Journey Message Board

Austin Wintory doesn't like manipulating people. He could, pretty easily, if he wanted to, because he's a gifted musician with a knack for creating evocative music, but he doesn't have any interest in forcing you to feel a certain way. His approach to scoring a game like The Banner Saga is less about the obvious and more about the subtext - opening a door to an emotional space and letting you decide whether to walk in or not. Which sounds pretty high-minded for a game with giant warriors sporting goat horns, but that's just what's on the surface. Music's job lies in subtext.

"The game should already be, for example, sad," he explained to me at DICE. "My job is to make you understand why and add a sense of stakes and weight to what's happening, not to try make you have this base understanding that 'Now it's sad!' as if you would have missed that."

Wintory, who admits to having worked on "not so good" movies, acknowledges that his job as composer is "a lot easier to do" when he's given excellent material to work with. Journey, he said, was so brilliant that he barely had to do anything. He could just "go in there and play" (and get nominated for a Grammy). Stoic Studio's The Banner Saga was similarly inspiring, but first he had to figure out the right way to handle its turn-based-strategy nature. He did at least know what he didn't want to do with it.

"How to score the actual turn-based-strategy combat was a big question mark for me," Wintory said. He didn't want to take the same musical route as Banner Saga's most obvious recent comparison, XCOM, which featured fast-paced music. "All due respect to XCOM, I wanted to be the exact opposite of that, where I'm doing this, trying to contemplate the best strategy and I'm hearing pop-pop-pop-pop-pop that's like wailing away telling me 'Isn't this exciting?'"

Since he's answered so many questions about Beyond: Two Souls, and that the PS3 game comes out next week, I decided the time was right to ask Quantic Dream CEO David Cage about some other games. Specifically, the ones he admires and that emotionally affect him.

"I love games where I can feel there is someone behind [it] ... whatever that means!" Cage laughed "Sometimes you play [a game] and just feel like, 'Oh, this is just nice software developed by 200 people and it's nice, and the technology's great,' but there's no soul. And sometimes when you play a game you can feel the soul of someone behind it, and that's what I love. For me, Journey was something like this. For me, Papo & Yo was something like this. [In that game] there's really someone talking about these personal feelings that he experienced, and that's what I really love."

Cage added that he tries to put soul into the games he makes; he's both the director and writer of Beyond: Two Souls, as he was for Quantic Dream's previous PS3 game, Heavy Rain.

At a BAFTA lecture last month, Cage cited Journey, Papo & Yo, Rain, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, Gone Home, and The Unfinished Swan as representative of an indie community compensating for a lack of resources with creativity, and he's clearly a proponent of indie games. I asked him if there were any major games in which he saw a similar auteur quality to what he admired in Journey and Papo & Yo.

"There are a couple," said Cage. "I think the games by Fumito Ueda. They are not indie games per say because they were produced by Sony, but there is definitely an auteur behind them, that's for sure. In Ico and Shadow of the Colossus you can feel there is someone with a soul behind them."

Sure, at times it can feel magical, especially on that first playthrough, but after a while, the fact you can't communicate with anything more than a pulse can get on your nerves. Read more...

PSN Games Cloudberry Kingdom ($9.99) Unhappily ever after. That’s how it starts. The Orb resurfaces and the classic characters return. Kobbler with his mania, Princess with her endless boredom. It’s only a matter of time before Bob, our hero, shows up to put order back to madness. Three powers struggle for victory and the fate of Cloudberry Kingdom hangs in the balance. What will become of the retired hero, Bob? Will saving Princess one last time win her love? Could true love ever stop Kobbler and the power of the Orb? No, probably not. But hey, it’s worth a shot. Narco Terror ($9.99) Dishing out justice, one grenade at a time! Narco Terror combines the good of the old and the amazing of the new in an action-packed twin-stick shooter about an over-the-top one-man war against a drug cartel. In true arcade-style, it is filled with unlimited ammo, ear-splitting grenades, huge explosions, massive tanks, armed helicopters and fast planes. 1-2 players drop in/out, local and online. The Last Bounty Hunter ($7.99) The Territory has been overrun, and you’re the last hope to rid the town of the four vicious outlaws – Handsome Harry, Nasty Dan, El Loco and The Cactus Kid. You better be quick, cause they’re looking to get you! PS Vita Pixeljunk Monsters: Ultimate HD ($14.99) Tikiman the Forest Defender is in trouble. Hordes of monsters are sweeping through his realm, hoping to chow down on his offspring – and it’s up to you to defend them. By placing weapon towers at strategic points around the landscape, you can destroy the invaders and save the little ones. Collect treasure along the way to build up your arsenal and pay for new towers – countless waves of monsters are out to get the babies, so you need to be prepared to battle! Puzzle by Nikoli V Slitherlink ($4.99) With the Nikoli puzzle series, you can enjoy high-quality ‘Slitherlink’ puzzles, created by Nikoli, who gave the world-famous puzzle its name ‘Sudoku’. ‘Puzzle by Nikoli V Slitherlink’ contains 50 Slitherlink puzzles. In this – one of Nikoli’s most awesome original puzzles – you connect the dots to make a single ring. PS2 Classics Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly ($9.99) (This is a re-release of this product. If you previously purchased this title, please delete the game file you have and re-download.)

Twins Mio and Mayu enter a haunted village after falling under its spell. Mio must follow Mayu with the Camera Obscura to protect her from the evil spirits.

P.T.O. IV ($9.99) Plot strategies and deploy forces across the Pacific Theater during World War Il. Guide your battleships and bombard the enemy for naval supremacy. Bundles The Unfinished Swan & Journey Bundle ($14.99) Pick up the The Unfinished Swan & Journey Bundle, only available for a limited time. The Unfinished Swan

Explore a mysterious all-white landscape by splatting paint to reveal the world around you. As Monroe, a 10-year-old orphan, you’ll follow a swan that’s stepped out of an unfinished painting and wandered off into a surreal, storybook-inspired kingdom. Each chapter brings surprises, new ways to explore the world, a host of bizarre (and sometimes dangerous) creatures, and encounters with the eccentric king who built this empire.

Journey

Enter the world of Journey, the third game from acclaimed indie developers thatgamecompany and presented by SCEA Santa Monica Studio. Featuring stunning visuals, a Grammy-nominated musical score, and innovative online cooperative gameplay, Journey delivers an innovative interactive game experience like no other.

PlayStation Store Highlights

Our PlayStation Store Play promotion continues this week with the release of Cloudberry Kingdom. There’s still time to pre-order ibb & obb and DuckTales Remastered, so if you haven’t yet, get to it!

If you haven’t experienced The Unfinished Swan or Journey, two critically acclaimed indie titles available exclusively for PlayStation, you can pick both titles up now for $14.99. Also, PlayStation Plus members can download Dokuro for free on their PS Vitas as it joins the Instant Game Collection.

If you’d like to peruse all the new items on the store at your own leisure, feel free to check out the web storefront. As always, please leave your thoughts in the comments below. You can also chat about this update in the PlayStation Community Forums.

PlayStation Plus

Learn more and purchase online or go to the PlayStation Store to activate instantly. To learn more about this week’s Plus offerings, check out this week’s PS Plus post.

Instant Game Collection

Dokuro (PS Vita)

Timed Trial

Grid 2

Discounts

PixelJunk Monsters: Ultimate HD (PS Vita) – PS Plus Price: $11.99
Max Payne 3 (PS3) – PS Plus Price: $7.99
Max Payne 3 Ultimate Edition (PS3) – PS Plus Price: $11.99

PS3 Demos Narco Terror Dishing out justice, one grenade at a time! Narco Terror combines the good of the old and the amazing of the new in an action-packed twin-stick shooter about an over-the-top one-man war against a drug cartel. In true arcade-style, it is filled with unlimited ammo, ear-splitting grenades, huge explosions, massive tanks, armed helicopters and fast planes. 1-2 players drop in/out, local and online. The Last Bounty Hunter The Territory has been overrun, and you’re the last hope to rid the town of the four vicious outlaws – Handsome Harry, Nasty Dan, El Loco and The Cactus Kid. You better be quick, cause they’re looking to get you! Price Change

• Defiance – PS3 Game (now: $9.99 original price: $49.99)
• Defiance: Deluxe Edition – PS3 Game Add-On (now: $29.99 original price: $69.99)
• Defiance: Deluxe Edition Upgrade – PS3 Game Add-On (now: $19.99 original price: $39.99)

Sales

• Battlefield: 3 Premium– PS3 Game (now: $32.99 original price: $49.99)
• RockSmith – Various Songs (now: $1.99 original price: $2.99)
• SOLDNER-X-2: Final Protoype – PS3 Game (now: $4.99 original price: $9.99)
• SOLDNER-X-2: Final Prototype + SOLDNER-X: Himmselssturmer Bundle– PS3 Game (now: $6.99 original price: $14.99)
• SOLDNER-X-2: Final Prototype Complete Bundle– PS3 Game (now: $5.99 original price: $12.99)
• SOLDNER-X: Himmelssturmer– PS3 Game (now: $3.99 original price: $7.99)
• SOLDNER-X: Final Prototype The Last Chapter– PS3 Game (now: $2.49 original price: $4.99)

PS Vita Add-ons LittleBigPlanet PS Vita Cross-Buy with PS3

• Espresso Life ($0.99)
• Game Writer ($0.99)
• Home Sick ($0.99)
• Rastafari Dream ($0.99)
• Rebel ($0.99)
• Sackboy’s Casual Friday ($2.99)

PS3 Add-ons BioShock Infinite

• Clash in the Clouds ($4.99, Free with Season Pass)

Deadpool

• Merc with a Map Pack ($2.99)

God of War: Ascension

• 36 Hour Multiplayer 10x XP Boost ($19.99)
• Mantles of the Gods Pack ($0.99, Free for Season Pass)

Injustice: Gods Among Us

• Martian Manhunter ($4.99)

LittleBigPlanet 2

• Espresso Life ($0.99)
• Game Writer ($0.99)
• Home Sick ($0.99)
• Rastafari Dream ($0.99)
• Rebel ($0.99)
• Sackboy’s Casual Friday ($2.99)

LittleBigPlanet Karting

• Blue Beach Costume ($0.99)
• Cosy Green Costume ($0.99)
• Espresso Life ($0.99)
• Game Writer ($0.99)
• Home Sick ($0.99)
• Lumber Jane Costume ($0.99)
• Purple Business Costume ($0.99)
• Rastafari Dream ($0.99)
• Rebel ($0.99)
• Sackboy’s Casual Friday ($2.99)
• Sackgirl’s Casual Friday ($2.99)
• Street Pink Costume ($0.99)

PS3 Avatars

• Dynasty Warriors 8 Avatar Cao Cao ($0.49)
• Dynasty Warriors 8 Avatar Deng Ai ($0.49)
• Dynasty Warriors 8 Avatar Dian Wei ($0.49)
• Dynasty Warriors 8 Avatar Liu Bei ($0.49)
• Dynasty Warriors 8 Avatar Lu Su ($0.49)
• Dynasty Warriors 8 Avatar Sima Zhao ($0.49)
• Dynasty Warriors 8 Avatar Sun Jian ($0.49)
• Dynasty Warriors 8 Avatar Sun Shangxiang ($0.49)
• Dynasty Warriors 8 Avatar Wang Yuanji ($0.49)
• Dynasty Warriors 8 Avatar Zhuge Liang ($0.49)
• Grand Theft Auto V Beach Weather Avatar ($0.49)
• Grand Theft Auto V Chop Avatar ($0.49)
• Grand Theft Auto V Franklin 1 Avatar ($0.49)
• Grand Theft Auto V Franklin 2 Avatar ($0.49)
• Grand Theft Auto V Logo 1 Avatar ($0.49)
• Grand Theft Auto V Logo 2 Avatar ($0.49)
• Grand Theft Auto V Michael 1 Avatar ($0.49)
• Grand Theft Auto V Michael 2 Avatar ($0.49)
• Grand Theft Auto V Trevor 1 Avatar ($0.49)
• Grand Theft Auto V Trevor 2 Avatar ($0.49)
• Guacamelee! Avatars Bundle – Heroes 1 ($1.99)
• Guacamelee! Heroes 1 – El Presidente’s Daughter ($0.49)
• Guacamelee! Heroes 1 – Flag ($0.49)
• Guacamelee! Heroes 1 – Fray Ayayay ($0.49)
• Guacamelee! Heroes 1 – Jope ($0.49)
• Guacamelee! Heroes 1 – Juan 1 ($0.49)
• Guacamelee! Heroes 1 – Juan 2 ($0.49)
• Guacamelee! Heroes 1 – Juan 3 ($0.49)
• Guacamelee! Heroes 1 – Mask ($0.49)
• Guacamelee! Heroes 1 – Tostada ($0.49)
• Guacamelee! Heroes 1 – Uay Chivo ($0.49)
• Hyperdimension Neptunia Victory: Black Heart V2 ($0.49)
• Hyperdimension Neptunia Victory: Green Heart V2 ($0.49)
• Hyperdimension Neptunia Victory: Iris Heart V2 ($0.49)
• Hyperdimension Neptunia Victory: Purple Heart V2 ($0.49)
• Hyperdimension Neptunia Victory: Vert V2 ($0.49)
• Hyperdimension Neptunia Victory: Yellow Heart V2 ($0.49)
• Muramasa Rebirth Avatar – Blue Monk ($0.49)
• Muramasa Rebirth Avatar – Boss Demon ($0.49)
• Muramasa Rebirth Avatar – Chigurui Bishamon ($0.49)
• Muramasa Rebirth Avatar – Chimera ($0.49)
• Muramasa Rebirth Avatar – Dragon God ($0.49)
• Muramasa Rebirth Avatar – Fujin ($0.49)
• Muramasa Rebirth Avatar – Kurozaru ($0.49)
• Muramasa Rebirth Avatar – Raijin ($0.49)
• Muramasa Rebirth Avatar – Tsuchigumo ($0.49)
• Muramasa Rebirth Avatar – Wanyuudo Avatar ($0.49)

PS3 Themes

• Abstract: Throwback Dynamic Theme ($1.99)
• Amazing Earth Moon Static Theme($1.99)
• Arabella Drummond 2 Dynamic Theme ($2.99)
• Azmodeus Dark Angels Dynamic Draven Theme ($2.99)
• Bend Oregon Dynamic Lake Theme ($2.99)
• Digital Blasphemy Hidden Forces Static ($1.99)
• Hannah Martin 2 Dynamic Theme ($2.99)
• Legend Of Korra Static Theme ($1.99)
• Lucy Pinder 2 Dynamic Theme ($2.99)

PSP Themes

• Anne Stokes Dragonkin ($1.49)
• Anne Stokes Gothic Prayer ($1.49)
• Anne Stokes Rose Fairy ($1.49)
• Anne Stokes Siren’s Lament ($1.49)
• Anne Stokes Spellbound ($1.49)

PS3 Videos

• Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag Pirate Gameplay Experience
• Battlefield 4 Frostbite 3 Feature Video
• Grand Theft Auto V Official Gameplay Video
• Metal Gear Solid Legacy Collection Trailer
• Payday 2 Gameplay Trailer 1
• Ratchet & Clank: Into The Nexus Announce Trailer
• The Last Bounty Hunter – Trailer

Today, two beautiful games are going on sale together. Journey and The Unfinished Swan are both moving, deeply personal experiences. They evoke wonder and mystery, and chart new territory in the world of games. Together, they are amazing examples of what makes the PlayStation experience so special, and starting this week, you’ll be able to play them both for yourselves for one great price.

Read on for a few words from the creators of these uniquely personal titles.

Journey was a three year labor of love from thatgamecompany, but its true origins began considerably earlier. It started back in 2006 when I was still a student dreaming of making games professionally.

I was playing MMO games for a few years and began yearning for something more from the experience. The notion of an online game where players – actual strangers – would wish to stay close together, to care for and be cared for together, was taking shape. I was looking forward to one day creating an experience where anonymous players were able to develop a real human connection.

Even as Sony agreed to fund our studio to design and develop three PlayStation Network games of our own, this idea for an anonymous online game had to wait. Our entire team was relatively young and simply didn’t have the experience to successfully pull off something as large as an online multiplayer game.

Fast forward to 2009 when thatgamecompany had two PSN games – flOw and Flower – under its belt. It finally felt like the right time to make Journey. Not knowing the highs and low that would eventually lay ahead of us, we committed to this idea of an online game where players from all walks of life choose to stay together and care for one another. It’s ironic how our path to creating Journey is closely mimicked by the experience within the game itself. Despite our own road of trials, we firmly believe the experience was worth it and we couldn’t be more proud of what we accomplished with Journey.

A year after launch we still continue to receive heartfelt letters from players sharing what Journey means to them. This response means the world to us. If you haven’t had a chance to experience either Journey or The Unfinished Swan, we hope you’ll take this opportunity to pick up both games and share in these two very personal visions of what games can be.

– Jenova Chen, thatgamecompany president & creative director

After you finish Journey, head over to the Journey Stories Tumblr to submit your experience and read about other players travels through the world.

Both games have touched thousands of players. Recently, The Unfinished Swan inspired this lovely short film.

We’re incredibly happy to have The Unfinished Swan bundled with Journey because our game owes such a big debt to Journey and all the other games from thatgamecompany. It’s not too much of a stretch to say that our game wouldn’t exist without them. I think it was the warm reception for flOw and flower that gave Sony the courage to fund our game, made by another team of inexperienced folks with unusual and impractical ideas. Beyond just the financial success of thatgamecompany’s games I think Sony was excited by how strongly PlayStation players responded emotionally — it was encouraging to see that players were so willing to embrace games that were quite different from what they were used to playing. Which is great news for us, since our game is pretty strange.

Our goal with the Unfinished Swan was to create an experience that evoked a sense of wonder and reminded players of what it felt like to be a child. Basically, it’s a game about exploring the unknown. Which makes it hard to talk about, since the more we tell players about the game the less they’re going to be surprised by it.

Luckily, now that we’re bundled with Journey we can be a little more mysterious about our own game and just say that if you think you’ll like Journey, there’s a good chance you’ll like The Unfinished Swan. They’re very different games but deep down they’re both about what it feels like to walk out into the unknown. If you’re looking for new and wonderful experiences I think you’ll find both games are worth the trip.

– Ian Dallas, Giant Sparrow president & creative director

If you already own one of both of these titles we thank you for your support. If not, now is the perfect time to bring these two fantastic games into your life.

This isn't a big deal. Let's be clear on that. But it is a nice touch, the kind of nice touch that reminds you there are sometimes real, actual humans involved in the video game supply chain. Reader Kelsey bought a copy of the Journey artbook for his girlfriend's birthday, and figured he'd try his luck at emailing the developers to see if they could sign something for her, since she's such a fan of the game. Which they did. Birthday greetings and all. Awww.

Journey Collector's Edition has wandered onto the European PSN for €19.99/£15.99. The bundle includes the Joystiq Game of the Year 2012, Journey, along with thatgamecompany's other creations Flower and fl0w. The package is nearly identical to the one that launched in North America late last year, including a 30-minute documentary on the making of the game, some extra mini-games and creator commentary playthroughs.

Europeans who'd like a physical copy of the bundle will need to wait a little while: Sony notes the disc-based retail version won't be available until "later this year" for the territory.

thatgamecompany is probably the last group of folks we expect these shenanigans from; They're always so artsy and sincere! But there must be a few yuksters around Sony's studio in Santa Monica, because the studio created this faux trailer for April Fool's Day, threatening to invade the serene landscape of Journey with some raucous Rocket Death Match DLC.

Then again, maybe it makes sense. Getting vaporized with an across-the-map rocket shot in Halo might not be the same kind of emotion that we felt at the end of Journey, but they can both be pretty tearful experiences.

Have you ever considered the emotional journey ... of a rocket?

Journey and thatgamecompany claimed six of the 11 total prizes at the Game Developers Choice Awards ceremony during GDC 2013 tonight: the Game of the Year Award, Best Audio, Best Game Design, Best Visual Arts, Best Downloadable Game and the Innovation Award. We have to say, the GDCA has good taste.

The first-ever GDCA Audience Award prize went to Arkane Studios' Dishonored. FTL: Faster Than Light picked up the award for Best Debut, and Telltale's The Walking Dead walked away with the Best Narrative award. Take a peek at the complete list of winners below.

#apparel I was browsing Reddit casually last night and stumbled on this seemingly well-made Journey hoodie by user volpinazzurra (you can only tell so much from pictures). "It's reversible, too," I excitedly proclaimed to myself and my cat. Quickly check the comments and...oh. Not for sale. Not on Etsy. Probably can't bribe volpinazzurra with cookies and money. More »

#journey I always felt as though my Journey character would've been pretty good at the violin. And what do you know, that seems to be the case, as demonstrated by violinist Taylor Davis in this new video tribute. More »

We absolutely adore the soundtrack to Journey, but going through the complete score with composer Austin Wintory's commentary proves that guy experiences music on a level we'll never understand.

#journey Journey wasn't just one of the best games of 2012, it also had easily one of the best soundtracks. Composer Austin Wintory assembled a remarkable collection of instruments and tonalities, the sort of holistic musical concoction we rarely get in games. More »

#opinion In the future, there may not be any more single-player games—but that doesn't mean what we seem to think it does every time some big publisher opens its big mouth and tells us that single-player games are dead. Epic, story-driven campaigns aren't going away; it's just that new forms of multiplayer are evolving in tandem with those experiences, rather than in opposition to them. More »

#giantsquid As unique as they are, the most striking thing about games like Flower and Journey may be their art styles. Now Matt Nava, the art director on both titles, has departed thatgamecompany to form his own development house, Giant Squid Studios, with the Los Angeles-based film and TV studio Ink Factory. More »

Developing Journey cost thatgamecompany a lot of time, talent and all of its money, creator Jenova Chen said during his DICE 2013 address. Journey bankrupted thatgamecompany; Chen began its development in 2006 and the studio eventually received two extensions from Sony so the team could perfect the game's emotional impact.

"We did get the money, we got to finish the extra year, but a lot of people in our studio were not paid in the last half of the year, and we actually paid our savings to extend the game for another couple months," Chen said. "So by the end, when we shipped Journey, we also went bankrupt as thatgamecompany."

In the end, Chen said it was worth it, if only to see the deep, human impact Journey had on its players. One email he received told Sophia's story, a 15-year-old who played Journey with her dad before he died and said the game changed her life for the better.

Next up, Chen wants to create a similarly artistic, but more commercially successful game, in an attempt to broaden the game development industry as a whole, he tells Polygon. Thatgamecompany's next game will be multiplatform, unlike its previous, Sony-exclusive games.

Austin Wintory's composition of thatgamecompany's Journey soundtrack earned him a Grammy nomination in the Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media category, an accomplishment Wintory was shocked to achieve. It marked the first time a full video game score was recognized by the Academy, following Christopher Tin's win in 2011 with the song "Baba Yetu" from the Civilization 4 soundtrack.

Last night, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross took home the Grammy for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media, for their The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo music. Wintory took the news in stride on Twitter, congratulating Reznor on the win.

"Obviously I didn't work on #JourneyPS3 hoping to win a Grammy," Wintory later tweeted. "The entire point was the game itself and that's gone beyond my wildest dreams." Journey won the top honor at the DICE 2013 awards and we were fairly fond of it as well. Good work, Wintory.

#journey Last year's standout PS3 game Journey was an emotional experience for many. That was certainly the case for Sophia, a 15-year-old who wrote the above letter to one of the game's creators, Jenova Chen, about how Journey helped her cope with the loss of her father. More »

Journey is a pretty fantastic game. Not only do we completely agree with this sentiment, but US PSN players do too - Journey topped the PSN sales charts in December, beating out Mass Effect, Far Cry 3, PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale and The Walking Dead Episode 5: No Time Left.

Helping to fill out the top 20 full-games list was Assassin's Creed 3, Grand Theft Auto 4, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Tokyo Jungle, and The Walking Dead episodes three and four. LittleBigPlanet Vita was the No. 1 Vita game in December, while the Black Ops 2 Season Pass was the top add-on.

In related PSN news, European players can snag some sweet deals this month on games such as Saints Row: The Third, Spec Ops: The Line, Mafia 2, Jet Set Radio, Hell Yeah! and quite a few more. Check out the complete list here.

Watchmen, the monumental graphic novel by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, was once deemed "unfilmable." So entrenched were the creators in the structure and language of their chosen medium, that no interpretation, even if faithful to the plot and characters, could truly convey as intended this study of duplicitous, damaged superheroes.

One of my favorite novels, "House of Leaves" by Mark Z. Danielewski, belongs best in a book, which you flutter through, turn upside down and decode in mad layers. The core of it, however, is a spooky, spatially suspect house. Hollywood can probably handle that - and I'd go see the results - but it wouldn't be the same without the scribbled anecdotes, the cover and the spine.

Journey is an unfilmable video game, despite being rooted in a concept that's miraculously relatable and explainable (for a game). A slender being, draped in beautiful and unfettered fabrics, is drawn to a mountain. The beacon beckons not with words, but a language enmeshed with the world itself. Some designers show they care by putting a dot on your screen; others make you a mountain.

#gotynominee The first time I played Journey, I thought, "Okay." More »

#journey Spoilers for Journey follow. More »

#journey Here at Kotaku, we like to put together lists of tips for getting the most out of some games. Skyrim, Far Cry 3, Arkham City, games like that. More »

As 2012 prepares to come to a close, many of us have taken a step back to reflect on the amazing game experiences we’ve enjoyed throughout 2012. One game in particular stands out above the rest: Journey. Since it was announced in June two years ago, critics and fans alike have been praising Journey’s heartfelt narrative, incredibly memorable visuals and emotional score. Once it launched back in March, it quickly garnered the attention and admiration of many, ultimately resulting in three big wins at the recent 10th Annual Spike TV Video Game Awards, including Best PS3 Game, Best Independent Game and Best Original Score. In addition, Journey, still the fastest-selling PSN game of all time, has earned the first-ever Grammy nomination for a video game in the Recording Academy’s 55-year history, in the category of best score soundtrack for visual media, placing us in the ranks of legendary composers John Williams and Hans Zimmer.

Journey also recently received the following nods so far this year. And while it’s such an honor to just be nominated for such prestigious awards, I wouldn’t be surprised to see this list grow even more over the course of the upcoming months:

• IGN Best of 2012 – Game of the Year, Best Overall Graphics, Best Overall Music, Best Overall Story, Best PS3 Graphics, Best PS3 Sound, Best PS3 Story, Best PlayStation Network Game, Best PS3 Game nominee
• Machinima Inside Gaming Awards 2012 – Best Art Direction winner
• X-Play Best of 2012 – Best Art Direction winner, Best Original Game winner

Today, on behalf of SCEA and the entire PlayStation Nation, I’d like to extend my congratulations to the extremely talented development team at thatgamecompany, including Journey composer Austin Wintory, whose brilliance and creativity has truly inspired us all. Thank you to the team at Santa Monica Studio and everyone else that has had a hand in bringing this transcendental and astonishing game to life. Journey, for many, remains one of the most amazing game experiences of our lives — one that we may never forget.

Please join me in congratulating the team by sharing your most memorable Journey moment.

#leisuresuitlarry Austin Wintory's soaring orchestral score for Thatgamecompany's Journey will not be forgotten anytime soon. Not only was it a fine collection of music in its own right, it is the first video game soundtrack to be nominated for a Grammy. More »

#yearinbeauty 2012 was a good year to be moved by visuals in games. I'm not talking graphic fidelity, but rather aesthetics. So many games this year were visually inspired and pleasing to the eye. More »

Should indie games be competing with big AAA titles for Game of the Year? One viewer doesn't think so.

Austin Wintory must be floating on air after learning his Journey soundtrack is nominated for a Grammy. Wintory's work for thatgamecompany's PSN adventure is going up against scores from the likes of John Williams, Howard Shore, and Hans Zimmer as it bids to take home only the second Grammy ever won for video game music.

While Journey represents the first game to get a Grammy nod for its soundtrack, the accolade for the first game music ever nominated belong to Civilization 4 and Christopher Tin's "Baba Yetu." Tin went one better after he took home the golden gramophone for "Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalists" back in 2010.

As for the 2013 awards, the full list of nominees for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media are Journey, The Adventures of Tintin, The Artist, The Dark Knight Rises, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and Hugo. Wintory learns if he's to follow in Tin's footsteps on February 10, 2013, when the 55th Annual Grammy Awards are held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

#watchthis Journey is a beautiful game. The ending was equally beautiful, but also sad and heartwarming somehow all at the same time. More »