I don't think it works quite as well nowadays with much fewer people playing it but it was an incredible experience when it first came out. I still play it whenever I need to calm down or just having a bad day. It's truly a special game to me.
I actually played Journey for the first time just several months ago! I think there's still enough people around that you can still run into other players on your journey. Maybe I ran into you at some point?
I ALSO just got around to playing Journey a few months ago, knowing nearly nothing about it. Spoilers ahead.
I started, got the hang of it a little bit, and was running around. I see another person! I chirp, he chirps, we dance around a bit, and we’re on our way. He shows me a few things, so I’m confident he knows his way around. I still go my own way, and he waits for me. Chirps when I should follow. I do. At some point, I have to pee REALLY bad and I want to make a drink. So I chirp, turn in a circle, chirp again, and he does the same. I go pee, make a drink, and when I’m back we are both sitting.
We make it through the rest of the game. He is the best companion I could hope for. I tear up twice during our adventure, and am nearly crying at the end. No games do this to me.
We make it together, and I PRAY at the end it lets me know who this person is. I’m DELIGHTED when it shows me his name, and I add him. He immediately accepts.
I tell him it’s my first time playing, and that I appreciated him helping me out so much! He tells me that he has fully completed the game, and plays so he can find new players to help have an amazing first time. We ALMOST got all of the secrets, but I missed a couple. He then sends me screenshot after screenshot after screenshot of us on our journey. He has a mod of some sort that lets him take out-of-body cinematic photos. I tear up more. I love this person.
My partner sees my reactions and says “I HAVE TO PLAY THAT”. I tell her it’s an experienced unmatched by any other.
She begins. She roams around, learning the ropes. She meets a person! They run ahead… and run… and run more… they’re gone. Speedrunner? She is sad. She restarts the program to find another companion. She presses on more, and nothing. Nobody.
She starts the game over. Finds a new friend. They chirp. She is elated! They’re adventuring for a while, when they stop moving. They sit. They disconnect. She is infuriated. But presses on. ANOTHER FRIEND! Also talkative! They play through, this person a tad more impatient than her. She attempts to keep up, but hits basically EVERYTHING that eats her robe. At the end, she has no robe. Her friend runs ahead. Too far ahead… she doesn’t make it.
She uninstalls, nearly in tears for the complete opposite reason as myself. Says she’s done and it was awful. :c
I should have waited until my friend was back on, and asked if he could try to be her Journey partner.