After reading this article on how the term “walking sim” became popularized among gamers, I was pretty curious which camp I would agree with more: those who fixate on the limitations of this genre, or those who appreciate this genre’s ability to bring something new to the table. I decided to play Journey (on iOS) — after going through the whole game, I definitely don’t think it’s fair to reduce the experience to “just walking,” even though critics might argue otherwise.
The mechanics of this game are effectively designed to tell a story that — the game’s title might give this away — revolves around the player’s journey through the remains of a ruined civilization. Admittedly, much of the gameplay does involve walking, but how else is the player supposed to explore this artfully designed world space? Walking is the primary mechanic that furthers the narrative (i.e. the primary type of fun intended), but the game also uses many other interesting mechanics to create fun for the player.
The storytelling mechanics of the game largely come from the change in scenery as the player progresses through the levels. Carefully designed, each level’s environment and its embedded surprises invoke specific emotions in the player, such that the narrative arc of the game’s levels ultimately reflect the story of the rise and fall of civilization.
From curiosity and awe to desperation and petrifying fear, the player experiences a wide range of emotions as they continue through the game. Given that the player cannot die in a walking sim, the feelings of terror induced by the game are particularly impressive.
Other game mechanics earlier in the game serve to symbolize the glorious “rise” of civilization and as such, evoke more positive emotions from the player — while playing, I got the most excited when I “connected with” another player in the virtual game space. This was a surprising element that did a great job encouraging fellowship through gameplay. Though we weren’t able to verbally communicate with each other, we worked together to achieve the game objectives and actually beat the level together!
In addition to these elements, the game also adds color to the story of growth and decline through the wall drawings that appear after the player achieves micro-objectives — as the player advances in the game, the backstory of the rise and fall of the civilization unfolds and foreshadows the player’s own destiny. Ultimately, these elements collectively create an immersive narrative experience through which the player is guided to a predetermined outcome, despite the illusion of having choice.
