In a traditionally constructed videogame story, the player receives some exposition of a conflict and then takes control of a likeable and well-understood character they will be able to identify with. Dialogue, non-interactive sequences (referred to in the gaming industry as “cutscenes”), and character development drive the story, allowing the actual gameplay to be isolated to make it easier for developers to create a game that is not only compelling story-wise, but also fun to play. Details, exposition, and likeable characters draw players in so they feel investment in the fictional world of the game, allowing the player to forget their own world. Tension and suspense derived from the player’s investment in the game world then lead to a climactic
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Although the on-rails camera work seems to imply that reaching the mountain is the game’s objective, it’s never stated to be the goal nor is it explained why the red-hooded figure wants to make the journey. The backstory of the ruined civilization, with its intricate statues and colossal stone guardians, is never told. Late in the game, the red-hooded traveler, now almost completely caked in snow, struggles through a blizzard until collapsing on hill. As the screen fades the white, six white robed figures appear and revive the player, sending them into the sky far above the snowstorm to complete their journey. As the game ends, the player is presented with the ultimate question, did the main character die on the snow-covered hill, hallucinating the rest of their journey, or were they actually brought back to life by six deific robed figures? In filling in these gaps, players pull from their preconceived notions in constructing a world that reflects …show more content…
Magrino claims that Journey “understands human emotion on such a basic, fundamental level that it knows how players will react to any given situation, and respond accordingly” (Magrino 1). He notices many of the things echoed by Jenova Chen in his interview with SIEA, including Journey’s innovative design around player movement and Journey’s aesthetic environments. Magrino also praises the emotional aspect of Journey’s multiplayer: “those online will involuntarily find themselves matched from time to time with a partner. Despite having no real way of knowing who your partner is or communicating with that person, these interactions often lead to the strongest emotional responses” (Magrino 2). Magrino goes on to compare the multiplayer system to relationships and loss, since cooperative partners come and go as the game progresses despite the “strongest of emotional responses” that their cooperation evokes. Magrino’s experience of the game demonstrates that Journey was not only designed to be a better game but also was received as an experience superior to those provided by the
Although the on-rails camera work seems to imply that reaching the mountain is the game’s objective, it’s never stated to be the goal nor is it explained why the red-hooded figure wants to make the journey. The backstory of the ruined civilization, with its intricate statues and colossal stone guardians, is never told. Late in the game, the red-hooded traveler, now almost completely caked in snow, struggles through a blizzard until collapsing on hill. As the screen fades the white, six white robed figures appear and revive the player, sending them into the sky far above the snowstorm to complete their journey. As the game ends, the player is presented with the ultimate question, did the main character die on the snow-covered hill, hallucinating the rest of their journey, or were they actually brought back to life by six deific robed figures? In filling in these gaps, players pull from their preconceived notions in constructing a world that reflects …show more content…
Magrino claims that Journey “understands human emotion on such a basic, fundamental level that it knows how players will react to any given situation, and respond accordingly” (Magrino 1). He notices many of the things echoed by Jenova Chen in his interview with SIEA, including Journey’s innovative design around player movement and Journey’s aesthetic environments. Magrino also praises the emotional aspect of Journey’s multiplayer: “those online will involuntarily find themselves matched from time to time with a partner. Despite having no real way of knowing who your partner is or communicating with that person, these interactions often lead to the strongest emotional responses” (Magrino 2). Magrino goes on to compare the multiplayer system to relationships and loss, since cooperative partners come and go as the game progresses despite the “strongest of emotional responses” that their cooperation evokes. Magrino’s experience of the game demonstrates that Journey was not only designed to be a better game but also was received as an experience superior to those provided by the