I have a ritual where I would play this game every day on new year to remind me of what life is truly about. I had so many beautiful and heartbreaking play throughs of Journey. I live in the United States and one time was matched with a player from Mexico. We met early on in the desert and made it through the entire game together, I showed this person all the secrets and guided them through all the most difficult parts carefully. At the end of play-through, once the credits rolled, I received a message from this player. They told me that it was the single most wonderful experience they had playing a game, that they had a friend sitting next to them while playing and that she had fallen in love with my character. While I’m sure they were over-exaggerating, it struck me that this game had such a profound and powerful effect on those experiencing it.

I think being religious -I’m a Muslim- unconsciously makes you feel small, which might be a good thing, because you wouldn’t feel like you are ruling the world or you are being above all other people because you know that there is a greater being behind this universe. Thus, you would be more compassionate and humble with other people and always wonder how this universe was created and how everything has a unique system even your body. Having this feeling of wonder always makes me feel better and fascinated.

Dude Terranigma... That game hurt me a lot, when I first played it as a young teen. But when I replayed it a couple of years ago, it helped me find the strength to move forward with my life. I think it was so powerful for me recently because it was so painful for me before. A fantastic, incredible experience.

I remember going to my parents' house and convincing my brother to play Journey. My mother would usually leave if we were playing video games it wasn't for her, but she heard the music and just sat quietly. When my brother finished the game, she asked if we could play it again from the beginning. So we did we started from the beginning. It just goes to show the power that this game has from the music to the presentation.

I've been bingeing loads of videos from these guys over the last week or 2. Just finished their Silent Hill 2 analysis today. One of the best channels on KZfaq in my opinion.

The beings of light impart their knowledge in a dream or an altered state. Once you fully complete the game getting everything it has in it you get the white robe yourself. Playing with others when you have a white robe and they are new is pretty special. You can see how much they have played from the variations in the capes. When I became white robed I did find it changed how I was supposed to play, I felt that I should be helping and leading in a way I didn’t feel at the start

2:07:00 Earthbound's ending comes to mind. Having the ability to revisit every location to reflect on what was learned and what was lost is one of the reasons it stuck to me

From 'all of the text', to 'no text', but still as beautiful and engaging in its own way. The previous game (Planescape), and this are two of my favorite experiences I've ever had in all of reading, watching movies, playing games, just engaging with media of all form.

Just wanted to let you guys know you rock. My job has me working solo for nearly the entire day, 40 hours a week so I have all day to listen and digest these podcasts and they're some of the best conversations ever. They've helped me understand media from prospectives I hadn't encountered before, all while not making me feel unintelligent for maybe not knowing a certain author or topic you guys are discussing. You guys do a good job of simplifying deep and broad topics, so they're easy to digest but also intriguing enough to continue looking into said topic past the podcast. Thanks again guys, keep it up.

Hello guys, I just wanted to tell you that it's because of you that I am playing Lost Odyssey right now. And I just wanted to thank you. It's been a very long time since I've not played a true Final Fantasy. ❤

So happy you're getting to Journey, it is one of the most beautiful artworks ever made in the medium of video games.

how does this man's hair grow so fast

I remember playing Journey when it launched on PS3 and i encountered another player about halfway through the 'journey' lol, and we stuck together, waited for each other, and i remember the last moment when soared towards the mountain, and the music swelled. One of the most powerful, and beautiful memories i have in all my 30 years of gaming. Unforgettable.

I absolutely loved Journey!! It's one of those games that leaves you in an emotional state you did not start in, and sticks with you for years after you played it!

This is super unexpected, but VERY welcome!

It was Tina Gao. She’s the cellist 🎉 played the ending in a higher octave than they had practiced and as Austin Wintory says relied on her virtuosity. She’s the cellist in the Hans Zimmer live in Prague video!!

"Wait til you learn about american history!" Omg! What a great line! 😂😂

Never stop doing whar u r doing ✨️ Your parallals on games / life is forever inspiring, insightful and helpful 🙏

When Mike said there were two games he really wanted to cover, I really thought the other one would be Ico. Please cover Ico at some point! Like Journey, it's a great example of how to craft narrative and evoke emotions in a way that only games can,versus other games that use very cinematic techniques (The Last of Us,for example).

2:05:25 I feel the same way on credits that goes through past scenes/environments, especially when accompanied with music reflecting on an underlying theme of the game (bonus points for using leitmotifs). Xenoblade 3's DLC credits to cap off the trilogy is probably the best example in recent memory, and realising in real-time who was singing just took that nostalgia to a whole different level.

Jenova Chen did a talk at NYU where he described how he got his name. During High school in China kids choose a English name as an international alias. his friend picked Cloud so he picked the only person stronger Jenova. when asked about Sephiroth he said it was too long and difficult to spell.

Journey is one of my favourite games of all time, and this episode is one of my favourites in the podcast. Bravo! I think the both of you caught a lot on what exactly makes this game so special. I really like Jenova Chen’s conception of the need to present players with different emotional experiences, and how the podcast has diversified into studying extraordinary games from different genres, instead of being restricted to just the JRPG or Final Fantasy for example. The podcast is enriched by studying transcendent experiences like Journey, which touches on crucial aspects of the human condition without uttering a single word. I also really love the contrast between games such as Journey and Outer Wilds and Planescape: Torment that is all about acceptance and minimising the self as compared to power fantasies that are about enlarging the self. We need more examples of Art that dislodge or at least challenge egotism, and bring about a greater reconciliation between man and the world.

I always thought of the Ancestors like the Prequel Jedi residing in their ivory tower with their knowledge, becoming out of touch with the land.

1:45:40 - Hey Mike, it probably came back to you already but I think you were going for the word "contrapuntal"!

If you do get to Sky, it’s a really beautiful game, but I will warn you that a lot of its business model is focused on events and cosmetics and resource grinding since it is a free to play game for mobile and switch. I had a great time with it, it’s quite beautiful, but it can be a little tone deaf at times. The thing I love most about it is how it handles its social aspects. The ability to text chat with another player is locked behind several tiers of the games social friendship system, but being their friend is first, and holding hands is second. It’s a fantastic social experiment in that regards because there is a robust co-op and almost MMO level of community there. My girlfriend and I spent so many hours doing candle runs and talking to people as a couple, which helped us a lot since we are long distance

I played the game awhile ago and since then watched multiple videos about it but... I dunno.. for me it was just a game where you walk around bored for an hour or two and then die on a mountain. Reminds me of that movie/story 'into the wild' (or whatever) about the rich kid who underestimated nature then died 20km from a highway and everyone freaked out about how 'touching' and 'moving' the whole thing was. Still a great podcast, love the show.

Guys. I've loved your analyses for a long time. I recently relistened to the ffx videos, so good. I didn't know that you were open to more abstract games with less actual story to analyze. You definitely should cover both Braid and The Witness.

My good God, do I ever love you guys and this podcast. It's overwhelming.

Yessss, Terranigma!

thank you guys for a longer episode i love when yall go over 2 hours. again THANK YOU.

Kubrik also mentions the power of the image with sound in creating an impression that is inherently stronger than the spoken word. Tarantino also talks about the true power of film being in its visual and musical pairing transmitting and impression.

I recently played Journey late last year and yeah you can still find people online. It's one of the most unique multiplayer experiences I've ever had.

I don't mind admitting that I'm not remotely a spiritual person but Journey is up there with my favourite gaming experiences ever. I only ever played it that one time because I didn't want to spoil the experience but it has been incredibly special ever since. Absolute masterpiece and I have no idea which people I shared that experience with. I'm a massive fan of Flower as well, though I've played that multiple times.

Thank you for showing me this game.

We played the game on stage as part of the Journey Live concert with the Austin Wintory (the composer on the game). People are definitely still playing it online. :)

remember, there are 3-4 murals in each level as well as the environmental storytelling.

Listening to this analysis made me realize that my all time favorite post-rock album, Hymn to the Immortal Wind by MONO (jp) is in many ways similar to this game. There are no lyrics, but you can just feel that from the music, and the song titles also lay out a similar path. Great analysis as always, extremely hyped for more Xenosaga too.

Fantastic episode guys.

Good job as usual guys..🤘 currently playing Sky with my brother.

We're finally out of the Torment...

Howdy! My favorite game! So, I have an interpretation of the mythology of the world of journey. To me it seems you're correct but also being a little too literal. In my views, Journey tells the story of returning to the origin: The mountain creates the stars, which become "souls" notice how your character's unique song "chirp" also presents the same combination of 4 symbols. These souls fall to earth originating life. At the start, a soul falls onto a grave, raising your soul again to take you on the pilgrimage to the origin. The red silk is manmade "technology", the swirling to me looks like FIRE, which leads to progress but also confrontation, and forgetting your essence, robed in mundane technical concerns. It is interesting how there is not a lot of literal water in the game too, but a lot of the red cloth behaves like sea creatures, giving me the impression that this whole world operates in a metaphor. The desert as a spiritual "barren-ness". One thing you guys should know is that you start as a red traveler, but if you complete every hieroglyph mural and get every scarf extension in the game, you can start the game as a white cloak and become the guide for others. With each collectible, your cloak patterns become more intricate, ultimately purging into a fully white cloak. In that way white cloaks are as you intuit, mentors. Knowledgeable enlightened souls to shepherd new souls to their destination. Anyhow, that's my 2 cents. Imo Journey is the most perfect game that exists. Not that it doesn't have issues but because it removes every unnecessary thing. It is everything it needs to be and no more.

Sasquatch Sunset has no dialogue, very odd movie but beautifully shot. Always love listening to ya’ll

Not long ago I found "LOOP" for nintendo switch, which is a lot like Journey, just that you play alone with the AI taking the role of the second player. Really neat, and you can feel the inspiration from Journey.

While the scene where you are revived is very much a journey into the afterlife. It felt to me to also be a very strong and simultaneous reincarnation allegory. The scene where you are revived and fly into the sky feels akin to a fertilization, and I read the traveling through the canyon into the light both as passing on and as being born.... Passing through the canal so to speak. The characters always felt feminine to me in their appearance. I wonder if it was deliberate or not.

I never thought of that nuke idea. I was always interested in building Mamooth tanks like crazy, how many Mamooth I could build till I get bored. My poor PSX :) 54:10 Einaudi - Experience -he made a fascinating track that just convey in sound the word and the process.

I'd love to able to write my books without dialogue. Be a lot easier ☺. I agree with Villenueve but the thing I remember most from Dune Part Two is Paul saying "Lead Them to Paradise." Chills. But JOURNEY. Yeah it's brilliant. Only played it the once but it's stuck with me. I remember reading at the time of its release, may have been Jenova Chen himself, but it was decribed as a "non-denominal religious experience." I think that's apt. Not to take away from any secular players and what meaning they put into the experience, but it felt very spiritual to me. That kinda sense of belonging to something greater than oneself, you know? Annoyed me greatly when all those "Lore" videos came out about Journey. I hate Lore. Lore is just trivia for something that doesn't exist. I think it's better to get a glimpse of a strange world, like looking at a room through a key hole. When you can't see everything, the room on the other side of the door feels infinite, full of possibility. If you open that door, and describe everything that can be found in that room . . . then it's just another room. Stories aren't some topographical map to fill out. In my opinion, stories are dreams, but ones we can remember. Together

You should do a podcast on ICO as well

I love thee, RA.

The live performance you mentioned was not with the singer, but with Tina Guo who plays the chello in the game's soundtrack, she is incredible.

59:40 Listening to this part I got association with Kabbalistic and esoteric view of man as reflection/miniature version of God/absolute/low of nature. Mountain as a man and we as their reflection and vice versa make journey to self discovery or discovery of meaning of live what is ultimate goal of esoteric view. Journey to the mountain (God/first principle etc.) with its look like main character (man taking journey to uncover secret of life). But I don't know if the developers went that deep.

journey is also one of my top games of all time but for some reason sky never clicked with me.

Journey is a great sandbox game am I right?

At this point I just find it very funny, that you guys will make an analysis on anything else EXCEPT Final Fantasy IX. Really anything else. Like Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball, or the Leisure Suit Larry series (im teasing you, I love your channel).

I’m going to shout out and recommend that everyone here check out thatgamecompany’s latest game Sky: Children of the Light. I consider it the true successor to Journey and a beautiful companion that hits and touches on similar emotions

Da best

does anyone know what music is playing at the 31:00 minute mark?

What does Casen mean by not buying games again after ps5? Is he going cold turkey? Seems odd or did I misunderstand.

Sand attack!

!!!

Another comment on that analysis is that I know another game that only relies on gameplay, presentation and music to tell a story. That game is a little game called Rime. And if you want by any chance to try it out,please DO NOT PLAY IT ON SWITCH, the game is broken on that version. Would be better to play it on PC. I am currently playing it with my childs, my 6 yo daughter is actually playing it and I help her while my 3 yo son watches. I really think that game would interest you.

I find this hate for dialogue cringeworthy. I don’t get where this “either or” mentality comes from. You can have a film with powerful images and sounds and great dialogue too. No one is going to stop a renowned film maker like Villeneuve from including scenes devoid of dialogue. When you forego dialogue there is so much you give up on that you cannot convey otherwise. It’s not dead weight to be thrown away at the first chance. It’s not an inefficiency that storytellers should strive to cut out. It’s a wonderful tool for so many things from characterization to exposition, humor, foreshadowing, philosophical themes and so on. Most of the stories we love - including in cinema and video games - cannot work without dialogue. To me it sounds like people who suck at writing are using image as an excuse to not improve their writing and explore the limitless possibilities that words offer.

Can a dialogue occur between the symbols or even words in a game and the player experiencing them?

The first thing I noticed upon finishing the game, was that the ending scene, when walking with another person into the light, was the initial view of the mountain. I thought it was clever, but not entirely insightful. Personally, I don't believe in reincarnation, so that would be lost on me, if that was the intent. As for Denis... I can't stand his attitude or his movies. I don't care how popular or critically acclaimed they are; especially Dune2 (he ruined Paul and Chani, left out tons of essential world building, and twisted the story.) And the music in Dune1 was atrocious, overpowering, grating, and took me out of the movie.

Don't stop protesting! Don't stop boycotting! Don't stop speaking! Don't stop posting! Don't stop reminding! Don't praying! Until Palestine is free, from the river to the sea!