Yes, I am indeed one of those shmucks to whom the unique online experience provided by Journey not only worked for but deeply had an effect on that still resonates to this day, so the prospects of a new TGC game acting as a spiritual sequel to it and iterating upon the design philosophy that defined that game and its artistic recognition was all game for me.

Sky's biggest issue is its familiarity. The new coat of paint does not do enough to disguise how big of a shadow Journey casts over it. Not only conveying its aesthetic and narrative through the same devices and mechanics as its predecessor, it also ends up repeating many of Journey's most recognizable and memorable setpieces. What worked in Journey's more linear focused and intimate co-op design, now constantly disrupts the communial premise of Sky, frustratingly funneling you into a rollercoaster towards the finish line with obtrusive cutscenes that undercut whatever human connection you manage to build. The result: a very impressive looking game that in its attempt to outmatch Journey's holistic expression, ends up falling into the same trap so many of its copycats do.

Getting past that first impression is not an easy pill to swallow, but once Sky is no longer rushing you, a new game presents itself. Brimming with nooks and crannies and secret optional areas to find, Sky is a co-operative BOTW like experience of discovery unlike anything out there. The simple act of offering a candle to another player to be allowed to see their appearance and communicate with them alone invites interaction and dialogue, and with Journey's two player limit now gone, Sky is filled with players flying past and around you, ocasionally allowing for the small bit of limited interaction before parting ways never to be seen again. Finding myself holding hands with newbies to show them where to go, having the rare occasional small chat with people from different nationalities who speak in broken english, and demonstrating my gratitude towards a helpful hand by shooting fireworks around them, it becomes hard not to feel some speck of humanity twinge inside this decrepid jaded body.

It's a shame Sky feels the need to worship Journey so much, when its minimalist MMO design is more than enough to stand on its own, removing much of the excess I have so much trouble getting past in the genre. Spending hours with a group of strangers trying to open a door, filling up the time with whatever ways we could come up with to be entertained, only to be rewarded by one of the most underwhelming and yet hilarious secrets in the game, had me feeling a special sense of masochistic comradery, and as I watched each one of them say their goodbyes and part ways, knowing I would never see them again, I felt the same way I did when I missed the chance to reach out to that one stranger who died alongide me in Journey all those years ago. I made up my mind about Sky then.

Plus, hey, it's free.

Reviewed on Jul 12, 2021


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