I’ll never forget the desert sands of Journey. It’s one of those games that looks like very little at all but in practice sits with you long after the credits have rolled and you’ve reclaimed your hard drive space. Now, many others are venturing out onto the dunes to find out what all the fuss is about, with Journey hitting an all-time peak player count on Steam, four years after launching on the platform.
First arriving on PlayStation 3 way back in 2012 before later coming to PC, Thatgamecompany’s co-op indie game swiftly became a hit with its mix of sedate sandy vibes and its ability to help you form brief but meaningful connections. As you play Journey and explore the desert ruins that make up the majority of its setting, you’ll be joined by co-op partners who drop in and out, sometimes staying for your entire adventure, sometimes only appearing for a bit.
What Journey does when you meet someone out there on the desert sands helps you bond over your shared experience. Limiting communication only to little chirrups you pulse out and any basic images you can draw in the sand as you patter around, Journey’s restrictions only help you feel closer to each other when you’re travelling towards your mountainous end goal. After all, you think much kinder of the other person when you can’t see them typing in chat or calling you an idiot for going the wrong way over voice comms.
I won’t spoil what happens as you progress but safe to say, it’s one of the most impactful and emotional experiences I’ve ever had in a game. There’s heartbreak, relief, peril, and utter glee to be found, all enhanced when someone else is there alongside you. Right now lots of people are currently exploring these sandy vistas as Journey’s player count has skyrocketed over the last few days, far surpassing the numbers seen during its 2020 Steam launch. Hitting an all-time record of 3,023 players compared to the launch peak of 1,757, it’s currently easier than ever to bump into a co-op partner.
That’s thanks to the sale currently running which brings Journey’s price down to that of roughly a nice sandwich. With a whopping 85% off until Tuesday, April 16, you can get your hands on this seminal adventure for only $2.24. So if you’ve ever wanted to play something short but that will live on with you for years to come, head over to Steam to grab it now.
If that isn’t enough to scratch that co-operative itch, why not take a look at our guide to the best co-op games you can play on PC. Should your tastes run instead to the more adversarial, our guide to the best multiplayer games will set you in the right direction.
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