I love this game. I love it so much that I've "beaten" it probably over a dozen times, collected every glyph and seen every secret. I've gotten the white coat, shown people the way by drawing from my experience. I've also journeyed with fellow veterans, flying through the desert after learning each-other's rhythm to the point that we never even touched the ground. The thing is, no matter how many times I play this game it's different.
That was a couple years ago, though. I started again, wondering "Will there even be anyone playing this game, after all this time?" I went over the familiar dunes until I reached the first area, considering whether or not to don the white coat which grants unlimited energy, allowing me to take to the skies again after only a short recharge while on the ground. I decided against it; I would stay red, limit myself since it's been so long since the last time I journeyed. Choice made, I walked into the first real area.
I knew that this place was the first in which wanderers could first meet, though I didn't expect to see anyone for awhile. But sure enough, even though it had been years, someone was there. A red coat, like myself, and I could tell by the markings on their cape that they had only completed the Journey a couple of times. Immediately I tried to get them to fly with me, to call and recharge our scarves in tandem so we could maintain flight; they didn't catch on. I'd give them the call that recharges their scarf, and would soon be left behind when the favor wasn't returned. Selfish, I thought, though eventually I gave them the benefit of the doubt and just walked alongside them; slower, but I wasn't trying to rush the journey anyway.
So we continued, reaching the large expanse of desert where I've lost quite a few companions before. I was wary, fairly sure that my companion's headstrong nature would lead to us getting separated but erring to play the passive role (as I was more experienced), I followed their lead. We managed to stay together.
We spoke, but only in the way you can speak in Journey. A large chirp to call out as we lost sight of each-other, a small short chirp of annoyance when we re-joined, and even calls of excitement as we raced down the flowing sands. This made the moments of silence, such as when the orange-glow of the sunset on the sands was so beautiful that we simply slid along together with no words between us, even more powerful.
It's hard to put into words the closeness you can feel to someone in this game, partly because there were no words needed to form the bond in the first place. But as we walked up the snowy, stormy mountain, slowly freezing in the biting wind, we never once split up even as the warmth that we gave each-other started to fade into nothing. If one of us was blown-back, the other went back with them. This was something that was built throughout the whole journey, as we learned who the other was through chirps and actions alone. When we finally did reach the top, we drew hearts in the sand as we recognized the closeness that we had built while at the same time realizing it was ending.
So, walking into the white light with a friend who's name I did not know and with whom I had not exchanged any words with, I reflected on how this game, even after a few years, was still one of the best experiences I've ever had. Even though the journey is the same, and you know that there is an inevitable "end" that starts the cycle all over again, the people you become close to make it different and worthwhile every time. It helps me realize just how important those around me are, and hopefully how important I am to them. In this case, and many others, it truly is more about the Journey than the destination. And I'm fine with that.
Thanks for reading.
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