Journey

Thatgamecompany’s Journey is a story told in silence. There’s no dialogue, only a repeated pointing toward a destination. The journey the name refers to is a hike from an expansive desert to a mountain peak in the distance. It’s almost always visible no matter where you are in your single-minded walk to the light that shines from the top of the mountain.

Getting there can be a communal effort, as you and other players can meet up throughout your journey, though you won’t see a screen name above these characters. It’s not until the ending that you know who you walked alongside into the light as Austin Wintory’s pitch-perfect score rings through your speakers. The emotional catharsis is palpable, and it’s met with the sting that you must say goodbye to those who took the journey with you. Journey can be played alone, and that solitary approach can be affecting in its own way, but like most journeys, it’s best taken together, even if you have to say goodbye. — Kenneth Shepard

Buy Journey: Amazon