellingusits
name.Thelettering,ingoldAsianfont,evokesfeelingsofadventureandnewhorizons.The
entirethemeofthegamesuggestsfarawayplacesonlyreachableonamaporinmovies.

Journeysemotionallyinvolvedtrailerisperfectlytimedinaneraoftechnological
distractionandconstantstimuli.Thecommonurbaniteiseverconnected,withalmostnowhere
toturnforintrospectionorthought,withoutanychanceforrespite.Isolationisanalien
phenomenon,withthegamesoftheerabeingcenteredonendlessinteractionwithother
people.ButJourneystrailerreachesoutandtouchestheintrospectiveintrovertinall
individuals.Journeypositionsitselfasoneoftheonlygameswherefeelingsofwonderand
insignificanceareaconstantthreadthroughoutgameplay.Journeyofferstheultimateescape
fromanoverstimulatedexistenceauniverseinwhichsomeonecanfinallyfeelalone,empty,
andmeditativeenoughforthemindtowanderwithoutboundariesandexplore.Theheavy
emphasisonenvironmentalinteractionratherthancharacterinteractionandtheefforttoframe
theJourneyuniverseasvariedandendlessdrawthegamerintofeelingsofwonder.The
beautifulorchestralsoloblendsfeelingsoftriumphandthesublime,andtheconstantascension
ofthetravelersconveyachievement.Andtheprospectofcompanionshipinadesolateworld,a
thrillinglyuniquecomponentofthegame,generatesenormousappealforawideaudience.
Journeyoffersarespitefromtheconstantirritationthatourmodernlifestylesthrustuponus.
Journeyissomethingdifferent.