Mathew this is an incredible piece of filmmaking and I can't express to you how grateful I am for the work you've put into it. A few folks have done analyses of Journey over the years but I don't think any have been so accurate and detailed as your work here, never mind somehow fitting it into such a short format. I am speechless. Thank you so so much for this!
I'm really glad that it means something to you - that is the highest praise I could imagine! Thank you for your music Austin, and the impact Journey has had on so many people's lives, including my own.
Surely this soundtrack still makes me cry everytime I listen to it, because of the meaning this game has and the amount of emotion the soundtrack evokes. I must admit I have gone through embarrassing moments crying in airplanes or even in the streets when Apotheosis played in my headphones lol I honestly think Journey should be proclaimed a piece of art history and studied in schools, because its message is just so sensible, and yet clear to anyone who had a bit of understanding. This game really taught me a lesson and made me look at life with more joy and a sense of responsibility. You really did a great analysis of the score.
People shit on soundtracks for "telling you how to feel" but in games, nothing sends shivers up my spine more than doing an action and having the music respond to my actions. Nier Automata, thanks to Platinum's sound engineers, does this fantastically. Even Marty O' Donnell's been doing this stuff all the way back in the original Halo games.
Yeah, I think when it's done right people don't even notice the impact it has. They only comment on it when it's done in an obvious or poor way. It's nice to be able to point out when it's done well and deepen people's appreciation of it.
Journey has always been one of my favorite games ever. The music alone is enough to make me choke up and remember my own first playthrough, my first journey. But I've never looked at it like this before. I've been a nihilist for years. I never thought life really had a meaning other than to propagate and survive, to ensure its own continued existence. But watching this video has made me rethink my entire world view. Sharing knowledge with others, making their own journeys easier... That's what life should be all about. After all, everyone has had their mentors in life, be they parents, friends, or school teachers. Those mentors have gone through their own journeys and are passing on their wisdom, ensuring that at least a part of them lives on in their pupil. The Hero's Journey is vital to storytelling, but I've always relegated it to the realm of fiction. Never before has it occurred to me that it could be interpreted as a way of life. I've had a copy of The Hero with a Thousand Faces lying around at home, and maybe it's about time for me to finally pick it up and read through it. This... really hits home for me. I've loved Journey ever since I first saw a screenshot of it, but I never thought it would bring me to a revelation like this. Thank you so very, very much for this video.
Wow, I am so pleased that this video could do that for you! Journey is such an incredible experience and sometimes life-changing. Thank your for commenting and letting me know, it means a lot that I could share it with you.
Journey was such an amazing experience. The first time I played, I was assisted by someone who knew how to do everything. When we made it to the snow area, they walked up to the top of a small hill nearby, and disappeared. I was so shocked! It was like they helped me through everything only to drop me off near what could've been the end to deal with it myself. I never realized how attached I could get to someone I couldn't clearly communicate with, but seeing them disappear like that was like seeing a mentor pass away. Of course, that spurred me on to finish the game and then it was such a fulfilling experience to finish. I then brought a friend over the next day and had him play through the entire game. He got a companion who was just as lost as he was, so he had a completely different experience than I did. Kind of like life, huh? Journey is art.
SilverRay85 Journey is really about the journey of life. Just like the game, people will generally go through the same rhythms (the levels don’t change), but due to the people you meet and the decisions you make, nobody experiences life in quite the same way.
@@GameScoreFanfare don't sell yourself short... sure, you express your admiration for someone elses art... but the way you do it is an incredible achievement in itself. This Video is one of the first things that I show to people, if I want to make them understand what kind of multi-layered experience a videogame can be.
I cried. The mere thought of helping people go through their lives is tear-inducing. Journey is such a beautiful game. Shame I never got to play it. And you are, Mathew, a great person for making these wonderful videos and helping me go through my life. Thank you.
I know this comment is from a year ago, but I still feel like it's worth mentioning that Journey is now available on PC (even if it's currently only on the Epic Games store, unfortunately). I feel almost indescribably happy that I'm finally able to enjoy this masterpiece for myself, especially with other Journeyers around the world!
Super late but fyi Sky chikdren of light is Journey repackaged for mobile. JOURNEY left a huge impact on me so sky doesn't as much but it is incredibly beautiful still
HOLY SHIT I came for Yoshi music nostalgia and now, 5 of your videos later, I'm here crying in an airport lobby because Journey is so beautiful and you opened my perception up to a whole new level of how deeply, insanely beautiful it is. Holy shit.
OMG, I just realized something! About the symbolism of the Meteor: In the desert area (where “Threshold” plays), the Meteor actively turns into a collectable symbol when you reach one of the areas where you collect it. That enforces the purpose of life even more as not only are you - as the player - making others’ journeys easier, but other people - as Meteors - are helping others by giving them more scarf power to fly with in order to help them on their journey. Hence, there is more than one way to help others on their journey of life. Isn’t that neat? 😄
I bought PS4 recently, with a lot of games in mind and Journey as something extra that I heard about and was curious about. It ended up being my obsession for a month with dozens of playthroughs and me becoming a guide for the new players just so I can share the experience of Journeying for the first time with others.
My mind was slightly blown from 10:09 onwards. The Ultimate Boon is meta, not explicitly part of the game narrative post-Paradise during one playthrough, but reaching beyond the game into the IRL experience of playing the game with others. The "ultimate boon/blessing/magical elixir" is our new experience that allows us to act as mentors, guiding others through their own journey/Journey playthroughs and enhancing their own experience and IRL lives, creating an infinite cycle both in-game and IRL. This is pretty radical, super exciting analysis, and very beautifully explained. Well done!
That was a beautiful analasys of not just the game's score, but the game itself. This game is a fantastic experience that I recommend to everyone, and it's best played in one sitting (it's not long, only a couple of hours).
The bit at the end about purpose got me crying and i literally said "wow shut up" out loud, not because I wanted you to shut up but because it cut to the heart of me. I love this unpacking of it.
As in movies, like there are "entertaining" movies and "art" movies, this is the first video game that I truly considered art. Every person should play it at least once.
I'd heard analysis of the soundtrack & story before, but hadn't really connected that very last part - that the whole point is to go through hardship, then to go back and share that blessing to make someone else's journey a little easier - even a complete stranger's! - in the hopes of keeping the cycle going. I started crying! Thanks for making this
six years later, still crying over journey. thanks for reminding me what a transcendent piece of art this game (and its integral score) is. fantastic video.
This game is such a magical experience. I've never felt like this playing any other game or even any movie, it's just perfect beyond words. But I do think it takes a certain mindset to understand it and it's not for everyone.
Amazing analysis of one of my all-time favorite games and one of my all-time pieces of music, a fantastic video. Journey is a true auteurist game, and many of the complexities of its artistic design I probably wouldn't have have realized before (in particular, loved the bit about the soloist instruments, especially when you have or don't have a partner). I'll need to play this again and pay even closer attention to the musical cues.
It makes such a difference when you know about it. Just hearing the harp for the first time is enough to make your heart skip a beat, knowing that somewhere around there is someone else!
The upvote ratio doesn't lie... After all this time, your video about Journey is still the best! Every time I stumble across it again, it always gets me thinking, my thoughts turning philosophical with a hint of cautious optimism. With Journey finally available on PC a couple weeks ago, I played it for the first time in years, and it just hit me just how important this game is to me. The soundtrack, the environments, the art direction overall... Journey helped me develop as an artist in so many ways, from how I write music to the style I use to tell stories. The Hero's Journey is a pattern that can be represented in art, in stories, and in life. I still do what I can to teach others, to pass on my knowledge and help humanity continue to tell its own ongoing story. This is one of the driving forces in my life, pushing me forward as a writer, as an artist, and as a teacher. It's amazing to think that my life could be changed so dramatically by a video game, but Journey is more than that. It's art. And the best, most lasting art is powerful enough to change lives forever.
To borrow an idea from this video, words (almost) cannot describe how profound this game and its music is. And yet, you've manage to accomplish the impossible! Thank you so much for illuminating the depths of this artistic masterpiece. For me, this is one of the best, if not THE best, videos on UA-cam. Period. I am in tears, overwhelmed by the beautiful message you have shared with us. Though I wish we had more games like this; games that teach and inspire as well as entertain, if we did have more of them, perhaps they wouldn't have quite the same impact on us as this game has. Again, thank you so much. I will easily recommend this video and your channel to anyone I know who likes video games and/or music.
Thank you for such a great review. I played Journey for the first time a few weeks ago and I loved it so much. Your journey through its soundtrack brought a deeper meaning to the experience of playing it.
It has been quite awhile since I have commented on a video but after watching your work here about a game that is very special to me I must comment on your work. The first time I played this game it left me extremely emotional due to its visual and musical beauty but I never quite understood why exactly I connected to this piece of art so much. You sir just helped me connect the dots as to why I love this game and for that, I can't thank you enough. I was always able to see that this game emphasized the idea of endurance through trials but I never understood exactly why the game emphasized this theme if the end of the journey was the end of the characters life. Now after watching your analysis, I understand that the trials of the game are made worth it because you can share your experiences with others. Wow, the amount of depth and meaning that idea holds is so important because that is the only worthwhile reason why we endure through real life trials. If we can help just one person by sharing our pain or frustration in order that their own pain/frustration be alleviated, then the initial frustration was all worth it. I think thats why I love this game so much because it reminds me that I have a goal and that that goal is something worth pursuing. Thank you for opening up a new layer to depth regarding this game to me. I will never be able to listen to my favorite soundtrack in the same way because you showed me the heart and character behind the music that made me love it originally, even though I didn't understand why.
Whenever I feel too agitated or Im having a bad day, I put on the soundtrack and it just makes me so happy and calm. What Austin did is absolutely divine!
Don'T know if anyone mentioned this yet, but you get the White robe by finding all the Secret runes (Which lengthen your scarf). Not by replaying the game multiple times-for that you get the patterns on them. The more times you complete the game, the more patterened your robe becomes - effectively mirroring the way you collect more and more experience in the game.
Music truly is the universal language and it's a real shame that so few people that talk about games can discuss it in any meaningful way. Fantastic stuff here. Keep up the good work!
This video PERFECTLY sums up what an integral part of the game the score is in great detail, I was aware there instruments that I hadn't heard of from Austin's Text Commentary video, thank you for going into such detail and including the examples. The score is SO important to me when I recommend this game and I have a friend who I'm trying to get to play this. He's a film producer, and I think he would appreciate the story and well as the music of the game. I have a ps3 that i use as just a blue ray player, and the only game I play is Journey. He's a big COD fan and says Uncharted 4 is one of the most beautiful games he's ever seen. I'm hoping very badly that he likes this if I can get him to play it, though from his tastes, I worry he won't. Thank you for all the hard work put into the video. I see Austin himself commented on the video and I want to express what an impact this game and his work on the music has had on me but I'm so starstruck!
Wow this was amazing. You describe it very well, goosebumps till the end. I've played this game many times and I still heard so many new things in the video, I'll have to play again soon:) The end-message also echoes well with what Jenova Chen said at his GDC Journey talk (which I recommend anyone to watch). He says we're here for such a short amount of time, so let's try and help each other and make each others life better. This is conveyed so well throughout everything of the game, from it's mechanics to its music. Every time I learn more about it, it becomes more impressive.
Ahh, I'm really glad you mentioned this. I did watch Jenova's GDC talk but don't remember any specific points. I was a bit worried I was making up the whole end bit, but yes that was the point. Good to know. Thank you! hahaha.
I'm currently writing a text about Journey being one of the best games of the decade, and this video helped me break down some of the technical brilliance of the game's music. Thank you for this, appreciate it!
My gosh, this is fantastic! It's an in-game parallel to what I've experienced out of game through the Journey community. I've often said that it's beautiful how you meet a complete stranger and while they don't have to, they typically will help you in your journey. It also very poetically explains the wonder of the companion mechanic, and I had no idea that the tracklist lined up that well with what was listed in "The Hero With a Thousand Faces" (proof I should read it rather than go by what I've heard about it). I've been struggling to find the words to explain to someone what makes this game so awe-inspiring and beautiful. I am grateful that you figured it out years ago. Thank you!
This is incredibly thorough and comprehensive, and so much fun to watch. I really really love this sort of content, and I hope you'll continue this series with games like Abzu, Kingdom Hearts, or Ori and the Blind Forest. Thanks for your effort!
This is easily the best review of Journey I've ever read/watched. Your breakdown of the soundtrack did such a perfect job of exploring the themes of this game and explaining the deeper meaning of its story. I feel like my own understanding of the game was clarified by watching this. Thank you so much!
I've always wanted to make a game of my own, but every time I come across studios like ThatGameCompany and Supergiant, I always think, "Man, these people tell their stories better than I ever can with my own."
Oh my goodness, finally someone to speak on the music from Journey. Thank you so much, this is incredible. Every thing I've ever thought while listening to this score and some, has been brought to light here. I actually just downloaded the game off of Steam about a month ago, but for the past 2 years probably, have always listened to the score and watched others gameplay w/o commentary.
An excellent, excellent essay and I love the analysis and inclusion of the hero's journey and the purpose of the journey itself. This is an excellent analysis vid
This was a truly wonderful lesson about the music of journey. I have played journey hundreds of times yet still find, or am shown by companions, new details regularly. Thanks to your video, there are even more details i want to observe in future journeys. I have a mantra "If you don't stop to look, you'll never See it". It must be expanded to include sounds, for if you don't take time to listen, you'll never Hear it.....
Excellent video! Journey and specifically its music made a huge impact on me 4 years ago and has yet to wear off. Thank you for reminding me of how much I love this fantastic video game.
I played Journey when I was much younger with my father, and then I couldn't understand why the game made me want to cry. Now I know- I bought the soundtrack recently, just because it's that good, and it still makes me think about that winter night on the couch. Excellent video, as well!
Oh my god. What a beautiful video. I came here because I was on a binge of analyzing the score of movies and video games and then I saw Journey and how wonderful that game's soundtrack is, but I was not expecting the analysis about the game's story and what it means. I've read countless theories about the game but none has touched me like yours did, and never have I thought that it was so correlated to its music. I'm genuinely holding back tears because I'm so emotional and honestly, get my sub. You're wonderful and I'll watch out for more of your videos!
I’m just watching this now, but you should consider doing a video about Abzû. Some of the same people who made Journey also made Abzû. I don’t have a PlayStation so unfortunately I haven’t played Journey but, I have played Abzû and it had a tremendous impact on me personally (maybe due to the fact that I love the ocean and freediving). Anyway, if you ever get the chance to play Abzû, I would highly recommend it.
The sand surfing is my favorite part of the game, for sure. So much is conveyed by how the other stranger controls their character. The best companion I had just carved the shit out of the sand like it was the X Games and we chased each other through that whole section :)
This was so well narrated and explained.... The game itself is a masterpiece.... Help others... without nothing to gain or ask... Get wiser each time we go into the light...
I've only recently discovered this channel and I've been slowly watching your videos. Music has become one of the most important part of my life, recently. Journey was even before, and this video has elevated once more this little jewel of an adventure. So, thank you.
We White Robes have an unspoken duty to guide, protect and teach the red cloaks. I love Journey, I love it's sound track, and I love how excited I feel when I meet a friend- I've never met this person, but the excited chirping we do when we find each other makes me feel like I've known that person my whole life. It's a woefully underrated game, and I wish more people knew of it.
Wow this is an amazing video. I always knew Journey was an allegory for the Hero's Journey but I didn't know how even the track names correlate to the steps in the journey! Thanks for the awesome video :D
Perhaps its been said, but Austin Wintory was, I believe, the first composer nominated for a Grammy for the score of a video game. I have this soundtrack, and I still play it on longer road trips. People travelling with me who've never heard it go completely nuts for it. Check out his scores for Grace and Captain Abu Raed.
I'm actually developing a novel to this soundtrack. Funny thing is, my heroine's own journey is rather similar to the Hero's Journey you described in this video, particularly in regard to being given "boons" (in her case unadulterated spiritual truth) for the rest of man. This only gives me more drive to finish it!
Definitely subscribed. Incredible analysis. Journey truly is one of the most beautiful games I have ever had the joy of playing. Thank you for this video.
When you said that you can use your ancestors' clothing for a new cosmetic look, and seeing that traveling with another red-robed player, it quickly reminded me of Dante and Virgil.
Excellent analysis! I'm not really someone who plays a lot of video games but, I loved this one! Witnessing the end for the first time was so emotional. Especially because there was another player there with me at the time.
Same here, watched the podcast and had to come check out your vids. This one was fantastic. Keep it up. I look forward to what you produce in the future.
Oh my god, I just... I just couldn't stop crying though the video, also through many of your videos I've seen today, you brought me some light about this game, that I haven't really noticed before... Dude, great work, love your channel, what an amazing journey.
I just watched, upon stumbling over your channel, your analysises on Undertale, Ori and Journey back to back, they've all been amazing, but this one right here is pure genius, Mathew. Journey is my favorite Indie-game, I listen to the soundtrack so much and even after five years it still makes me tear up each time the choir in Apotheosis kicks in, so I hope this puts into perspective how much music, especially Journey's, means to me. I thought I knew everything about it and you still taught me new stuff - just like the game wants you to, huh? C: This is a channel I wanted for so long and now I found it! I hope you have a lot more of this I can geek out over as a new sub.
Ohhh God this game!! it always returns and amazes me in new ways i'd never thought. Thank you so much for your analysis... It added one more piece on why this game is a truly masterpiece. Your final words almost brought me to tears! :)
When I first played the game I didn't like it because I found it confusing and I had other more AAA type games to play so I left it. Wasn't a big deal since I only paid like $5 for it. But recently I decided to revisit it. And this time, to my surprise, I encountered someone else. This other person helped me figure out the very beginning puzzles which I previously didn't understand. As I learned what the game was about, I was able to finish the game and even help others along the way. So in a way, this was a perfect metaphor for my actual life, where I can honestly say that if it wasn't for certain people that have come into my life and helped me early on, I don't know if I would have made is as far along in my journey as I have. Very beautiful game and very touching analysis.
Thank you for the beautiful insight. I never would have thought of the game that way until now. It made me tear up a bit because the game can really connect with you in a deep way. I'm glad I stumbled upon your video.
hey game score, ive watched a few of your videos so far, and i love them, i love music theory, and i love applying music theory to video games. You got a new sub, keep putting out videos like these
I can't believe it! It's the Hero's Journey! I only just learned of it in the last year or so! This video could not have better timing! I'm reading literature on this now. I only heard of it in the last year or so. And then you, as you do, introduce me to it's gorgeous, emotional music and with this combination there's no way I can save this one for later. The Monomyth is so fascinating that I'm going to unabashedly say I'll be using this game to further my study of it. I'm going to play this game expecting to be moved like all the other commentators say they are.
I only learned about it in doing the research for this video! 😅 I'm really pleased that the video has moved you to play the game, though I apologise for essentially ruining the purity of the experience for you. One of the most special things about Journey is going in blind, not knowing what to expect, and coming across another player. I wish you got to experience that, but I'm just glad you'll get to experience it at all now, rather than not knowing it before.
Game Score Fanfare Not at all! In fact, I commend you for selling me on the game! Without knowing the deep meaning/theme of the story I might not have otherwise been interested. Now get to discover everything else!
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #60 РОЖДЕНИЕ ЛОЛОЛОШКИ [Финал] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YoR0pAV9FVQ/mqdefault.jpg)
Mathew this is an incredible piece of filmmaking and I can't express to you how grateful I am for the work you've put into it. A few folks have done analyses of Journey over the years but I don't think any have been so accurate and detailed as your work here, never mind somehow fitting it into such a short format. I am speechless. Thank you so so much for this!
I'm really glad that it means something to you - that is the highest praise I could imagine! Thank you for your music Austin, and the impact Journey has had on so many people's lives, including my own.
I just watched you video "JOURNEY - Complete score with text commentary" and it hints to so many things explained in this video hah
That commentary was definitely the basis of the video, but honestly it asked more questions than it answered so that probed curiosity.
Surely this soundtrack still makes me cry everytime I listen to it, because of the meaning this game has and the amount of emotion the soundtrack evokes. I must admit I have gone through embarrassing moments crying in airplanes or even in the streets when Apotheosis played in my headphones lol I honestly think Journey should be proclaimed a piece of art history and studied in schools, because its message is just so sensible, and yet clear to anyone who had a bit of understanding. This game really taught me a lesson and made me look at life with more joy and a sense of responsibility. You really did a great analysis of the score.
And thank _you_ so much for the most impactful and unforgettable musical score in history.
I can't even watch a review of this soundtrack without sharing some tears. Works every single time...
Credit it all to the incredible source material.
I cried too at the very end when you climb the summet. The music in this game is genius.
People shit on soundtracks for "telling you how to feel" but in games, nothing sends shivers up my spine more than doing an action and having the music respond to my actions. Nier Automata, thanks to Platinum's sound engineers, does this fantastically. Even Marty O' Donnell's been doing this stuff all the way back in the original Halo games.
Yeah, I think when it's done right people don't even notice the impact it has. They only comment on it when it's done in an obvious or poor way. It's nice to be able to point out when it's done well and deepen people's appreciation of it.
Journey has always been one of my favorite games ever. The music alone is enough to make me choke up and remember my own first playthrough, my first journey. But I've never looked at it like this before.
I've been a nihilist for years. I never thought life really had a meaning other than to propagate and survive, to ensure its own continued existence. But watching this video has made me rethink my entire world view. Sharing knowledge with others, making their own journeys easier... That's what life should be all about. After all, everyone has had their mentors in life, be they parents, friends, or school teachers. Those mentors have gone through their own journeys and are passing on their wisdom, ensuring that at least a part of them lives on in their pupil.
The Hero's Journey is vital to storytelling, but I've always relegated it to the realm of fiction. Never before has it occurred to me that it could be interpreted as a way of life. I've had a copy of The Hero with a Thousand Faces lying around at home, and maybe it's about time for me to finally pick it up and read through it.
This... really hits home for me. I've loved Journey ever since I first saw a screenshot of it, but I never thought it would bring me to a revelation like this. Thank you so very, very much for this video.
Wow, I am so pleased that this video could do that for you! Journey is such an incredible experience and sometimes life-changing. Thank your for commenting and letting me know, it means a lot that I could share it with you.
This game was so underrated. It was the first time I saw video games as a legit piece of art when I watched a play through of this when it came out.
Journey was such an amazing experience.
The first time I played, I was assisted by someone who knew how to do everything. When we made it to the snow area, they walked up to the top of a small hill nearby, and disappeared. I was so shocked! It was like they helped me through everything only to drop me off near what could've been the end to deal with it myself. I never realized how attached I could get to someone I couldn't clearly communicate with, but seeing them disappear like that was like seeing a mentor pass away.
Of course, that spurred me on to finish the game and then it was such a fulfilling experience to finish. I then brought a friend over the next day and had him play through the entire game. He got a companion who was just as lost as he was, so he had a completely different experience than I did. Kind of like life, huh?
Journey is art.
SilverRay85 Journey is really about the journey of life.
Just like the game, people will generally go through the same rhythms (the levels don’t change), but due to the people you meet and the decisions you make, nobody experiences life in quite the same way.
Your video was recommended by Austin Wintory himself. How does that make you feel?
Incredibly honoured and also like a bit of a fraud!
No way man, you deserve every bit of praise.
It's the game and soundtrack that deserves praise. I'm just mooching off it!
@@GameScoreFanfare don't sell yourself short... sure, you express your admiration for someone elses art... but the way you do it is an incredible achievement in itself.
This Video is one of the first things that I show to people, if I want to make them understand what kind of multi-layered experience a videogame can be.
I cried. The mere thought of helping people go through their lives is tear-inducing.
Journey is such a beautiful game. Shame I never got to play it.
And you are, Mathew, a great person for making these wonderful videos and helping me go through my life.
Thank you.
Igor N. This is lovely, I am so glad it had an impact on you. :)
I know this comment is from a year ago, but I still feel like it's worth mentioning that Journey is now available on PC (even if it's currently only on the Epic Games store, unfortunately). I feel almost indescribably happy that I'm finally able to enjoy this masterpiece for myself, especially with other Journeyers around the world!
Super late but fyi Sky chikdren of light is Journey repackaged for mobile. JOURNEY left a huge impact on me so sky doesn't as much but it is incredibly beautiful still
Journey is now available via IOS app for $4.99! Slightly buggy at times but definitely worth it.
This video truly made me almost cry. Thank your for using your knowledge as a boon for others "players" Journey.
exactly
it actually made me cry tbh
no shame in crying at beauty and journye is one of the most beautiful games ive ever known
Fuck, journey is so damn good. Apostheosis always gives me chills. Excellent video and analysis. The editing was top notch.
I appreciate it!
HOLY SHIT I came for Yoshi music nostalgia and now, 5 of your videos later, I'm here crying in an airport lobby because Journey is so beautiful and you opened my perception up to a whole new level of how deeply, insanely beautiful it is.
Holy shit.
OMG, I just realized something! About the symbolism of the Meteor: In the desert area (where “Threshold” plays), the Meteor actively turns into a collectable symbol when you reach one of the areas where you collect it. That enforces the purpose of life even more as not only are you - as the player - making others’ journeys easier, but other people - as Meteors - are helping others by giving them more scarf power to fly with in order to help them on their journey. Hence, there is more than one way to help others on their journey of life. Isn’t that neat? 😄
I bought PS4 recently, with a lot of games in mind and Journey as something extra that I heard about and was curious about. It ended up being my obsession for a month with dozens of playthroughs and me becoming a guide for the new players just so I can share the experience of Journeying for the first time with others.
It's such a special game.
My mind was slightly blown from 10:09 onwards. The Ultimate Boon is meta, not explicitly part of the game narrative post-Paradise during one playthrough, but reaching beyond the game into the IRL experience of playing the game with others. The "ultimate boon/blessing/magical elixir" is our new experience that allows us to act as mentors, guiding others through their own journey/Journey playthroughs and enhancing their own experience and IRL lives, creating an infinite cycle both in-game and IRL. This is pretty radical, super exciting analysis, and very beautifully explained. Well done!
That was a beautiful analasys of not just the game's score, but the game itself. This game is a fantastic experience that I recommend to everyone, and it's best played in one sitting (it's not long, only a couple of hours).
oh absolutely. Best treated like a movie!
The bit at the end about purpose got me crying and i literally said "wow shut up" out loud, not because I wanted you to shut up but because it cut to the heart of me. I love this unpacking of it.
As in movies, like there are "entertaining" movies and "art" movies, this is the first video game that I truly considered art. Every person should play it at least once.
I'd heard analysis of the soundtrack & story before, but hadn't really connected that very last part - that the whole point is to go through hardship, then to go back and share that blessing to make someone else's journey a little easier - even a complete stranger's! - in the hopes of keeping the cycle going. I started crying! Thanks for making this
six years later, still crying over journey. thanks for reminding me what a transcendent piece of art this game (and its integral score) is. fantastic video.
Now THIS is the kind of notification i like to get.
Aww you have me on notifications!? 😍
Come on now mate, i don't want to live in a world where you're NOT on notifications.
matt sweatgast Same here. Love your videos dude 😊
This game is such a magical experience. I've never felt like this playing any other game or even any movie, it's just perfect beyond words. But I do think it takes a certain mindset to understand it and it's not for everyone.
Amazing analysis of one of my all-time favorite games and one of my all-time pieces of music, a fantastic video.
Journey is a true auteurist game, and many of the complexities of its artistic design I probably wouldn't have have realized before (in particular, loved the bit about the soloist instruments, especially when you have or don't have a partner). I'll need to play this again and pay even closer attention to the musical cues.
It makes such a difference when you know about it. Just hearing the harp for the first time is enough to make your heart skip a beat, knowing that somewhere around there is someone else!
The upvote ratio doesn't lie... After all this time, your video about Journey is still the best! Every time I stumble across it again, it always gets me thinking, my thoughts turning philosophical with a hint of cautious optimism.
With Journey finally available on PC a couple weeks ago, I played it for the first time in years, and it just hit me just how important this game is to me. The soundtrack, the environments, the art direction overall... Journey helped me develop as an artist in so many ways, from how I write music to the style I use to tell stories. The Hero's Journey is a pattern that can be represented in art, in stories, and in life.
I still do what I can to teach others, to pass on my knowledge and help humanity continue to tell its own ongoing story. This is one of the driving forces in my life, pushing me forward as a writer, as an artist, and as a teacher.
It's amazing to think that my life could be changed so dramatically by a video game, but Journey is more than that. It's art. And the best, most lasting art is powerful enough to change lives forever.
Whoooaaaa I had no idea about how the music changed with other players.
Journey was one of my favourite gaming experiences ever.
Playing it through again with the knowledge leads to some fun moments where you hear the harp and are like WHERE ARE THEY!?
this is so beautiful I actually almost cried a few times
+Brandon DeBenedetta mission accomplished then. :)
I always liked this game. Now I like it even more. Thank you
wow i need to play this
Um yes you most definitely do. If the one thing this video achieves is getting you to play Journey, it would be worth it.
To borrow an idea from this video, words (almost) cannot describe how profound this game and its music is. And yet, you've manage to accomplish the impossible! Thank you so much for illuminating the depths of this artistic masterpiece. For me, this is one of the best, if not THE best, videos on UA-cam. Period. I am in tears, overwhelmed by the beautiful message you have shared with us. Though I wish we had more games like this; games that teach and inspire as well as entertain, if we did have more of them, perhaps they wouldn't have quite the same impact on us as this game has.
Again, thank you so much. I will easily recommend this video and your channel to anyone I know who likes video games and/or music.
Ahhh thank you! You are so kind! 😭
"And that is just beautiful. Words can't describe it." I don't know, your words came pretty close.
Thank you for such a great review. I played Journey for the first time a few weeks ago and I loved it so much. Your journey through its soundtrack brought a deeper meaning to the experience of playing it.
Fantastic analysis, I would've never connected all the dots about how everything ties together. That was a joy to watch, thank you!
I'm just pleased to be able to deepen your appreciation of the game! 😀
It has been quite awhile since I have commented on a video but after watching your work here about a game that is very special to me I must comment on your work. The first time I played this game it left me extremely emotional due to its visual and musical beauty but I never quite understood why exactly I connected to this piece of art so much. You sir just helped me connect the dots as to why I love this game and for that, I can't thank you enough.
I was always able to see that this game emphasized the idea of endurance through trials but I never understood exactly why the game emphasized this theme if the end of the journey was the end of the characters life. Now after watching your analysis, I understand that the trials of the game are made worth it because you can share your experiences with others. Wow, the amount of depth and meaning that idea holds is so important because that is the only worthwhile reason why we endure through real life trials. If we can help just one person by sharing our pain or frustration in order that their own pain/frustration be alleviated, then the initial frustration was all worth it. I think thats why I love this game so much because it reminds me that I have a goal and that that goal is something worth pursuing.
Thank you for opening up a new layer to depth regarding this game to me. I will never be able to listen to my favorite soundtrack in the same way because you showed me the heart and character behind the music that made me love it originally, even though I didn't understand why.
Whenever I feel too agitated or Im having a bad day, I put on the soundtrack and it just makes me so happy and calm.
What Austin did is absolutely divine!
I've watched it, and cried.
No other media can replicate this, too - and so such games only stand out more.
Don'T know if anyone mentioned this yet, but you get the White robe by finding all the Secret runes (Which lengthen your scarf). Not by replaying the game multiple times-for that you get the patterns on them. The more times you complete the game, the more patterened your robe becomes - effectively mirroring the way you collect more and more experience in the game.
Music truly is the universal language and it's a real shame that so few people that talk about games can discuss it in any meaningful way.
Fantastic stuff here. Keep up the good work!
This video PERFECTLY sums up what an integral part of the game the score is in great detail, I was aware there instruments that I hadn't heard of from Austin's Text Commentary video, thank you for going into such detail and including the examples. The score is SO important to me when I recommend this game and I have a friend who I'm trying to get to play this. He's a film producer, and I think he would appreciate the story and well as the music of the game. I have a ps3 that i use as just a blue ray player, and the only game I play is Journey. He's a big COD fan and says Uncharted 4 is one of the most beautiful games he's ever seen. I'm hoping very badly that he likes this if I can get him to play it, though from his tastes, I worry he won't. Thank you for all the hard work put into the video. I see Austin himself commented on the video and I want to express what an impact this game and his work on the music has had on me but I'm so starstruck!
Wow this was amazing. You describe it very well, goosebumps till the end.
I've played this game many times and I still heard so many new things in the video, I'll have to play again soon:)
The end-message also echoes well with what Jenova Chen said at his GDC Journey talk (which I recommend anyone to watch).
He says we're here for such a short amount of time, so let's try and help each other and make each others life better.
This is conveyed so well throughout everything of the game, from it's mechanics to its music. Every time I learn more about it, it becomes more impressive.
Ahh, I'm really glad you mentioned this. I did watch Jenova's GDC talk but don't remember any specific points. I was a bit worried I was making up the whole end bit, but yes that was the point. Good to know. Thank you! hahaha.
I'm currently writing a text about Journey being one of the best games of the decade, and this video helped me break down some of the technical brilliance of the game's music. Thank you for this, appreciate it!
My gosh, this is fantastic! It's an in-game parallel to what I've experienced out of game through the Journey community. I've often said that it's beautiful how you meet a complete stranger and while they don't have to, they typically will help you in your journey. It also very poetically explains the wonder of the companion mechanic, and I had no idea that the tracklist lined up that well with what was listed in "The Hero With a Thousand Faces" (proof I should read it rather than go by what I've heard about it). I've been struggling to find the words to explain to someone what makes this game so awe-inspiring and beautiful. I am grateful that you figured it out years ago. Thank you!
I watched this almost 3 years ago, but I just played this game for the first time thanks to the PC release. I really needed it.
oh how much I missed this game. one of the best games I have ever played
Hot damn dude, very well done. I honestly like the way you took this more than where I took Abzu! This is artful and wonderful
You're so kind, thank you!
This is incredibly thorough and comprehensive, and so much fun to watch. I really really love this sort of content, and I hope you'll continue this series with games like Abzu, Kingdom Hearts, or Ori and the Blind Forest. Thanks for your effort!
They are all on the list! Especially Ori though.
I vote for Abzû, and The Pathless as well.
This is easily the best review of Journey I've ever read/watched. Your breakdown of the soundtrack did such a perfect job of exploring the themes of this game and explaining the deeper meaning of its story. I feel like my own understanding of the game was clarified by watching this. Thank you so much!
I've always wanted to make a game of my own, but every time I come across studios like ThatGameCompany and Supergiant, I always think, "Man, these people tell their stories better than I ever can with my own."
The last part about the hero's journey touched me so so much. Thank you.
Oh my goodness, finally someone to speak on the music from Journey. Thank you so much, this is incredible. Every thing I've ever thought while listening to this score and some, has been brought to light here. I actually just downloaded the game off of Steam about a month ago, but for the past 2 years probably, have always listened to the score and watched others gameplay w/o commentary.
An excellent, excellent essay and I love the analysis and inclusion of the hero's journey and the purpose of the journey itself. This is an excellent analysis vid
This was a truly wonderful lesson about the music of journey. I have played journey hundreds of times yet still find, or am shown by companions, new details regularly. Thanks to your video, there are even more details i want to observe in future journeys. I have a mantra "If you don't stop to look, you'll never See it". It must be expanded to include sounds, for if you don't take time to listen, you'll never Hear it.....
Thank you Margaret! I love that my video was able to provide new insights to such an avid fan!
Excellent video! Journey and specifically its music made a huge impact on me 4 years ago and has yet to wear off. Thank you for reminding me of how much I love this fantastic video game.
A beautifully done video. Made me cry in the best way possible. Thank you
I keep this game installed on my system. If some unlikely disaster were to happen and we were to lose the internet, at least i have this art with me.
I can't believe I haven't found this channel sooner!
Incredible, high quality content right there!
Looking forward to seeing more of it! *sub*
I played Journey when I was much younger with my father, and then I couldn't understand why the game made me want to cry. Now I know- I bought the soundtrack recently, just because it's that good, and it still makes me think about that winter night on the couch. Excellent video, as well!
Oh my god. What a beautiful video. I came here because I was on a binge of analyzing the score of movies and video games and then I saw Journey and how wonderful that game's soundtrack is, but I was not expecting the analysis about the game's story and what it means. I've read countless theories about the game but none has touched me like yours did, and never have I thought that it was so correlated to its music.
I'm genuinely holding back tears because I'm so emotional and honestly, get my sub. You're wonderful and I'll watch out for more of your videos!
I’m just watching this now, but you should consider doing a video about Abzû. Some of the same people who made Journey also made Abzû. I don’t have a PlayStation so unfortunately I haven’t played Journey but, I have played Abzû and it had a tremendous impact on me personally (maybe due to the fact that I love the ocean and freediving). Anyway, if you ever get the chance to play Abzû, I would highly recommend it.
This is still my favorite video on UA-cam after years and years. It's criminal that it only has 85K views. The ending is amazing.
Honestly this is one of the most beautiful videos i've seen on youtube, you did a great job explaining the game's meaning.
Excellent video, you eloquently summed up many of my feelings regarding this stunning game and its music. Journey truly is a magnificent game.
I can't disagree with you there, one of the most moving experiences.
i cry every time i play journey and i cried even more now seeing your essay about the music and also the stories behind it.
The sand surfing is my favorite part of the game, for sure. So much is conveyed by how the other stranger controls their character. The best companion I had just carved the shit out of the sand like it was the X Games and we chased each other through that whole section :)
Well done. Journey is an amazing work of art. It was my introduction to games like Abzu, Ryme, The Last Guardian.
This was so well narrated and explained.... The game itself is a masterpiece.... Help others... without nothing to gain or ask... Get wiser each time we go into the light...
I've only recently discovered this channel and I've been slowly watching your videos. Music has become one of the most important part of my life, recently. Journey was even before, and this video has elevated once more this little jewel of an adventure. So, thank you.
We White Robes have an unspoken duty to guide, protect and teach the red cloaks.
I love Journey, I love it's sound track, and I love how excited I feel when I meet a friend- I've never met this person, but the excited chirping we do when we find each other makes me feel like I've known that person my whole life.
It's a woefully underrated game, and I wish more people knew of it.
I almost cried listening to you explain what the game is all about. What a beautiful work of art.
Wow this is an amazing video. I always knew Journey was an allegory for the Hero's Journey but I didn't know how even the track names correlate to the steps in the journey! Thanks for the awesome video :D
Oh man.. makes me want to play it again! :') Will you also do ABZU later?
Maybe! This video started out trying to compare Journey and Abzu, so who knows? :)
That would be cool. But don't rush yourself. I just buyed ABZU and don't regret one second of buying it actually. Can't play Journey > Dont have a PS.
This is legit. My appreciation for this game is all the better because of you and your work.
Being a SF developer, I really want to congratulate all persons involved in the development of incredible games like Journey and Sky.
Perhaps its been said, but Austin Wintory was, I believe, the first composer nominated for a Grammy for the score of a video game. I have this soundtrack, and I still play it on longer road trips. People travelling with me who've never heard it go completely nuts for it. Check out his scores for Grace and Captain Abu Raed.
I'm actually developing a novel to this soundtrack. Funny thing is, my heroine's own journey is rather similar to the Hero's Journey you described in this video, particularly in regard to being given "boons" (in her case unadulterated spiritual truth) for the rest of man. This only gives me more drive to finish it!
Where's it?
Definitely subscribed. Incredible analysis. Journey truly is one of the most beautiful games I have ever had the joy of playing.
Thank you for this video.
Glad you enjoyed it, thank you!
When you said that you can use your ancestors' clothing for a new cosmetic look, and seeing that traveling with another red-robed player, it quickly reminded me of Dante and Virgil.
This video is woefully underrated. Nice job Mathew!
Excellent analysis! I'm not really someone who plays a lot of video games but, I loved this one! Witnessing the end for the first time was so emotional. Especially because there was another player there with me at the time.
Here from Dark Pixel. This was an amazing video. Had me tearing up a little bit. Absolutely beautiful.
+Tom W that means a lot, thank you! Glad to have you round. 😊
Same here, watched the podcast and had to come check out your vids. This one was fantastic. Keep it up. I look forward to what you produce in the future.
Oh my god, I just... I just couldn't stop crying though the video, also through many of your videos I've seen today, you brought me some light about this game, that I haven't really noticed before...
Dude, great work, love your channel, what an amazing journey.
Journey is proof that video games deserve to be called art. Beautiful game!
I just watched, upon stumbling over your channel, your analysises on Undertale, Ori and Journey back to back, they've all been amazing, but this one right here is pure genius, Mathew. Journey is my favorite Indie-game, I listen to the soundtrack so much and even after five years it still makes me tear up each time the choir in Apotheosis kicks in, so I hope this puts into perspective how much music, especially Journey's, means to me. I thought I knew everything about it and you still taught me new stuff - just like the game wants you to, huh? C: This is a channel I wanted for so long and now I found it! I hope you have a lot more of this I can geek out over as a new sub.
This is the best explanation of Journey that I have seen and I did not realize the connection of the song titles to the hero’s journey!!
this is your best video for me. i discovered you through this, never regret, rewatching it whatever times i stopped ocunting.
Holy hell this game is even more incredible that I initially thought!
As you said so well "Words can't describe it" Great tribute to journey and to Austin
This analysis is so beautiful it actually had me crying. You've more than earned a subscriber :)
Have had this in my watch later list since July, well worth the wait! Great analysis mate.
tears forever be released for these soundtracks...
Ohhh God this game!! it always returns and amazes me in new ways i'd never thought. Thank you so much for your analysis... It added one more piece on why this game is a truly masterpiece.
Your final words almost brought me to tears! :)
Hey, I'm just explaining what's going on. All credit to Austin and thatgamecompany!
Loved your analysis. You did such a wonderful and comprehensive job👍👍👍
When I first played the game I didn't like it because I found it confusing and I had other more AAA type games to play so I left it. Wasn't a big deal since I only paid like $5 for it. But recently I decided to revisit it. And this time, to my surprise, I encountered someone else. This other person helped me figure out the very beginning puzzles which I previously didn't understand. As I learned what the game was about, I was able to finish the game and even help others along the way. So in a way, this was a perfect metaphor for my actual life, where I can honestly say that if it wasn't for certain people that have come into my life and helped me early on, I don't know if I would have made is as far along in my journey as I have. Very beautiful game and very touching analysis.
Thank you for the beautiful insight. I never would have thought of the game that way until now. It made me tear up a bit because the game can really connect with you in a deep way. I'm glad I stumbled upon your video.
This video really should have more views
+SGustafsson I agree. ;)
Fantastic video. The analysis is just as poetic as the game itself
I have so much love for this game, it's so beautiful and lovely to play through
hey game score, ive watched a few of your videos so far, and i love them, i love music theory, and i love applying music theory to video games. You got a new sub, keep putting out videos like these
I can't help but come to tears every time I hear Apotheosis.
I can't believe it! It's the Hero's Journey! I only just learned of it in the last year or so! This video could not have better timing! I'm reading literature on this now. I only heard of it in the last year or so. And then you, as you do, introduce me to it's gorgeous, emotional music and with this combination there's no way I can save this one for later. The Monomyth is so fascinating that I'm going to unabashedly say I'll be using this game to further my study of it. I'm going to play this game expecting to be moved like all the other commentators say they are.
I only learned about it in doing the research for this video! 😅 I'm really pleased that the video has moved you to play the game, though I apologise for essentially ruining the purity of the experience for you. One of the most special things about Journey is going in blind, not knowing what to expect, and coming across another player. I wish you got to experience that, but I'm just glad you'll get to experience it at all now, rather than not knowing it before.
Game Score Fanfare Not at all! In fact, I commend you for selling me on the game! Without knowing the deep meaning/theme of the story I might not have otherwise been interested. Now get to discover everything else!
Yeah that's what I figure. Lesser of two evils. 😉
First time I watch one of your videos, great analysis and channel! congrats
Glad to have you round! 😀
This is one of my favorite games and your analysis was amazing you just earned a new subscriber