Journey Game Analysis by CataQu

The game I selected for analysis is Journey (2012), developed by Thatgamecompany and scored by Austin Wintory. I chose Journey because of its beautiful, minimalist adventure, where you control a robed traveler crossing a vast desert toward a distant mountain top. The game is all about exploration, environmental storytelling, and the player's emotional experience rather than traditional mechanics like combat or dialogue. Through its breathtaking visual design, music, subtle multiplayer elements, and clever use of the Hero's Journey, Journey has created a deeply personal yet shared experience for its audience.

My game analysis will come in short notes at the top of corresponding scenes. Think of this as brief Let's Play commentary. At the top of certain scenes, I have also written which part of the hero's journey we are on, as well as the name of the in-game level (if there is one). Journey, the game, was specifically designed to closely follow Joseph Campbell's hero's journey, so many of its elements are incredibly clear and need little explanation. It is important to note that I am using a simplified 12-step hero's journey rather than the original 18-step version. Much of the journey's majesty comes from its brevity, meaning that even the 12 steps I have defined are sometimes loose interpretations of order.