Journey....

More recently I've been into the types of game that are about the journey. Abzu, Skye. Alpha planet, The Artful Escape to name a few as a more purist take on the type. This genre of game is hard to define, is as wide as it is deep in meaning and interpretation. From action adventure, platformer, exploration to a petal on the wind. weapons or no, abilities or none. 

Journey is a game that I'd heard about from it's launch hype as being different and special for it's take on gaming. A walking simulator and environmental narrative, the start of something that helped define the genre in those terms for the recent past. It's in the Meta. A genre easy and hard to describe at the same time for sure. Different things to different gamers.

Some of these types of games 'do it' for me, others not so much. While Limbo is a good game it's not a game for me but Alpha Planet is. 

Firewatch is all me but after watching a full (and entertaining) walkthrough the game had noting for me if I were to buy it and do it for myself...... I think with 10% doubt.....

The genre is a hard one to nail down, is a like or dislike, in a know what I like when I see it kind of way.

Various lists of the best of the genre are mainly listing games I'd not play. Dear Esther, The Unfinished Swan, The Vanishing of Ethan Carter, Gone Home, What Remains of Edith Finch, The Stanley Parable.

Others are an in-between like Ori, as much as I want to like both Ori games I can't get into them for one reason or another.

Twelve minutes is it's own thing that I never got into but then again so is A Plague Tale Innocence and I was all over that.....

A Casual Carebear Gamer

On the other hand Power Wash is a game I know I want but I know it'd be too much for me, too addictive and I'd go overboard with it. Hours and hours of gameplay I know I can use elsewhere to better effect(too many games too little time).

Whereas Unpacking is a game that I thought was interesting but once played was very much more into(thank you Gamepass Ultimate).

The lines blur vastly when game mechanics start down the more simulation route, Mini metro, mini motorways and Islanders. Like I said the genre really does cover a lot of ground. 

This gaming hobby is a complicated lark to explain in general never mind specifics like this.

So Journey has been in my peripheral vision for a long time. I knew it was a Playstaion exclusive game but after seeing it on Steam during the winter sale I knew I wanted to try it. -50% off at €6.25, a bargain. I guess I went into an ignore mode thinking I'd never get to play it. While I've only played just over an hour I can already say that it's worth it. The journey has just begun. If your into it your into it.

Abzû....

Free again from Epic. A short game worth the journey.

A Casual Carebear Gamer

Abzû....

After checking out Abzu through Xbox Ultimate it surprised me. When I said I wouldn't be back for a third revisit I found myself wondering if there were any differences in the PC version. Not that I bought it. The PC version was free, I claimed it though the Epic launcher. While I may not like the ways of Epic and/or it's launcher, a free game is a free game.

Abzu is a short game to play through, worth a look to see on PC, whats the harm.

A Casual Carebear

Curiosity sated, no difference between versions in my view. I would have liked the XBox achievements to be Steam enactments but as its being played through Epic which has no achievement system.....

Given I never through I'd be back to the game a third time, it's shortness is a major draw I never expected. Never say never for a fourth time, I'm sure there will be a reason of some sort.

Abzu....

I took another trip into Abzu. For achievements/discoveries, you-know.....  It's a short game after all. Besides, this time round I could actually record the whole thing. Which I did, despite still missing out on some meditation spots. Never say never but I don't think there will be a third time lucky. It was enjoyable second time round and I still took my time as I went. Not much more to say than my original post. Editing and uploading it to Youtube on the other hand has taken a lot longer. All technical fixes in place the only problem left was having to split it into two video's due to Youtubes file size limits.

Part 1:

Part 2:

A Casual Carebear

XBox Ultimate and Abzû....

I got a notice today that my XBox gold sub had a few days left till I needed to renew. While I'd been mulling if I should keep it, the E3 €1 Ultimate pass upgrade was on my mind as well. So I was left with an imminent choice. Go all in or scrap it all. I went all in. 12 month's of 'gold' and the special €1 upgrade offer. For me 13 month's of ultimate at the price of €61(instead of €12.99 a month).  It's an offer too good to miss. All the old access, freebies with all the new additions. €5 a month is a bargain, all the extra for an additional 8 cent! Yea that was a real bargain. That €1 upgrade offer goes further if you had up to 36 month's of live/gold time it would also have been all upgraded. That's a bargain I can't afford at the moment. I'll take the year while I can.

Abzû was the first game I decided to download and try. I'd heard about it but always assumed it was 'just' another or rather a 'lesser Subnautica'. That comparison does injustice to both games. Both are underwater and that's where the bulk of the similarities end. Even now I've not read much into/about Abzu's abstract nature. The journey in the game was enjoyable, it's worth doing. It's compelling and emotional. It's not a long game at all. Done and completed in slightly over an hour and a half. It's a pretty game to look at, the atmosphere and music are like the currents of the waters you swim in, it all carries you through the unspoken story. I didn't do much on the side of really exploring the areas of each stage. I didn't feel the need to look outside of what was needed to progress. The story in way's feels like a self fulfilling prophecy as the journey goes on. 

All said and done, having played it, if I'd paid full price for the game I'd be having mixed feelings about it. €19.99 is a lot for what you get. €9.99 would still be borderline IMHO. That's not to denigrate the work that's been put into the game(3 years of development etc). It's a good game. Different. Where the journey is as important as the ending. And that ending is fulfilling. As is the interactive credits at the end.

So having gotten this game experience for next to nothing I shouldn't complain much. Other than to say I thought I was recording the whole experience, streamed to PC; Only going to stop the recording did I realise it hadn't started in the first place. Pity.

The first 154 minutes of the game from IGN:

IGN