So, I just got done playing Journey, and I must say that I was overwhelmed by the games beauty. The wonderful flowing movement of the creatures and the avatar, in conjunction with the dreamy desert like landscape was brilliant. I also enjoyed the vague esoteric nature of the games narrative. I liked that it left you guessing, and was ambiguous enough to allow the player to sort of create a meaning of their own, and thus personalize the game in a way.
My question to you is pretty straight forward: what do you think the game was about, or rather what did it mean to you?
There was once a group of white robed people who utilized the powers of the red scarves, like the kite things you meet throughout the game, and use them to build their society. Eventually though, they attempted to expand and ended up using up too much of the red scarves. This most likely symbolizes over-industrialization. Kind of like what happened in The Lorax.
Eventually, the white robed people fought over the precious few red scarves that were left and went to war against each other. They used those big dragon things that tore up your scarf whenever they saw you as tools of war. Eventually, everyone died, along with their civilization. Which was buried underneath the sand.
The red robed figure, (you) from what I can tell serves as a reincarnation of one of the white robed people who died. You are drawn to the mountain in the distance, and along the way, you free the red scarf creatures that were used to power the white robed people's cities and help and accompany other red robed figures like you along the way. Perhaps it's a sign of repentance?
The mountain at the end I believe represents heaven. An ultimate goal for all those who are drawn to the mountain. And once they do reach it, their spirit goes and helps fertilize the land.
That's my interpretation of it so far. This game truly was amazing, I just played through for the sixth time today.
Well I tried to make a similar thread awhile ago (no this isn't a "search bar!" post) but it bombed so i'll just paste my speculations below.
lets talk about the story of journey, less about the story shown at the checkpoints, that one is plain as day. The story I want to specualte on is the story of our character. After completeing the journey and learning of the rise and fall of this civilazation, and then our character's subsequent trek up the mountain where we find out that the glowing bit was actually an illusion (my guess since it disappears right before your chacter keels over) I think at that point when we rocket into the sky and our final ascent of the "mountain" that leads back to the desert is basically the afterlife.
From that point I can only come up with two theories to our characters story:
1st theory: Kind of like Roland in Stepohen Kings Dark Tower series our characters are forever stuck in a loop, where they have to infinetly repeat the trek up to the mountain towards an illusion where they ultimatly die in the snow again and again. Although this is kind of a bummer and defeats the tone during the final ascent and the elastion you feel while you and your partner reach the summit together.
2nd Theory: This is the one that I personally believe is happnening; Our characters journey is that of a pilgramage of atonement where they have to see the after math of what the previous civilazation did once they sqaundered the cloth and started a war amongst each other over what was left. Once their journey is complete and they are allowed up to the summit by the white robed figures, our character passes onto the after life and then during the credits we see another of the souls being released so they too can make their own pilgramage to the mountain.
One of the reasons why i support this itheory over the first one is due to the fact that while heading through the desert you can see that the mountain is releaseing other spirits back to the beginning where we started, thus confirming in my eyes that I and my partner (if they're there) aren't the only ones making this trek.
There was once a group of white robed people who utilized the powers of the red scarves, like the kite things you meet throughout the game, and use them to build their society. Eventually though, they attempted to expand and ended up using up too much of the red scarves. This most likely symbolizes over-industrialization. Kind of like what happened in The Lorax.
Eventually, the white robed people fought over the precious few red scarves that were left and went to war against each other. They used those big dragon things that tore up your scarf whenever they saw you as tools of war. Eventually, everyone died, along with their civilization. Which was buried underneath the sand.
The red robed figure, (you) from what I can tell serves as a reincarnation of one of the white robed people who died. You are drawn to the mountain in the distance, and along the way, you free the red scarf creatures that were used to power the white robed people's cities and help and accompany other red robed figures like you along the way. Perhaps it's a sign of repentance?
The mountain at the end I believe represents heaven. An ultimate goal for all those who are drawn to the mountain. And once they do reach it, their spirit goes and helps fertilize the land.
That's my interpretation of it so far. This game truly was amazing, I just played through for the sixth time today.
Thanks for responding to my thread. I think your interpretation is interesting, there is one scene I think where two white robed people seem to be pulling a piece of red scarf until it rips in half. Perhaps this scene is a symbolic representation of the people fighting over resources? In regards to the spirit of the red robed people fertilizing the land, do you think this is in hopes that the land will be rejuvenated by their essence? If so, what is the point of rejuvenating the land if no one will be left to enjoy it? I guess, if you see the scarf entities as living things, maybe the point is for them to carry on.
Well I tried to make a similar thread awhile ago (no this isn't a "search bar!" post) but it bombed so i'll just paste my speculations below.
lets talk about the story of journey, less about the story shown at the checkpoints, that one is plain as day. The story I want to specualte on is the story of our character. After completeing the journey and learning of the rise and fall of this civilazation, and then our character's subsequent trek up the mountain where we find out that the glowing bit was actually an illusion (my guess since it disappears right before your chacter keels over) I think at that point when we rocket into the sky and our final ascent of the "mountain" that leads back to the desert is basically the afterlife.
From that point I can only come up with two theories to our characters story:
1st theory: Kind of like Roland in Stepohen Kings Dark Tower series our characters are forever stuck in a loop, where they have to infinetly repeat the trek up to the mountain towards an illusion where they ultimatly die in the snow again and again. Although this is kind of a bummer and defeats the tone during the final ascent and the elastion you feel while you and your partner reach the summit together.
2nd Theory: This is the one that I personally believe is happnening; Our characters journey is that of a pilgramage of atonement where they have to see the after math of what the previous civilazation did once they sqaundered the cloth and started a war amongst each other over what was left. Once their journey is complete and they are allowed up to the summit by the white robed figures, our character passes onto the after life and then during the credits we see another of the souls being released so they too can make their own pilgramage to the mountain.
One of the reasons why i support this itheory over the first one is due to the fact that while heading through the desert you can see that the mountain is releaseing other spirits back to the beginning where we started, thus confirming in my eyes that I and my partner (if they're there) aren't the only ones making this trek.
Sorry your thread bombed. I thought that this thread was going to do the same thing, so I was happy to see that someone replied.
Your first theory was my original thought on the game, but I don't really like that interpretation either; it's far to hellish. I do like the idea of a pilgrimage of atonement though as it would go with the uplifting vibe of the game. Do you think that after this pilgrimage that their allowed to move on to the after life or just released from their guilt?
No one has mentioned this yet, but I thought in a couple of the cut scenes that I saw what looked to be white invading war ships. Maybe they where just clouds though? Anyway I kind of thought for a moment that those flying winged snake things were invaders. I'm unsure as I haven't really decided what I think yet, but still it's an idea.
Well I tried to make a similar thread awhile ago (no this isn't a "search bar!" post) but it bombed so i'll just paste my speculations below.
lets talk about the story of journey, less about the story shown at the checkpoints, that one is plain as day. The story I want to specualte on is the story of our character. After completeing the journey and learning of the rise and fall of this civilazation, and then our character's subsequent trek up the mountain where we find out that the glowing bit was actually an illusion (my guess since it disappears right before your chacter keels over) I think at that point when we rocket into the sky and our final ascent of the "mountain" that leads back to the desert is basically the afterlife.
From that point I can only come up with two theories to our characters story:
1st theory: Kind of like Roland in Stepohen Kings Dark Tower series our characters are forever stuck in a loop, where they have to infinetly repeat the trek up to the mountain towards an illusion where they ultimatly die in the snow again and again. Although this is kind of a bummer and defeats the tone during the final ascent and the elastion you feel while you and your partner reach the summit together.
2nd Theory: This is the one that I personally believe is happnening; Our characters journey is that of a pilgramage of atonement where they have to see the after math of what the previous civilazation did once they sqaundered the cloth and started a war amongst each other over what was left. Once their journey is complete and they are allowed up to the summit by the white robed figures, our character passes onto the after life and then during the credits we see another of the souls being released so they too can make their own pilgramage to the mountain.
One of the reasons why i support this itheory over the first one is due to the fact that while heading through the desert you can see that the mountain is releaseing other spirits back to the beginning where we started, thus confirming in my eyes that I and my partner (if they're there) aren't the only ones making this trek.
Sorry your thread bombed. I thought that this thread was going to do the same thing, so I was happy to see that someone replied.
Your first theory was my original thought on the game, but I don't really like that interpretation either; it's far to hellish. I do like the idea of a pilgrimage of atonement though as it would go with the uplifting vibe of the game. Do you think that after this pilgrimage that their allowed to move on to the after life or just released from their guilt?
No one has mentioned this yet, but I thought in a couple of the cut scenes that I saw what looked to be white invading war ships. Maybe they where just clouds though? Anyway I kind of thought for a moment that those flying winged snake things were invaders. I'm unsure as I haven't really decided what I think yet, but still it's an idea.
I believe they move on, another point in favor of my second theory is that when you reach the second open desert area, if you look up at the mountain you can see other spirits being sent out, and within the desert one of the spirits crash lands into a builing releasing a glyph and a torrent of those flying scarf pieces.
As to your second point, once the red fabric started to become scarce the white robes created those flying snakes to fight each other over dwindling resources, it would seem though that the machines at some point became indiscriminate and turned on their creators due to their need to collect cloth.
There was once a group of white robed people who utilized the powers of the red scarves, like the kite things you meet throughout the game, and use them to build their society. Eventually though, they attempted to expand and ended up using up too much of the red scarves. This most likely symbolizes over-industrialization. Kind of like what happened in The Lorax.
Eventually, the white robed people fought over the precious few red scarves that were left and went to war against each other. They used those big dragon things that tore up your scarf whenever they saw you as tools of war. Eventually, everyone died, along with their civilization. Which was buried underneath the sand.
The red robed figure, (you) from what I can tell serves as a reincarnation of one of the white robed people who died. You are drawn to the mountain in the distance, and along the way, you free the red scarf creatures that were used to power the white robed people's cities and help and accompany other red robed figures like you along the way. Perhaps it's a sign of repentance?
The mountain at the end I believe represents heaven. An ultimate goal for all those who are drawn to the mountain. And once they do reach it, their spirit goes and helps fertilize the land.
That's my interpretation of it so far. This game truly was amazing, I just played through for the sixth time today.
Thanks for responding to my thread. I think your interpretation is interesting, there is one scene I think where two white robed people seem to be pulling a piece of red scarf until it rips in half. Perhaps this scene is a symbolic representation of the people fighting over resources? In regards to the spirit of the red robed people fertilizing the land, do you think this is in hopes that the land will be rejuvenated by their essence? If so, what is the point of rejuvenating the land if no one will be left to enjoy it? I guess, if you see the scarf entities as living things, maybe the point is for them to carry on.
Well if the first mural cutscene was any indication, the white robed people were created from the same stuff that created the land. So I guess it's just one giant cycle of life and death.
EDIT: I found a video that gives another interpretation of what the ending means:
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