So I finished Journey a few days ago, and I have to say it was one of the most awesome experiences I have had in a while. I played through the whole game with one person, as we struggled against the winds and waters. The snow froze us as we walked. Slower... Slower... Movement slowed to a crawl. I would chirp and hear a faint chirp in response. Then we finally emerged in the end game sequence and I felt exhilarated. But then it happened...

My partner got separated from me as I was flying through the end game sequence. I was torn between finally being able to move again, and the thought that my partner whom I had played with through this whole Journey was gone. I felt happy at the sudden freedom, but broken from being separated. But then the greatest thing happened. My partner with whom I had separated was waiting for me at the top of the mountain. He could have gone forward and finished the game, but he waited for me. I chirped, he chirped in response, and then we walked through together.

It's weird how attached you can get to someone without ever even talking to them. It was one of the greatest moments I've had in recent memory with regards to gaming. It also made me think that it would have been a shame to experience this alone. Hopefully everyone played it online, because seeing my buddy waiting for me at the top was one of the happiest scenes ever in a game.

Awww, how cute. (half sarcasm, half not)

@NTM: I know. Like I said, it's weird the feeling of attachment you get.

As personal as this game is, it affects nearly everyone in similar ways. I think the gaming public is craving games like this.

I had a similar experience lol

@mikeeegeee: @nohthink: I specifically like that I played through the whole game with one person. If it had been a different person at the end, I would have been disappointed if I found that out.

So when do you shoot dudes in this game?

I've got the weirdest boner.

@Phatmac said:

So when do you shoot dudes in this game?

Didn't you get the day one DLC? It has guns.

I lost my partner right at the end and it was the saddest I'd been in a long time. Just broke my heart.

Oooooh, his scarf is so long~

I've played the game at least thirty times and I still love that moment; appreciate another's patience and commitment, or practice your own.

@LiquidPrince: Mine was tragic and beautiful. My partner and I had braved the entire game. I cried out when he was almost eaten in the sunken city. He came to check on me when I was violently attacked on the snowy mountain, but we pushed on. Toward the top of snowy mountain, my partner fell to his knees, unable to continue. I chirped. He chirped back, faintly. Then faded away. I chirped again, but only silence. :'( In reality, there was probably a network issue, but the whole thing was so beautiful that I'm glad it happened how it did. I had to finish my journey alone. Just barely making it.

@HatKing: That is tragic. But still kind of awesome.

Exact same thing happened to me @LiquidPrince except I was the one waiting

A similar thing happened to me... or at least I think. I played through from the first major area to the end with one guy, but we got separated during the final sequence. Then I found him waiting at the door.

I did meet two people during the game, though, so I'm telling me the guy waited to make me feel better.

http://comic.naver.com/webtoon/detail.nhn?titleId=350217

It is important to conteract the cute with this kickass japanese comic!

Gonna have to get journey soon I think.

Game of the Year. I'm calling it.

I just played it now for the first time, and I had pretty much the exact same experience. Played through most of the game with what seemed like the same person, and we got separated towards the end, but there he/she was waiting near the top chirping away. It was awesome.

Crawling through that cave trying to avoid the huge snake-like bossthingy, only using chirps as communication to decide when to run and when to hide, was some of the most tense gameplay I have experienced in recent memory.

This will be a GOTY 2013 contender for me, even though it came out in 2012. :p

Nice :) It really was something.

I've never played these multiplayer games that are like co-op but multiplayer. How does it work? You enter a Journey lobby, get matched with a stranger and then you move forward together? What if they quit or get disconnected? And what if you wanna take a break?

@officegamer said:

There's no lobby, as you are playing the game someone else may just appear in your game. If they get disconnected they'll kneel down and fade away, if you stop playing you'll do the same in their game.

Damn I love this game. I had pretty similar experience. I think my best moments were after I got all the trophies and just went around in my white robe and showed like 3-5 people all the secrets. Doing that with only chirps was really fun and challenging. Also trying to get the Reflection trophie was a lot of fun. Just trying to sit in front a bunch of players and seeing if they got it or not. I managed to get it pretty early myself and I also helped one other person to get it. I always tried it but most either didn't know what I was doing or had already gotten it. It's insane how intimite experience you can have with a completely anonymous person in that game. My 2012 GOTY.

What if they're being assholes, can they ruin the game for you? And do you get an option to either play strictly singleplayer or have this "multiplayer" feature?

There is no way they can ruin the game for you. They can't push or shove you at all really. Since there is no voice chat they can't really be an asshole anyways. The only way to disable the multiplayer feature is to not be logged into PSN, but it really is a much better experience with having a companion along the way. I have played through this game I think ten times now and each time the other players I have run into have been awesome. People wait for one another and chirp at one another, it really is great.

Yeah, pretty much this. I would strongly suggest you play the game online as its a strong part of what makes it so special.

I'm so confused.

I just finished mine, and I got extremely attached to my partner. He helped me throughout the journey, showing me where all the things were and chirping whenever we got lost. I was a pretty terrible player, but he was patient (not sure why I'm referring to "it" as a male) and helped me throughout the whole thing. I was prepared to not know his identity, but by the end he drew me a heart on the snow, and I did too, and we danced together and chirped happily. I had no idea you could get the identity of the person at the end, I was told you weren't. If you're the one that drew the heart, tell me! Thank you for sharing the wonderful, absolutely heavenly experience with me.