Journey, a beautiful-looking game for PS3 set to be released this year, is from the creators of Flower and flOW (both acclaimed as groundbreaking works of art), and it looks wonderful, merging 3D immersion with an innovative style of multiplayer gameplay. You journey to ascend a far-away mountain, and via PSN's online network, you make that trip with a random player. You can communicate with them only through pantomime and other signaling. You can also compete with your co-player to get to the mountain's top, but you're actually given more power if you cooperate. Watching a recent demo (video below), I was reminded of the religion in Philip K. Dick's classic Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep (on which Blade Runner was based). From the Sheep Wikipedia entry:
The main Earth religion is Mercerism, in which Empathy Boxes link simultaneous users into a collective consciousness based on the suffering of Wilbur Mercer, a man who takes an endless walk up a mountain while stones are thrown at him, the pain of which the users share.
Anyway, watch the trailer beneath the break:
Also, epic ups to my friend Robin Hunicke, a lead developer of Journey, who's seen helping demo the game. I guess that makes me somewhat biased, but look, Robin is fucking excellent.
Wow, that is gorgeous. I'm anxious to see this in person. Thanks for the post.
Posted by: Salazar Jack | Tuesday, June 21, 2011 at 12:48 AM