Journey Collector's Edition (PS3)

When I reviewed Thatgamecompany's Journey?in March, I hailed the title as "one of the best gaming experiences to come along in years." I stand by that statement. Journey is a beautifully crafted, near-spiritual title that demonstrates that video games need not be limited to touchdowns and headshots. Journey's download-only nature, however, meant that only a portion of the gaming populace had the opportunity to play it. Not anymore. The $29.99 Journey Collector's Edition ?puts the PCMag.com Editors' Choice title in a boxed package along with Thatgamecompany's other hipster-favorite PS3 releases, Flow and Flower. Factor in the copious extras?including never-before released Thatgamecompany games?and this compilation is easily a must-have for those who crave a different type of game.

Journey Collector's Edition features six games: The aforementioned Flow, Flower, and Journey, as well as Duke War, Gravediggers, and Nostril Shot. The first three titles are the company's refined PlayStation Network releases; the final three are its raw, pre-PlayStation 3 24 Hour Game Jam competition entries. Duke War, Gravediggers, and Nostril Shot are certainly playable titles, but they are very simple, arcade-like experience that lacks the emotional pull of Thatgamecompany's more recent works. Still, their inclusion is an interesting look at the company's game design evolution.

Journey Collector's Edition also includes non-video game extras. The package contains a 30-miniute Journey making-of documentary, creator playthroughs, concept art, galleries, PSN avatars, game trailers, developer diary videos, dynamic PS3 themes, and "instructional manual" detailing the Thatgamecompany's background info. There's a lot here for $30. Note: Each requires an install to the PS3's hard drive. Thankfully, each game is under 1GB in size, so they won't take up too much storage space.

In Bloom
Flow, Flower, and Journey are the games on display here, and despite different mechanics and aesthetics they all have one thing in common?relaxing gameplay. There's no epic boss battles, failure, or rushing against the clock?these titles simulate the senses and emotions in a way that most video games do not.

Flow puts the player in control of a multi-segmented creature that swims between high and low aquatic levels, and encounters similar creatures. That, unfortunately, is the depth of the gameplay. You aren't required to eat or combat other life forms, but if you do, you grow in size and evolve?it?s like the opening level Spore in that regard, except "death" simply moves you to a higher, safer plane. It's the weakest of the three titles and one that least resembles a traditional game. It's more of a look into happenings within a petri dish.

Journey is Thatgamecompany's most traditional video game of the big three, but filtered through the developer's special design philosophy. In it, you control a nameless robed figure that traverses a near-lifeless desert-like world to reach a mountain in the far distance. There are very light platforming and puzzle elements, but the focus is on the trip?surfing sand dunes, gliding, and flying through gorgeous environments. Its audio-visual assault on the senses brings a feeling of freedom that few titles can replicate.

Flower is the best of the three, and considering that I gushed over Journey, that's high praise. The goal is to bring beauty to a decayed world by guiding wind-blown flower petals through fields. Coming into with flowers that have small halos around them plays musical notes and causes them to bloom; bloom all the flowers in an area and a magical, life-giving wave passes over the grayed landscape and transforms it from bleak to beautiful. These regeneration acts are some of the most satisfying moments that a player will experience in any video game.

Appreciating The Journey
Journey Collector's Edition may not appeal to the bro-gamer set, but gamers with open minds should plunk down the $29.99 to experience these unique titles that showcase Thatgamecompany's one-of-a-kind design principles. In an era of bloated game budgets and out-of-control sequelitis, it's a joy to see a company dare to be different?and succeed.

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