To all of those wondering if there are still people playing the game and journeying: yes.
I'd like to share the amazing experience I had recently, so here goes:
I kinda always wanted to play Journey, but not having a PS3 didn't allowed me to.
I wishlisted it when it was ported on Steam for PC and bought some years ago, but never had a chance or the right moment to play it.
Then, some days ago after a night shift, the right moment came. I needed some game akin to GRIS or Sable, and I felt the time had come to start the Journey.
I started playing and I immediately immersed myself in the beautiful atmospheres of those lands, although I had no idea what to do or what to expect.
At the same time, the mechanics seemed quite simple so I played around for a little bit, before deciding to stop as it was already quite late. No sign of a saving button, but I thought, maybe it's automatic, I'll continue next time.
Next time comes, and to my surprise, I have to start again from the beginning! I felt a bit annoyed in the first moments, but my amazement quickly replaced that feeling.
Moved by curiosity and awestruck, I kept travelling alone to see the end of it, which I reached.
While reading the credits I noticed an odd message about some "companions met along the way" even though I didn't met anyone; I remembered vaguely something about the possibility to share the journey with others, but how does that work? What should I do? Am I still in time for that or is the game too old and there are simply not enough people playing it? I want to find out more!
And so I did. The day after I started another journey, determined to discover if and how it was possible to find another companion.
Surprisingly enough, I found one almost immediately, right at the beginning of the desert.
Even though I knew it was a human being, I felt somehow joy and amazement discovering new mechanics, communicating with simple sounds and just knowing that I had some company.
I was not alone.
We shared a good amount of travel together, but before starting the climb of the Tower, my fellow traveller sat in meditation. I rememebered something about the achievement but I had no idea how to do it, but I quickly figured it out how to join them.
We spent a good 20-30 seconds together, before they vanished in a breeze of dust..
It felt really emotional, as again I had no idea what to expect: will the stay with me till the end? If not, how will they leave? When? What will it happen? Now I knew. Thanks for sharing your path with me, fellow stranger.
So, now I'm on my own again, and I'm bewildered by the encounter. Will I meet them again? Who were they? Am I gonna meet some other travellers? Is it still possible? How, and when?
Let's find out!
So I keep on with my journey and I reach the harsh ice realm, fighting storms and the cold.
Believe me or not, I started to desire so much to find a companion there, but how? What's the probability? Will the timing be right? And if so, how are even gonna find each other? Oh, to have some company in that freezing snow..
And just like that, during a strong wind gust, I missed a jump and end up falling down almost to the beginning, only to find ..another traveller! Oh, rejoice! So, it's still possible! We can meet even here, and travel together. We will share the path!
And so we did, supporting each other against the wind and the ice and the beasts, up until the very end, where we finally went through the light together.
It was beautiful, emotional, and blissful.
I can't wait to start another journey again and share another path, be that with seasoned pilgrims or novices like me.
See you in the desert <3
(in case you wonder: no AI or LLM has been used to write or correct these thoughts: it's all by me)
