I will never forget my perilous journey up that snowy mountain...

It was made with a nameless companion. I had met him at the base of the mountain, taking shelter behind a headstone. I tried to get his attention by casting a quick spell. After a few casts, he responds with a spell of his own to let me know he has noticed me. I move forward to his location, and after a few seconds spent behind the headstone we silently agree to travel forward together. We soon learned that it was best to stay close to each other for warmth. Several times during the trip we were blown back and against each other in fierce gales that threatened to wipe away any progress we had made throughout the trek if we didn't quickly find shelter behind one of the several headstones that littered the landscape. At some point during the trip, my companion was torn asunder and thrown several feet back by giant dragon creatures that flew overhead. I, having barely escaped the same fate, sought out shelter from the winds and another possible attack inside a stone structure that was partially covered in snow. It was here that I waited for my companion to make his way back to me. After a few minutes, we meet back up and continue our journey up the mountain.

Of course, the most emotionally powerful scene was at the end of our journey...

Both of us covered in snow now, our bodies barley functioned anymore. Each movement was made with extreme labor and only covered a fraction of ground we were able to cover at the base of the mountain. The winds certainly didn't die down the further up we went. After several hours of climbing we have both been reduced to an agonizing, slow pace forward; still staying close to each other for whatever warmth may be left in our snow-covered bodies. Clearly there wasn't much left, for we were both shaking fiercely.

We now more closely resemble ghosts then our normal appearances; a dull red robe with gold trimmings, our necks adorned with what was once long flowing golden scarves that were now reduced to mere inches of cloth, having been torn by the dragon creature that attacked us earlier and ripped and covered in snow by the strong winds. The scarves could no longer function in their capacity of a spell casting aid, which under normal circumstances enabled us to soar through the skies for durations directly related to the length of the scarf. They would have been indiscernible had they not glowed slightly when communicating with my companion with quick-fired spells; not intended to accomplish anything but let the other know that we were still alive. We were not made for these kinds of land; our homes are in the desert sands, not these snowy peaks.

Soon we were surrounded by white in all directions, any semblance of forward progress made moot by both the fierce winds and our inability to move our bodies any further, not to mention the fact that we cannot tell which way is forward anymore. But it doesn't matter, we cannot continue in this state. After a few seconds, my companion collapses. On the way down he resembled a person being turned to stone. He didn't collapse in one single motion, he fell to the ground slowly in fits and starts, several times looking like he would freeze in his current shape during his descent. His body is promptly covered with snow until I can no longer make out where he had fallen. I fall next, mere seconds after him, but what had seemed like an eternity.

And then, the entire screen goes white....

This is how you make powerful gaming experiences! I think developers can learn a lot from thatgamecompany and Journey. Sometimes a story without any words tells it's tale best. Actions do indeed speak louder than words in this instance. And actions needn't be huge overstated set-piece battles with little thought given to context. In Journey, understatement is key; context is king; and in this world, actions define the story and the stories write themselves.

Thank you, thatgamecompany, for continuing to creating unique games and for giving me a gaming experience that I will never forget for the rest of my life.

I will never forget my perilous journey up that snowy mountain...

It was made with a nameless companion. I had met him at the base of the mountain, taking shelter behind a headstone. I tried to get his attention by casting a quick spell. After a few casts, he responds with a spell of his own to let me know he has noticed me. I move forward to his location, and after a few seconds spent behind the headstone we silently agree to travel forward together. We soon learned that it was best to stay close to each other for warmth. Several times during the trip we were blown back and against each other in fierce gales that threatened to wipe away any progress we had made throughout the trek if we didn't quickly find shelter behind one of the several headstones that littered the landscape. At some point during the trip, my companion was torn asunder and thrown several feet back by giant dragon creatures that flew overhead. I, having barely escaped the same fate, sought out shelter from the winds and another possible attack inside a stone structure that was partially covered in snow. It was here that I waited for my companion to make his way back to me. After a few minutes, we meet back up and continue our journey up the mountain.

Of course, the most emotionally powerful scene was at the end of our journey...

Both of us covered in snow now, our bodies barley functioned anymore. Each movement was made with extreme labor and only covered a fraction of ground we were able to cover at the base of the mountain. The winds certainly didn't die down the further up we went. After several hours of climbing we have both been reduced to an agonizing, slow pace forward; still staying close to each other for whatever warmth may be left in our snow-covered bodies. Clearly there wasn't much left, for we were both shaking fiercely.

We now more closely resemble ghosts then our normal appearances; a dull red robe with gold trimmings, our necks adorned with what was once long flowing golden scarves that were now reduced to mere inches of cloth, having been torn by the dragon creature that attacked us earlier and ripped and covered in snow by the strong winds. The scarves could no longer function in their capacity of a spell casting aid, which under normal circumstances enabled us to soar through the skies for durations directly related to the length of the scarf. They would have been indiscernible had they not glowed slightly when communicating with my companion with quick-fired spells; not intended to accomplish anything but let the other know that we were still alive. We were not made for these kinds of land; our homes are in the desert sands, not these snowy peaks.

Soon we were surrounded by white in all directions, any semblance of forward progress made moot by both the fierce winds and our inability to move our bodies any further, not to mention the fact that we cannot tell which way is forward anymore. But it doesn't matter, we cannot continue in this state. After a few seconds, my companion collapses. On the way down he resembled a person being turned to stone. He didn't collapse in one single motion, he fell to the ground slowly in fits and starts, several times looking like he would freeze in his current shape during his descent. His body is promptly covered with snow until I can no longer make out where he had fallen. I fall next, mere seconds after him, but what had seemed like an eternity.

And then, the entire screen goes white....

This is how you make powerful gaming experiences! I think developers can learn a lot from thatgamecompany and Journey. Sometimes a story without any words tells it's tale best. Actions do indeed speak louder than words in this instance. And actions needn't be huge overstated set-piece battles with little thought given to context. In Journey, understatement is key; context is king; and in this world, actions define the story and the stories write themselves.

Thank you, thatgamecompany, for continuing to creating unique games and for giving me a gaming experience that I will never forget for the rest of my life.

After all I've read, and from my own experience, this game is best played in one sitting and with companions cause damn man.

didn't know there was snow in this game.

Really think this title gives away too much stuff................

Really think this title gives away too much stuff................

@Sackmanjones: I had a feeling some people would say that. I've changed it.

This was just meant to be a personal blog post, but I accidentally attached it to the forums, so I wasn't really concerned with the title.