Day 13: A game everyone should play.
Journey. Without any thought or question, everyone should play Journey.
I say as much in my review, but anyone could play this game. It’s controls are simple enough to be accessible to even non-gamers, and the narrative speaks to you on such a deep level that is both universal yet intensely personal. It is the one game I can say for certain that anyone could play, and while I think the narratives of others are important for discourse e.g. Final Fantasy, Mass Effect, Child of Light, etc., they don’t lend themselves as easily to ubiquitous accessibility. Journey does. With only two “action” buttons and no way to die, the player literally only has to worry about the journey and what it reveals. It’s the perfect game to show to anyone who holds onto the false belief that video games are not worthy of discourse, and I feel it would change even the most stubborn of minds.
What game would you recommend to all gamers or the masses?
The Shameful Narcissist Speaks 
I agree with this one. I actually had some non-gamer friends over for dinner and they had a blast with it, because they could just explore. One of them got to the end and was like, “What’s the point of this game?” but the others got the whole “journey” idea haha
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I’m a gamer through and through, but I love games that anyone and everyone can play. There’s an ugly cult of (some) gamers that hate things like that. I heard quite a bit of snootiness when the Wii came out, and I was like “Guys, really?” it’s that nerd backlash. Sometimes when you’re mocked for liking something that’s not mainstream and then it become more mainstream, you play the hipster role and want to keep it exclusive. I say the more the merrier!
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I think you’re right about gamers trying to hold onto gaming as something elite and special, but, c’mon, if you want to play video games, play video games! We should be happy when more people want to join us!!
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That’s my philosophy, but like every group has that snooty sect lol. I’ve had to chastise myself, because it’s surprisingly easy to fall into that mindset. Like “Oh you’re excited for the FFVII Remake? Well *I* was playing it before you were even born.” It’s the culture of one-up-manship that’s not only pervasive,, but really easy to fall into because you want to be part of the “in” crowd.
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Haha your comment made me remember something I said (in jest) to one of my college seniors: “I’ve been playing violin as long as you’ve been alive.” Granted, I started young, but it was a weirdly funny and awful comment at the same time.
But yes, we humans love our “us”s and “them”s, don’t we? Sigh… We all fall into that trap sometimes, I think.
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You and the Goddess of Wisdom keep reminding me I need to play Journey. Mine is Beyond Good and Evil. It has a well written female protagonist (very rare at the time) and a dark dystopian setting. It’s such an overlooked gem!
On a side note, they finally released details about Beyond Good and Evil 2 today. I’ve been waiting 9 YEARS for this, but I have a really bad feeling. They completely changed the art style to CGI realistic, they made it “gritty” by including swearing, and it’s actually a prequel not a sequel. They left the first game off on a cliff hanger so doing a prequel makes no damn sense. The game does look neat but they should have created another IP with this. This is not what I have fond memories of at all. I hope they surprise with the final product, but I don’t trust Ubisoft at all anymore, haha.
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Journey is a quick game, too! It took me a while to finish because of my camera angle/migraine thing, but it’s probably at most a three or four hour game.
Wow, NINE years! I don’t think I’ve ever waited that long for a game sequel. The closest I have is waiting for an FFVII Remake lol
Huh? That’s…ridiculous. Why make a prequel if you leave on a cliffhanger? The only way I could see that flying is if it starts in the past and then at some point goes back to the present. Here’s hoping you’re pleasantly surprised
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I 100% agree with you on Journey. This game transcends what it means to be a game, it’s accessible, beautiful, and one of the most memorable experiences I’ve ever had with a controller in my hand.
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Don’t get me wrong, I love my “gamers’ games,” the ones that you need to really get into to play, but I also love it when a game can be played by everyone and is literally an experience. Journey is an experience, and I’m not even ashamed of that pun 😀
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A game is a game is a game, and I don’t believe a game needs to be complex or challenging to be classified as such. Journey is the perfect example of games as art, a masterclass in storytelling (without words, no less), and why bite-sized games can have just as much of an emotional impact as 60+ hour RPGs.
It’s also one of those games I only ever have to play once. I don’t think I could recapture that magic in a 2nd playthrough.
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Journey is what I plan to show anyone who says games can’t be art. I’ve been thinking about playing it again, but I agree. I’m also considering making it one of my first Let’s Plays because of how easy it is. I won’t have to worry as much about the “Let’s Player’s curse.”
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I’m going to say Tetris. In many ways I think it is the perfect game. And while it might not have an engaging story or other aspects of modern games, it is something I think I could show to gamers and non-gamers and have them understand it.
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Ah I didn’t even think about Tetris! Yes, I completely agree. It’s a game anyone could play, and I’m sure it also is helpful in some kind of cognitive function, too. I used to play that game so much I’d see it even when my eyes were closed.
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I never played Journey, though it’s on my list.
Personally, I’d have to recommend The Stanley Parable. I know there are tons of games that I like, but I know my likes are sometimes a little too contemporary. The Stanley Parable is a game that I think any gamer could enjoy.
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Journey is such a powerful and amazing game especially for how short it is.
Just looked up The Stanley Parable and added it to the ole backlog. It looks like something I’d love. Meta is one of my favorite literary techniques on par with irony.
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Journey is a great pick! Accessible, and at the same time, mind-blowing. I don’t know if I can think of a single game that everyone should absolutely play, just because there are so many different genres and interests. I think everyone should try Super Mario Bros. at least once, not just because it’s great, but because it’s a great lesson in gaming history. You can learn how early sidescrolling game design started and see how far gaming has progressed. The game is hard, and I didn’t even beat it myself until much later in life. But I believe that those first few worlds (especially World 1) are something everyone can enjoy, even for players who aren’t as good with the controls or reflexes.
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I still haven’t finished it! I’ve gotten to some of the higher worlds through the warps.
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