#also snow lots of snow is peak video game soundtrack

[sableeira]

me: thank you for changing my life

a short hike: I’m literally a video game

[c0d33]

Gushing about Battlefield 1

Battlefield 1 is a fantastic game. The way that the history, graphics, sound design, and music interact with each other makes for what I believe to be one of the most immersive games to ever exist. There is not a single moment when I'm playing this game where I don't believe that I'll actually die if my character dies. I'm gonna make my points one at a time in an attempt to appear coherent.

Pretty long post ahead (mostly because I'm pasting a lot of videos), so be warned

Graphics

First of all, the graphics. This game is just... insanely pretty. I genuinely consider Battlefield 1 to be the absolute peak of realistic video game graphics, since it looks insanely good without sacrificing too much performance.

The incredible work that went into the scenery makes every map, whether it's in the pituresque French countryside or the middle of a desert, an absolute treat to look at. You could frame screenshots of these maps and hang them up on a wall with how good they look.

Once, I even passed off a screenshot of this game (with some editing from a friend) as a real World War 1 era photograph in a presentation about the war.

This is a very mild point to start with, but trust me, I'm only getting more insane by the second.

Sound Design

Similar to graphics, this game just sounds insanely good. Guns and explosions feel punchy, the sound you make when you walk corresponds to what material you're walking on (Dirt, wood, snow, etc.), everything is just very well designed.

I'm particularly a very, VERY big fan of the audio design of the weapons and their reloads. I have watched this video multiple times, and I never get tired of it. I'll talk more about the weapons later, but I can't talk about the audio design without showing this video.

I especially wanna point out the incredible work that went into the voice acting for this game on all sides.

It especially helps that whatever side you're playing on will speak their native language. This isn't like 99% of historical video games where everyone inexplicably speaks English with an accent, instead you're properly hearing your character speak German, Russian, Turkish, or whatever language they did speak. It really helps to sell the immersion.

Music

Ohhhh boy. The music. The music in this game is absolutely incredible. This game has so many good tracks that are not only good on their own, but elevate to incredible when you hear them in context while playing. I'm trying not to just post the entire soundtrack, so here's just a few highlights for me.

Johan Söderqvist and Patrick Andrén did fantastic work on every single song in this game, whether it's on the soundtrack or not.

History

Ok this is where I get really insane. Battlefield 1, while obviously not 100% historically accurate, is something I'd argue is a little better: It's period-accurate. The game tries its absolute hardest to stick to the World War 1 era, and it excels spectacularly.

First of all, the maps. All of the maps in this game (Minus the Air Assault maps, though those are still are plausible) are based on actual battles from World War 1, and it does a good job in picking some of the lesser known ones as well.

Probably two of the more well-known battles featured in the game are the Battle of Verdun (Consisting of the maps Verdun Heighs and Fort de Vaux) and the Battle of the Somme (Somme River). These maps are not entirely accurate to the places where they were fought (Fort de Vaux in particular has had its inside expanded drastically for gameplay purposes), but it is still mostly accurate to the location while also often including hints and nods to the real battle. Like I said, it also has plenty of lesser-known battles, like the Battle of Heligoland Bight (Heligoland Bight), the first major naval battle of the war, and the previously mentioned Battle of Fort Vaux, part of the larger Battle of Verdun.

Although, some maps aren't technically from World War 1. Two maps, Volga River and Tsaritsyn, are instead taken from the Russian Revolution. Although yes, this does break the theming of World War 1, they are still events that happened at roughly the same time (World War 1 lasted from 1914 to 1918, and the Russian Revolution from 1917 to 1923).

Aside from the maps, another large part of Battlefield 1 is the weapons. The devs really scavenged the corners of history to find interesting weapons to include in the game, even if they weren't necessarily used in battle. Two of my favorite examples of this are the Hellriegel and the Kolibri.

The Standschütze Hellriegel 1915 was a prototype weapon from the war. In fact, it was such a prototype that we only have three photos of it. Only three. Despite this, the devs still managed to make their own spin on the weapon and turn it into something functional for the game! While you could argue that, yes, this is incredibly unrealistic, it's still cool to be able to use a period-accurate weapon (Because yes, I'd argue period-accurate is much better than historically accurate, else the game would consist of everyone firing at each other from stationary trenches with two different weapons) in a game such as this.

The other weapon, which is genuinely my favorite firearm to ever exist, is the Kolibri. The Kolibri is the winner for the firearm to fire the smallest cartridge ever, at 2.7 mm. What does that look like? Well...

Yeah. It's small. It's so small, that it's infamous for being unable to penetrate even a semi-thick coat. This is represented in-game by it doing one point of damage on a body shot. It is an incredibly ineffective weapon, but yet the devs still included it both for the funny factor and for the historical trivia.

However, as cool as just including battles and weapons are, the game still has something even cooler for history nerds. That is the codex.

The codex is essentially an in-game encyclopedia of most weapons, maps, vehicles, and factions in the game, plus more. The entries for all of these can be unlocked by completing certain challenges in-game. For exaple, to unlock the codex entry for Rasputin (The holy man that accompanied Tsar Nicholas II and his family before the Russian Revolution broke out), you must obtain five multikills. You may then view the codex to look at the entries you unlocked to read the history behind them.

This codex is an absolutely incredible addition to the game, as it encourages players to actually learn the history behind the game they're playing. It's essentially an edutainment system inside of a shooter game.

Conclusion

I'm going to stop here before this turns into an entire essay. In conclusion, Battlefield 1 is an incredible game that combines amazing music, graphics, and history into a package that encourages you to learn history. I still consider this to be one of the best games ever made, and I hope to one day see something like it again.

[ragnarssons]

I’m sorry I’m new to the music side I haven’t really paid attention but you kind of made me open my eyes and so I was listening to all the music and was just wondering how you could tell which ones were made/written for dany. I’m sorry if that’s a stupid question I didn’t know how to word it.

Well it depends, do you mean this season or in general? About the “Stay Here for a Thousand Years” or all the tracks in general? So to be clear, on Game of Thrones, all of the “Houses” have a particular theme. The Lannister theme is reminiscent of the Rains of Castamere, it’s kinda their vibe. Cersei as Queen taking on her own had a new vibe added to that, and it was the piano theme that appeared on ep6x10 and came back several times through s7 and s8.  House Stark is representated by the cello, so cello heavy themes are House Stark and characters related to House Stark/storylines related to House Stark. House Stark Theme | which is reminiscent to The Last of the Starks which is their final piece. Where is added this idea of “epicness”, future, possibilities brought by these characters’ storylines: Sansa becoming Queen, Arya sailing away, Jon going North. It still has this cello vibe, core of House Stark and their theme, but it doesn’t have the same melancholy/sadness it used to have for a very long time when House Stark was to the ground, over and over again. (note, it’s also mixed with the Game of Thrones main title, mostly because it’s the final theme of the season and that’s where they closed the episode- it also kinda proves that the story was about House Stark - at least on the show - they opened the show, they’re closing it). We also have added to that one, Arya’s House of the Undying Theme, these bits of Arya’s theme when she was with the Faceless Men and she left - I don’t remember the name of that piece, but it’s played here. Jon Snow’s theme, is also heavily featured in the last track: this one. Sansa’s theme at its core is still really the one of her family: sad cello often played over her scenes, for a very long time. And then it morphed into this “joyfully melancholic cello” (I don’t know how to describe iiiiit) that plays also at some point - well during Sansa’s coronation. It first appeared during her “The Lone wolf Dies but the Pack Survives” scene with Arya on s7. Anyway, all that to say that the Starks have had a vibe that’s always been reminiscent in all the House Stark characters, and it’s come back and been mashed up together for their very last scenes. It really is really beautiful and it just shows how the characters have morphed, how their House is still what it was at its roots but how they’ve grown and what the legacy of these characters are. The theme starts with notes that are very reminiscent of Ned Stark, and evolves into something that is Arya, Sansa and Jon’s identity. Anyway, as for the rest we have the Lannisters, it’s really generally circling around the Rains of Castamere vibes, it’s always there. What is cool about the Lannisters is mostly Cersei: Cersei has a theme from s5 and going. But her theme is heavily related to the High Sparrow and the faith. It starts as this theme, mix of a Lannister theme and an organ. And it merges into this gorgeous theme for Cersei’s revenge: the organ comes back, but this time, to symbolize the Faith’s destruction rather than Cersei’s.As for Dany, well she was the only one of her House. So actually most if not all of the House Targaryen themes are hers. They’re all about her, tbh. Ramin Djawadi has composed a lot of pieces for Daenerys- like A LOT, I think she has nine soundtracks for s5 alone, for example. The first whispers of her theme are here, technically, on the first steps (literally) of Daenerys towards her destiny, when she meets Khal Drogo. The ironic thing, is that Dany’s theme also starts with some light cello. Not as “deep” as House Stark, but it’s still cello and it has its importance later on. Before that, she has no theme, it’s Viserys’ theme (kinda) that steps over her. The drums are only whispers at that point, and then it grows bigger and bigger as she gains power. This one, is the final version of her s1 theme- BEFORE her dragons are born. Now in the end of the video, we can hear a new version of her theme; the appearence of voices as she’s become something else, the Mother of Dragons. The one who brought magic back into the world! On s1 her theme grew as something like a Dothraki warrior theme, she’s become the Unburnt + Khal Drogo’s Khaleesi, something that is hers but not totally. So her theme has pieces of instruments that were used for the Dothraki related themes- especially the the Armenian duduk flutewhich is used to symbolize the Dothrakis in Ramin Djawadi’s music. Dany’s music grows bigger and bigger as she gains her roles and goes through victory after victory: as I said, by the end of 1x10 when the dragons are born, the “ah ah ahhhhhs” are appearing, because that’s how her theme merges. The “ah ah ahhhhs” are related to the dragons. To Daenerys, becoming more than the Khaleesi of a man, who is proving her strength on a “human level”. She’s something else, she’s more, she’s “the stuff of legends” that people will sing about. The final version of this theme, is at the end of s2 when the dragons finally breathe fire, at the House of the Undying. Name of the track? Well, Mother of Dragons, of course! Which is a perfect balance of “victorious Dany”/Mother of Dragons and Unburnt Dany. And Mother of Dragons really becomes the strong basis of ALL the Daenerys’ themes coming forward. At her core, Daenerys is the Mother of Dragons, the victorious, the Unburnt once again at the end of s2. S3 adds to that, as Daenerys becomes the Breaker of Chains. It’s this theme: and yet you notice it always has the same basis- the flute, the “ah ah ahhhhs”, everything that has made Dany and Dany’s theme so far. This is when she starts building her army, when she starts to conquer. Herself doesn’t know clearly WHY yet, at the beginning of ep3, Daenerys does get this army in order to have an army to sail to Westeros. Her journey on s3 is slowly becoming the Breaker of Chains and the “Mhysa” of the people- hence why s3 for Dany ends with the Mhysa theme. And even tho the basis of Daenerys’ theme, which are the instruments that we can hear in the background are the same, here, it’s really a sung music. It’s a whole music, that could be transcribed as in universe, people singing across the world, everything that Daenerys Targaryen has accomplished. She’s officially become the Mother of the People: Mhysa as they call her. And let’s remember that because it comes back to what I said about her s8′s theme. All that morphes into her usual theme, her “Dany theme”, with the Dohtraki vibes, the Mother of Dragons vibes and all. And here, her theme is Big! It’s Dany full force, Dany at her peak, Dany embracing an unexpected destiny that will lead her to greatness. The “ah ah ahhhhhs” are growing and growing, because it’s truly a moment where she reaches the top: she has three growing Dragons, an army, Ser Barristan, Ser Jorah, a close friend (Missandei), and she’s adored. And that’s where Breaker of Chains really appears, after s3, onto s4. Daenerys didn’t just free the Unsullied because she wanted an army, now she has a new quest, a new purpose, a new destiny. A new title to her long list: Khaleesi, Mother of Dragons, Breaker of Chains. We start with the same flute, the same vibes, what has been Daenerys’ theme ever since the beginning of the show, it’s still here. And it’s morphing into a lament - basically Dany lamenting for the children she sees crucified before reaching Mereen - and it merges into more of a “justice”/revenge theme where she follows her path: we know which one, where she conquers the city and abolishes slavery. The “Dany notes” - like really, how to call them I can’t really transcribe them on a post like that - are still here, and they’re growing and growing. The Mhysa theme is also all merged into this one, truly is one of the best Dany themes. S4 is where Dany kinda “stops” for a while. She decides to stay in Mereen. So there is no real progression in her theme for a while. Her next theme is Forgive me, at the end of s4 (it’s featured on s5′s soundtrack but it appears on s4 first but it gets bigger on s5 after 5x08 when Daenerys really does banish Jorah again). It’s a tragic theme, where Dany kinda loses a lot of her “superb” because her Jorah betrayed her: Dany is really falling from grace at the end of s4. It’s also really the first time Jorah and Dany have a theme: a theme that will come back later on the show, on s5 “officially” and on s6 and merges back into something big because that’s where she accepts him again. At the very end of s4 for Dany, the Breaker of Chains theme comes back, but only the lament part: because in becoming a leader of the people, Daenerys had to choose to chain her dragons. The idea of breaking chains is becoming harder and harder for Daenerys. These are Dany’s biggest betrayals: she was the victim of one, with Jorah, and the second one where she betrays her children and tbh, basically, her Oath as their Mother and a Breaker of Chains. Dany’s next pivotal moment is A Dance of Dragons, so we have the Daenerys theme mixed with the Sons of the Harpy’s one. And it basically becomes a war theme. Daenerys’ war theme: Daenerys with what she has, her dragons who are loyal to her and will follow her as proved by Drogon on this very same episode, her army, everyone loyal to her. It’s also where the French horns appear on her themes: and that’s to symbolize the FORCE of her now full grown dragon(s). And they’ll be part of her theme going forward. And this theme will then also come back to Daenerys’ theme going forward. We still have the flute, the magical notes that are always related to Daenerys as a Mother of Dragons, especially since it’s the moment she sees Drogon again after a while. And then it merges into something more, once again: Daenerys embracing another one of her destinies. Daenerys becoming a dragon rider, and we’re back with the “ah ah ahhhhhhs”. Daenerys’ next big theme after that is Khaleesi. We finally have a theme called Khaleesi for her: and here it’s very reminiscent of Daenerys the Unburnt, Daenerys the Khaleesi that she was on s1. Daenerys freeing people from oppression once again, and the praises are coming back: this time tho, they’re chanted in Dothraki and not in Valyrian like in Mhysa. She becomes a Khaleesi in her own rights, she proves HER strength to all the Khalasar and they all bow to her: this theme has become more about her than about the Dothraki. Her next theme is Reign. And it has everything: it’s Khaleesi Dany, Queen Dany, Mother of Dragons Dany, Unbent Dany, Daenerys Targaryen. That is higher than her peak. She’s accomplished everything she has to accomplish in Mereen and Essos: she has eliminated her enemies, the threats to her “new order” and she’s come out of it, victorious. And Daenerys’ final Essos-y theme is Winds of Winter: again, a theme that is sung in Valyrian and is a CRAZY theme. It’s basically chanting Daenerys coming, the “hero” coming. It’s full of hope, and yet it’s still Daenerys’ theme, it’s what it has morphed into after everything she’s been through: drums, voices, horns, everything is here! Tbh to me that’s why 80% of Dany’s storyline in Westeros is disappointing, because this theme seemed so promising. To me it’s really GoT’s most epic theme ever. After s7, Daenerys became very stagnant. Daenerys’ theme on s7 starts with Dragonstone: it sounds like the accomplishment of Daenerys. She’s back home, she’s where she thinks she belongs, everything that is Daenerys is here, with a part of “accomplishment” and excitment that is added to the whole lot. Daenerys is home, and we have the flute coming back for that: Daenerys at her basis, the flute playing while she walks around the beaches at Dragonstone for the very first time, reminiscent of the baby she was when she was born here. And then we have the voices swelling again, reminding us of the woman she has become: when she sees the Red Doors, which are a big goal to book!Dany even tho it was never expressed from show!Dany. And then we have this amazing piece where she’s walking to her Destiny, and it stops when she reaches the Throne. The Unburnt, Queen, Khaleesi theme comes back. She’s, symbolically, steps away from her Throne, her final goal. Her lifelong dream. The spoils of War basically has Daenerys’ horns symbolic of her Dragons. It is kinda the stuff of nightmare in this soundtrack, but mostly when it’s seen from a Lannisters perspective. If I were to say “there was a foreshadowing of Mad!Queen Dany” I’d say it’s this piece of music, that did a better job to kinda “announce it” or make us fear for it, than the writing of the show ever did. It still has notes of victorious Dany, but this time, it’s over the ashes of things we know: the Lannisters theme and even tho we can freely hate Cersei, by this point of the story, she has detached herself from her usual “Lannisters theme” and became more of an “independant” person. So yeah, the Lannisters theme here is mostly about Jaime and hearing these two sounds clashing has something of a tragedy. She has a theme she shares with Jon: it’s called Truth and everyone knows which one it is, lol. It plays when they sleep together. The cello is back, proeminent in this theme: it’s a thing both Jon as a Stark and Dany from her original theme have in common. It has the three “magical notes” as I call these coming from Daenerys theme, and the “swelling” of Jon’s theme coming from his House Stark heritage. It’s basically the clashing, body and soul of Jon Snow and Daenerys- not really as representative of their Houses, but as people. Like Rhaegar and Lyanna. That’s why there isn’t “more notes” of House Stark and House Targaryen themes. It’s about Jon and Daenerys as people, not truly about their House or their name. This soundtrack has a variation in See You for What you Are which plays during their 7x06 scene and during their 7x04 scene in the cave. Now as for s8 since I can’t say I really comprehend Dany’s journey, it’s really hard to say. What I could see as a soundtrack really related to Dany on s8 is “The Bells” - and yes, it’s THAT far. It’s basically the music playing during Dany’s downfall. The pure lack of foreshadowing during all this time could be transcribed through that as well: we have no soundtrack, up until this point, kind of implying Daenerys going mad. Nothing telling us that Daenerys is “turning” from what we’ve seen of her so far, for 7 seasons. And again, it’s not totally about Daenerys for a very long time; it’s mostly a countdown with a music swelling and swelling for dramatic purpose. And then around the middle of the track you have this tragic, almost war cry, last “scream” of hope, that dies slowly as Daenerys “turns mad” and these three “magical notes” that were so symbolic of Daenerys so far, are dying and are becoming more and more distorted by the music swelling and swelling. That’s really symbolic of some kind of madness, of rage, of “power” taking over Daenerys and who she’s been so far: again, an amazing piece, far better than the writing of the season itself. And it merges into “the Last War” which is basically, the horror. And it’s basically everything Daenerys has been the symbolic of for so long, being turned “dark”, all her victories being reduced to something very very dark where there is no victory, no hope, the voices don’t swell. It’s really about how Daenerys’ force as a character becomes more destructive than liberative. And then when the voices rise and the music explodes, it’s all about horror more than anything heroic. The thread of Daenerys’ character is still here and everything turns to ashes: her goals, everything she’s stood for. We hear the French horns but they’re symbolic of destruction and despair here. We hear her Dothraki theme but it’s not strong in the sense of victory. It’s strong as in “stepping on everyone else”. The “ah ah ahhhhhs” are no longer going up, they’re going down. That’s basically Dany’s downfall. And apparently Ramin has chosen to turn Daenerys from Mhysa, Mother of Dragons, as “Master of War” because this theme is for her as well. Thank you, Ramin, for not calling it “the Mad Queen” or whatever bullshit. And this one is a very sad theme: we do hear all of Daenerys’ “core values” but all of it is twisted by the same “dark effect” we hear in the Last War. Following Dany’s downfall through the soundtrack is actually very sad. The same instruments are used, but not with the same “impact”, Daenerys’ essence is twisted. And what do we have at the end of it? A lament. A lament because Daenerys as we knew her and loved her, is dead here. She was dead before Jon stabbed her. And the lament sings the notes that were before, so representative of Dany the hero, Dany liberating people in the right way. Really, it’s heartbreaking. She touches the Throne, she’s THERE, she’s won, but she’s lost herself in doing so. And the music is not victorious, it’s not hateful, it’s not “evil”, it’s tragic. Ramin doesn’t want you to hate Daenerys with these themes, he wants you to mourn for her.In her final moments of love and trust - after everything - with Jon, it’s “Be with me” that plays, and we have some of Daenerys’ “light” coming back, swelling, before DYING. Really dying, because Jon kills her at that moment. The flute came back, symbolic of Daenerys’ long lost innocence, who she was when she started this journey on 1x01. Again, no hatred, no destruction, no “evil Queen”: Daenerys is a tragic hero, whose flame is killed, like that. The swelling comes back on The Iron Throne for Drogon’s grief, Drogon coming for his Mother, but the Mother of Dragons’ theme is tragic here too. Drogon has lost his Mother. Really, whatever shit D&D did to her, this soundtrack is an ode of love to Daenerys and it’s really beautiful- I think I said it 500 times already. The way Daenerys’ final piece explodes with sadness and tragedy. She’s not a monster, she was not “the enemy”, the world destroyed her (I would even say the world of MEN destroyed her) and that’s what Ramin Djawadi wants us to remember of her. In the additional pieces, we have “Stay for a Thousand Years” that is about Daenerys. Now yes, it has the “Truth” vibes, that could have us believe that it’s about Jon and Daenerys. BUT, the lyrics are the Mhysa’s song lyrics. It’s Valyrian, and everything Valyrian is 100% without a doubt, related to Daenerys. It’s about Daenerys. Daenerys is also the one voicing her desire to “Stay here for a Thousand Years” on the show, when they reach the cascades with Jon. This theme is about how Daenerys died for love, how tragic it ultimately is. It’s about how what could have been of Daenerys had they stayed there for a Thousand Years like Daenerys wanted at some point, when she was sky high, happy and in love with a man who wasn’t a threat to her. No, this song is not about Jon, it’s about an “ideal” of Daenerys that died when war came and duty came, and ultimately tore Daenerys down: she lost love, she lost faith, she lost her core duty as a savior and a hero. It’s really a mourning piece for Daenerys’ character as a whole, the woman she was before she fell from grace and became… whatever D&D wrote her to be in the end. And that’s totally my interpretation, but the fact that these lyrics, about Daenerys the savior, Daenerys the hero, being sung over a melody that is called TRUTH is a way for Ramin to say who Daenerys truly was. She was not “the evil Queen all along” like HBO and D&D and the actors are trying to have us believe right now. She was a hero for a very long time, and that’s how she should be remembered. All that to say that as you can hear through all of this, the Dany related themes all have the same… “back bone”, the same vibes, the same identity. And that’s how you can tell a certain theme is about a certain character.TLDR; probably a wayyyy too long answer to a question that probably didn’t require that much. But I love Ramin Djawadi’s music too much not to dive into it, especially when it’s about Daenerys so *shrugs* it’s a whole journey. Djawadi’s entire music dedicated to Daenerys is a journey. Each character had an identity in the music itself, and that’s what makes it so powerful. It’s not about the moments, it’s about the characters, and them morphing and changing and evolving. The music, as the story, follows them. Because ultimately, as I say that a lot of times, the story should be about the characters and not the other way around. What drives the story and everything around it, are the characters. It shouldn’t be shock value or plot twists, or the story over the characters. That’s what tanked GoT in the last two seasons (at least, if not more for some characters like Stannis or the Sand Snakes, for example) in my mind. How the characters became simpler and simpler (or extras, like Jon on s8) while the story tried to become what it wasn’t meant to be.

[duncanbarker-blog]

As recent converts to the joys of Harry Potter (and theme park fans), we couldn’t miss Universal Studios Japan on our visit to Osaka. While wandering through the magical Harry Potter World was the highlight of our day, we also rode the scariest rollercoaster we’ve ever been on and discovered many more fun attractions.

Universal Studios Japan is well worth a day if you are in Osaka. It’s easily accessible from the city, and the large park (much bigger than Universal Singapore) has plenty to keep you busy all day.

Top Tip: Book your tickets in advance with official partner Voyagin to avoid long queues on the day. The park gets very busy (even in February when we visited) so it’s worth paying extra for an Express Pass.

In this post we share the best Universal Studios Japan rides for adults and older kids as well as tips on avoiding queues, how to get there, the best place to buy tickets, and much more to make the most of your day.

Top Universal Studios Japan Rides and Attractions

1) Exploring The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter was our favourite area at Universal Studios Japan. To get there you walk down a long pathway lined with pine trees (past the car that Ron crashed!), so it feels separate from the rest of the park, like you are entering another world.

Ron’s crashed car on the path to Harry Potter World

Entering Hogsmeade

Even if you don’t go on one of the two rides here, it’s a joy to wander the snowy cobbled streets of a perfectly recreated Hogsmeade village.

You can shop for wands at Ollivanders, jokes at Zonko’s and sweets at Honeydukes and have a pint of butterbeer in the Hog’s Head or Three Broomsticks. The warm butterbeer on a cold day was delicious (if very sweet).

Simon drinking butterbeer on the terrace of the Three Broomsticks

You can also take a photo next to the Hogwarts Express, see owls waiting to deliver mail in the owlery, and send letters with a Hogsmeade postmark in The Owl Post.

Most spectacular of all is Hogwarts Castle perched on rocks overlooking the village.

Note that Harry Potter World does get very busy and at peak times you’ll need a timed entry ticket to visit. You can pick these up in the park for free but they can run out, so to be on the safe side, buy an Express Pass in advance.

Luckily this wasn’t necessary in February (although it still felt crowded), and we were able to visit twice—it’s particularly lovely at sunset.

2) Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey

Hogwarts Castle

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey is the main attraction in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and the most popular ride in the whole park. It takes place inside Hogwarts Castle, and I enjoyed the walk through the castle seeing Dumbledore’s office, classrooms, and talking paintings (in Japanese!) as much as the ride itself.

It’s a 3D ride but glasses aren’t needed as you are immersed in the world of Hogwarts, taking part in a Quidditch game, feeling the heat of a dragon’s fire on your face, and even getting spit at by giant spiders. It’s an exhilarating experience with fantastic effects. It did trigger my motion sickness, but it was worth the nausea and I recovered quickly.

The other ride in Harry Potter World is Flight of the Hippogriff which is aimed at kids and didn’t seem worth the 65-minute wait when we were there.

3) Wand Magic

The other thing we loved doing in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter was Wand Magic where we cast our own spells!

This might not be for everyone as you first have to buy a magical wand from one of the stores, but for big Harry Potter fans it’s worth it, and you end up with a beautifully created souvenir.

There are five points around the village where you can perform spells—you get a map with your wand and can also look for the bronze medallions on the floor that show the spell. There are teachers available to help you out.

Armed with Hermione’s wand, I used the Incendio spell to light a chimney (after an embarrassing number of failed attempts!) and another to make it snow down a back alley. It’s a lot of fun and really added to the experience.

Of course, the most authentic place to purchase your wand is Ollivanders, but there’s usually a 10–15 minute wait to get in. You can also buy the magic wands at other stores in the area. Make sure you get the special magic wand and not the regular wands which you can’t use for spells.

To go the whole hog, you could also buy a Hogwarts gown and scarf from the stores, but this (including wand) would set you back about $250. The scarfs and wands are more reasonable than the gowns (Simon bought a Gryffindor scarf for about $40). As we were on a press trip they lent us a gown for the day.

4) Despicable Me Minion Mayhem

Despicable Me Minion Mayhem is the second most popular ride in the park and has long queues. This fairly new ride (opened in 2017) is located in the fun, colourful Minion Park and is another immersive 3D simulator ride without glasses using a giant dome screen.

The whole experience is about 25 minutes as there’s a long intro video (with English subtitles) that adds to the context. The ride itself is narrative heavy, and although we couldn’t follow the Japanese, we got the general idea, and it’s still a fun experience as you bounce around a giant factory on your way to becoming a Minion.

Unfortunately, this is another ride that’s not great for those with motion sickness.

5) The Flying Dinosaur

Oh my—The Flying Dinosaur is intense! It’s the scariest rollercoaster we’ve ever been on, and it was brilliant fun!

It’s located in Jurassic Park and the idea is that an out-of-control Pteranodon seizes you from behind and pulls you high into the sky. This means that once you’ve sat down, your seat is turned 90 degrees towards the floor so that you are facing straight down. There is nothing between your face and the ground far below!

The ride is so fast and disorientating that I don’t remember exactly what happened, but it involved multiple 360º inversions, many twists and turns, and an underground section. It’s a crazy, cool and unique ride that’s not to be missed by thrill-seekers.

6) Hollywood Dream – The Ride

The Hollywood Dream rollercoaster passes through the streets of Hollywood

If you prefer your rollercoasters slightly less terrifying, then Hollywood Dream is for you. It’s a smooth, non-inverting, high-speed coaster with some stomach dropping ramps and vertical drops.

I love that you can choose from one of five songs as your personal soundtrack—I went for Michael Jackson’s Bad. It’s a very fun ride.

You can also ride the same coaster backwards on Hollywood Dream – The Ride (Backdrop), but unfortunately it was closed when we visited.

7) The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man

This award-winning attraction is a dark ride that combines a moving vehicle with 4K3D images (you wear glasses) and immersive elements where you feel the heat and water from the villains firing at you.

It can cause motion sickness, but if that doesn’t affect you, you won’t want to miss this one.

8) Jurassic Park – The Ride

Jurassic Park is a mostly gentle water ride through a park filled with dinosaurs. There’s a huge and fun drop at the end where you may get wet (especially in the front row).

We bought ponchos (400 yen) just in case as we didn’t want to risk getting wet on a cold day. There are also lockers available (100 yen which gets returned to you).

In winter this was one of the easiest rides to get on, but I imagine it’s busier in the summer.

9) JAWS

JAWS was temporarily closed when we visited, but we would have liked to have gone on this. What starts as a leisurely boat tour of Amity Harbour becomes more thrilling when a gigantic man-eating shark appears.

10) Space Fantasy/ Lupin the Third

Space Fantasy is a spinning rollercoaster where you journey through space. From 19th January to 23rd June 2019 it is relaunched as Lupin the Third Car Chase XR as part of the Universal Cool Japan 2019 event which celebrates Japanese characters. This 3D rollercoaster features characters from Lupin the Third on a high-speed car chase. 

Universal Studios Japan Tickets

Universal Studios Japan is a very busy park throughout the year, so we highly recommend booking your tickets in advance to avoid the ticket queues on the day.

English speakers can’t book on the official website, so you need to use one of their partner agencies like Voyagin (who we’ve used for other activities in the past).

A one day ticket costs from 7,400 yen ($66) with higher prices at peak times. You may also want to pay extra for an express pass (see below).

Check Universal Studios Japan ticket prices at Voyagin here.

Is a Universal Studios Japan Express Pass Worth It?

Even though we visited in the winter, Universal Studios Japan is probably the busiest theme park we’ve visited (yes, even busier than Disney). The park features many major attractions that you won’t want to miss, but they all have very long queue times from as soon as the park opens.

You could get on a few rides quickly at the start of the day if you arrive early, but you won’t be able to do everything without waits of at least an hour and usually much longer.

Unfortunately there isn’t a free queue jump system like Disney’s FastPass, so the only way to guarantee to get on everything without long waits is buying an Express Pass, which can cost more than the entrance ticket.

Express Passes can sell out, so it’s best to purchase them in advance when you buy your ticket from Voyagin. They are usually available 2–3 months ahead.

Some Express Passes were still available to buy within the park when we visited in February, but in high season they are likely to be sold out.

It’s rather confusing as there are many different passes depending on which rides you can use them on and prices vary depending on the date. Make sure your pass at least includes Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.

The best pass is the “Express Pass 7 – The Flying Dinosaur” which includes all the major rides, but it costs at least 9500 yen ($85) and at peak times can be 19,250 yen ($173) or more. 

A cheaper option from 8200 yen ($74) is the “Express Pass 4”, but you have to choose between versions that include The Flying Dinosaur or the Minion ride. 

Voyagin publishes this handy Express Pass demand spreadsheet with the prices of the various passes on different dates. This will also give you a good idea of the busiest days in the park which you should try to avoid.

Note that the Express Pass will give you timed entry for the most popular rides.  

See the range of Express Passes on the Voyagin website here.

VIP Wristband and Harukas 300 Entrance

Instead of the Express Pass, you could buy the VIP Wristband for 3850 yen ($35) which gets you into the park slightly earlier through a special entrance.

You have to pick up the wristband from the Harukas 300 observatory one to five days before you visit Universal Studios Japan. It includes entry to Harukas 300 which is well worth visiting for stunning views over the city.

We recommend visiting Harukas 300 just before sunset so you can see the sunset as well as the city lit up at night and the light shows that take place in the evening. We enjoyed tasty pineapple soft serve ice cream topped with crunchy pineapple candy at the cafe and there’s also a restaurant that looked lovely (not vegetarian-friendly though).

See our guide to visiting the Abeno Harukas 300 observatory.

Light show in the restaurant area of Harukas 300

Example Queue Times

If you’re not sure whether an express pass is worth it or not, here are some queue times that we noted during our visit in February (off-season) when the park opened at 9 am:

10.15am Minion Ride – 80 minutes

11 am Spider Man – 50 minutes

12 pm Harry Potter – 120 minutes

12.15pm Flight of the Hippogriff – 65 minutes

12.30pm Hollywood Dream – 60 minutes

3 pm Flying Dinosaur – 190 minutes

3.30pm Jurassic Park – 30 minutes

View of the Hollywood Dream ride from the lake

Universal Studios Japan Opening Hours

Universal Studios Japan usually opens from 8.30am or 9 am until 8 or 9 pm. See the calendar to check the hours (and ride closures) for the date you are visiting. 

You should arrive at least 30 minutes before the official opening to get into the park as quickly as possible and head straight to either Harry Potter, the Flying Dinosaur or the Minion ride.

How to Get to Universal Studios Japan

It’s easy to get to Universal Studios Japan by train from central Osaka and shouldn’t take more than 30 minutes. Universal City Station is only a 5-minute walk from the park. To get here, you’ll likely need to change at Nishikujo station and transfer to the JR Yumesaki Line (also known as JR Sakurajima Line).

For example, from Namba Station take the Hanshin Namba Line to Nishikujo then change there for Universal City Station. This will cost about 360 yen and you can use your ICOCA card which is the easiest way to pay for transport in Osaka.

You can use Google Maps or Hyperdia to find the route from your nearest station. 

Us at Hogwarts Castle

Hotels Near Universal Studios Japan

Universal Studios Japan is easily reachable from central Osaka, but if your trip is focused on the park it would be convenient to stay in one of these hotels just a few minutes walk away:

The Park Front Hotel at Universal Studios Japan – The newest official hotel and the closest one to the park gates. It has large rooms (unusual for Japan) and lots of amenities. My top pick. 

Hotel Universal Port – Comfortable rooms, sea views and a great location. 

Hotel Universal Port Vita – Funky, colourful rooms (some with sea views) and an ideal location. 

La’gent Hotel Osaka Bay – A good budget option. Rooms are small but clean and it’s still walkable to the park. 

Food At Universal Studios Japan

Simon with his Minion popcorn and cookie sandwich

Bringing food and beverages into the park is prohibited, but it’s unlikely they’ll check your bag and it might be a good idea for vegetarians to bring a few rice balls as meat-free options are limited.

Vegetarians can enjoy plenty of sweet treats though. We loved:

Salted caramel banana popcorn from the POP-A-NANA stand in Minion Park. You can even buy a souvenir bucket.

Cookie sandwiches from Despicable Me! The Cookie Kitchen. The chocolate orange one was especially tasty (500 yen/$4.50).

Chocolate cakes at Beverly Hills Boulangerie. There are lots to choose from, but the chocolate fondant with a hot melting middle was delicious.

Butterbeer at Three Broomsticks. It’s got to be done! The cold version is fizzier, but the warm one was better on a chilly day. You could probably share as it’s very sweet. There are great views of the castle from the terrace out the back.

Savoury vegetarian options are much more limited:

The Fossil Fuel stand in Jurassic Park World has waffle style french fries with avocado and salsa topping for 500 yen ($4.50).

Azzurra di Capri, a table service restaurant, has a vegetarian pizza. Go early to get a table.

Three Broomsticks has a vegetarian menu, but you have to ask staff for it (and it took them a while to find it!). The vegetarian set menu includes salad, grilled corn on the cob, fries, warmed vegetables, and granola for 1750 yen ($16). They said they could also do a vegetable curry, but it would take 30 minutes.

Park Side Grille, a table service steak restaurant, is listed on the map as having a vegetarian menu, but there are no meat-free options on their regular menu so you would need to ask.

Shopping

Simon in a unicorn hat at the It’s So Fluffy shop

If you plan to do any shopping, bring your passport as you can then shop tax-free if you spend over 5000 yen.

There are many options for souvenirs in the park. Our favourites were in Harry Potter World and It’s So Fluffy which is full of cute fluffy unicorns from Despicable Me.

Summary

Universal Studios Japan is a fun day out in Osaka with the magical Harry Potter World and some seriously thrilling rollercoasters and unique 3D simulators. It is a very popular park, so do make sure you avoid peak times, book tickets in advance, and either buy an Express Pass or prepare to queue.

If you are theme park nuts like us, you might also want to read our posts on our favourite Universal Studios Singapore rides and Tokyo DisneySea rides. 

Many thanks to Universal Studios Japan and Voyagin who hosted us at the park.

If you enjoyed this post, pin it!

[crying-axolotl]

20 questions

I was tagged by @narika-a (i love herrr ヾ(o✪‿✪o)ｼ ) Thank you for tagging me and doing your awesome writing!!! (ily even if youre on semi-hiatus) (っ˘̩╭╮˘̩)っ

Rules: answer 20 questions and tag 20 blogs youd like to know better

Name: Dom

Nickname (oh god, here we go): Dalai Lama, Dominican Republic, Dominoes, Little Diddle, Fucker ect.

 Gender: Girlie Worlie

Star Sign: Aquarius

Time right now: 9:30 AM

Last Thing I Googled: Revenge of the Starfish (unless u mean this literally but it was just music)

Height: 4′7″ (144cm) (i know, i get shit all the time)

Favorite Bands (im gonna include solo artists bc if not this is rlly hard): Yelows mob, Block B, VIXX, Ravi, UNIQ, Jay Park, MADTOWN, Dumbfoundead, BTS, Marianas Trench, Zico, Mino, ikon, seventeen, Herbal T, WAX, Hopsin, JubyPhonic, Monstercat, Sam Hart, Monsta X (???kinda???), Exo-K, KID SISTER, Little Mix, NCT, eastie Boys, RUN DMC, Twice, Rich Chigga,  then lots of random stuff like video game soundtracks.

Last Movie I watched: Zootopia/Songs From The North

When Did You Create Your Blog: Shit bro liiiiike 5 years ago sooo 2011

What Do You Post: Actually, I’m never rlly active anymore. I only use it to read fanfic and read kpop scenarios. Occasionally i’ll reblog those but I dunno rlly.

When Did Your Blog Reach It’s Peak?: I mean, I guess it peaked when i actually used it. It only started going down because i stopped using it.

Do You Have Any Other Blogs?: yeah actually, one was a kpop snap thing for block b and the other was pure venting. @snapping-bees @candied-icecream both are inactive ofc

Do You Get Asks Regularly?: Nope, and im kinda glad, I don’t realize when I do get them. Like this right now, I didnt realize i was tagged in this until last night.

Why Did You Choose Your URL?: It used to be raging-otaku which was me making fun of myself bc i rlly like anime before kpop, but this one was bc i lly like axolotls and sadness is such a delicate feeling and idk i like being vulnerable sometimes and crying is nice so idk i just, idk i just rlly like angst i guess. i used to feel melancholy all the time too. im just a sad person in general. shits tough i guess. idk. im happy i promise ｡ﾟ(TヮT)ﾟ｡

Following (oh god) : 2,208 I just think everyone posts good shit ok dont judge

Posts: 37,280  (ง ˙o˙)ว

Hogwarts House: I have no idea, i was never even slightly into harry potter. uhm, i go with the blue one bc i like blue. or green, green is good too.  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Pokemon Team: Mystic, I never rlly payed though. i played pokemon go for like half a day. That was it.

Favorite Colors: Blue, Green, Silver, and Teal. I LOOOOOvE TEAL, to me its like a mix of all three of those. Oh and brown!!!! brown is so under appreciated!! I also like most colors. I’m just not about yellow. I want to like yellow but i just dont.

Average Hours of Sleep: uhm, around 5. I go to bed around 10 pm, wake up between 3-5 am. so like go to sleep: wake up, 10pm-12 / 3-5am

Lucky Numbers: 43!!!!!!!! (it was “my” number in school)

Fav Characters: Shit bro, uhhh, Tsukishima Kei/Yamaguchi Tadshi, Usami Akihiko, Lee Kang Hoon (Noble My, Love), and literally everyone from Coffee Prince oh my god. I love them so much  (Ō̥̥̥̥̥̥̥ ԑ Ō̥̥̥̥̥̥̥ ૢ)

How Many Blankets do you sleep with:  one comforter! (and 2 pillows)

What I’m wearing right now: Wow! You caught me not wearing spandex for once!!!! Im wearing short shorts right now, with a band tee. a band i never listened to but this design is cool af. Muse.

Dream Job: let’s not talk about it. maybe a dancer of some sort.

Dream Trip: let’s not talk about it.

I taaaaaaaaaaaag: @eggwaifu @oppamansae @zerodelta @xion-snow @hyperbolic-alcoholic @burnt-toasty @bubblestxt @ jmihelic and the admins of @idolized-scenarios and @bts-got7-snaps if they have free time

Ok it’s rlly hard to tag ppl, so im stopping here, if anyone else wants to do it please do! dont hesitate! be sure to tag me so i can see it ( ˘ ³˘)♥

[warnerhort7273-blog]

Sports Ways to Opt for The Right Mtb

Some folks simply have the urge to go up and also up. If you are actually giving gifts to a climber, listed here are actually a handful of mountain range, ice and rock going up gift ideas. More often than not, managing a dependable bike outlet is actually more crucial than sparing a couple of bikes. Sizing Mt. Dulang-Dulang is logistically tough, according to expert climbers. Mountain bikes are a wonderful method in order to get outdoors, exercise and also knowledge nature. In this particular category you will definitely be actually going up to the ₤ 600- ₤ 1200 mark so as to get hold from a specialist mountain bike along with premium quality components. Having said that, for several western individuals, Yellow Hill could seem unfamiliar with them. The target market makes an extra, identical, soundtrack, with cumulative gasps, sighs from alleviation as well as, when the accomplishments from daring verge on puzzling, distrustful amusement (video footage from the mountain biker Danny MacAskill on Scotland's Cuillin Ridgeline possesses everybody guffawing). One activity that requires a fair bit from hill sporting activities gear is actually climbing up as a result of the several parts from security equipment involved. When assuming about mountain mountaineering is actually the threat of dropping, the very most evident threat that springs to mind. The dayhikers found at the hill through electronic cameras, while the mountain climbers prepared noodles and talked about weather reports. You can easily rent jet skis and bikes to travel around the isle, or publication omitted water-sport trips at the lodging. However the warm was not the only aspect from the lava that the factors had covered from our company. I grabbed a little twig as well as came close to the feet from the dark pile that had sprung from scratch of the mountain. Mountain climbers should ensure to bring correct help, as well as to gauge the degree of air that they take along with all of them to continue to be risk-free. They are qualified to acknowledge the indicators from altitude sickness and also the mountain is actually no spot to have odds with your health. Keep in mind that specifically recumbent exercise bikes are actually hefty as well as sizable, so this could be both difficult and costly to return them. The higher elevation, very early snow hurricanes, and also snow production equipment may help skiers obtain an early begin in these hotels. Although exercise bikes are rather just tools, several of them may receive raucous after a couple of months. That has 3 volcanic cones, two of them being actually died out while the 3rd one, Kibo, is the acme on the mountain as well as is actually inactive. Where you choose to develop your mountain range vacation is completely up to you but a lot of programmers have currently had the hunch job out from it. Yet back to subject matter and how attaining your primary goal in lifestyle will really feel like climbing a mountain range. Bicycle riders targeting to participate in downhill mountain range bicycling must make on their own mentally and also physically prepared to experience the challenges related to this task. There are actually adapters that can be made use of to help in cross-compatibility, however not all brakes deal with all bikes. Even when you and also your loved ones have your own street bikes, this's worth taking into consideration choosing mountain bikes for a handful of days from your vacation so that you can easily discover some of the numerous exciting off-road bike routes across France. As our experts were sending out our thanks to as well as affection from the volcano, the mountain erupted once again with a surge twice as higher as the volcano itself. Some of the primary benefits from riding a mountain bike often is actually that so as to use your bike you make use of several of largest muscular tissues in the physical body which in turn will certainly burn off body fat quickly. MEGABYTES is actually a sport for all ages for each ladies and also guys as well as even more courageously females are showing up in mountain range biking. This is actually one advantage that bikes have over horses: they are actually not going to stand there hungry, cold and also whinnying waiting on you to have a shower when you come back; nor perform you have to see to their needs while you're hungry, tired and chilly - or bleeding. This is actually 2,178 from breathtaking wilderness through the far eastern United States, beginning at Springer Hill in Georgia and moving south right to Mount Katahdin in Maine. Reduce the speed from your following holiday through taking into consideration a mountain cabin for rent. Along with mountain bikes, that is actually ordinary for individuals to update parts once they end up being an extra reputable rider therefore, this is vital to obtain a top quality structure on which to construct. Their major enthusiasm is certainly the Whistler Blackcomb Bike Playground in Canada, where cyclists may rent out Kona bikes. You can easily additionally open up a weather chart from any sort of mountain range peak webpage - this will certainly show you that specific peak setting as well as other primary mountain ranges in the region. Thinking about the narrow streets from the country and its roughness, the autos experts have actually regularly looked at bikes as one of the most effective car for quick range trips for a hassle-free flight. Downhill mountain biking is a well-known kind of hill biking activity where the cyclist experiences downhill on his mountain bicycle. For more about yellow pages residential directory uk (sano-obiettivipervoi.info) visit our own page. A hill cabin for rental fee will certainly ensure that no person interrupts your premium time keeping that loved one. Our company take pride in ourselves on providing terrific market value outside gear and also at Hill Storehouse you may be certain to get truthful advice off our educated personnel. The elevation is actually the most significant concern to mountain climbers, that definitely must hang out to season, however no exclusive equipment is needed to climb up the mountain as this possesses no continuing to be icecaps. Those who presume downhill mountain biking to be as very easy as biking on usual smooth streets or even riding in ratty country bicycling are actually totally unaware. When learning about mountain range panels, you'll discover that there are plenty of choices around to decide on, so take your time and also acquire one that accommodates your riding style as well as your body weight, then get riding! Grope Sans is actually a font developed through Bompas & Parr to accompany the UK launch of Grope Mountain. Bicycle riders who have experienced the sensation as well as higher from downhill mountain range cycling are actually consistently video game to get involved and care less for the threats included. Having said that, along with the much more latest technological breakthroughs in the method bikes are actually made, you are ensured to become getting a fantastic bike whichever company you opt for. Up until our company came, hill athletes generally did their sporting activity" to qualify, and that sufficed to stand out. As several activity holidays for households consist of bikes, we are presuming the child has actually learnt simple riding abilities, consisting of harmonizing, ceasing, steering, pedalling and quick and easy remove capabilities, before attempting mountain cycling. The buddies were instrumental in resulting in the progression of the sporting activity in the United States as well as the bikes required to take pleasure in the activity. Downhill biking entails higher worry amounts and the cyclist has to constantly maintain management utilizing his bikes rear as well as front revocation while concurrently aiming to stabilize themselves and also the bike. You additionally possess the opportunity to climb Mt Kenya, which is actually the highest possible hill in Kenya. Dhaulagiri, the seventh highest hill top belongs to the Himalaya mountain chains. The tracks are a mix from Property Rover monitor goes up and also organic hill bicycling on marked paths.

[adamczykowy]

Journey. On this road. Where nobody else travels.

“I played this game and cried. I let my best friend play it while I was silently watching and he also cried. My wife teared up just hearing me describe the game and how the online component works through silent companionship. Make no mistake, this game is a unique experience and a true masterpiece.” - random YTB comment 

If you look at my blog, the inescapable fact is that I am a sunset lover, but I also (sometimes) play video games. One of them happens to be Journey - a short game-experience which tells you a lot about life.

I thought this title deserves a special mention, despite that I’ve never done a video game review in my life, I simply owe it to the game and its creators - thatgamecompany.

Also, funnily enough it’s the 5th anniversary of Journey, so now I have motivation to write this review.  

Let’s go back in time to 2012, Cracow. Just starting an afternoon shift at Empik ( well known by everyone in Poland ). It was the middle of summer, my friend who I used to work with, in the music, movie & video games department approaches. He tells me that there's this game which is going to be released later in the year, which I may be interested in. He then shows me Journey’s trailer:

To be honest with you, I don’t really know what I’m looking for in video games. Just to kill some spare time? A way to relax? Interaction with other people online? Problem solving? Exploration of exotic environments we wouldn't normal see? Or maybe to learn/understand something…? 

I remember the day when I played Journey for the very first time - a few days before Christmas, my friend bought the game and invited me for his first launch of Journey. Sitting on the floor, in a dark room, in the front of the big TV. Our Journey was about to start. We didn't know what to expect. 

You wake up completely alone. You don’t really know where to go and what to do in the first few minutes of the game. Your mesmerized by sandy hills, warm colors and beautiful ambient music in the background. You then realise, there is some sort of a horizon in the distance, which you have to reach. Intrigued, you walk towards the horizon, you see this glowing mountain in the distance and you immediately know that it is your destination. Also, you can sometimes notice a single spark coming out from the peak of the mountain, although you don’t understand what it is yet. You can only figure out that's the place you should be, so you head straight towards it!

Because it's a fairly short and simple game, you can pick up the controls very quickly. You learn very early on in the game, that collecting the flying pieces of cloth can make you jump for a longer period of time. There is also something magical happening to your scarf - if you collect tokens, your scarf get's longer and longer, meaning, you can charge it with the pieces of cloth for longer jumps. You start finding yourself fluidly floating across the desert, it gives you a sensation of absolute freedom. It is very relaxing too. You also discover that pressing one of the buttons make you glow, it looks like you're ‘tagged’ with your own symbol. Is it your name? You can hear a melodic tone, what is that for? Oh, it calls floating pieces of cloth to charge your scarf! The land is changing as you explore.  You travel from the desert, through temples, ending in caves. Everything is so beautiful you just want to stay in the moment forever. Visual effects in this game are just a pure ‘chef d'oeuvre’. I usually tend to play during the evening when it gets dark, so I can focus on the visual details better. I can really feel that I’m in the dessert. Also I just thought - I don’t expect anything like Journey 2, but maybe some VR developers are reading this article? Not that I am suggesting anything :3. 

Your adventure is enjoyable, discovering tokens which make your scarf longer, solving puzzles to access new areas. Sometimes you just stand on the edge of a huge sandy dune to admire the view, breath taking.

And then… all of the sudden, you can spot the edge of your screen starting to gently glow, you turn around and you see someone. The same character. You discover that the same melodic tone you use to summon floating pieces of cloth can also be used for a way of communicating with other players. You don’t know who the other player is, you can’t see their username, anything apart their own symbol. You are not alone anymore. Someone wants to experience the journey with you - waiting to help if you struggle to jump on to a rocky platform, show you interesting places and keep you a company. 

In my opinion this is one of the greatest elements of the game.

They don’t know anything about you and you don’t know anything about them, but you still grow to care for each other. Without any extended communication (dialogues, speech), you communicate with someone in the simplest possible level, and you understand each other perfectly. And believe me or not, but you will never forget the time spent with your companion. No matter how many times you will be playing the game. 

I’ve read some people’s comments on the web and my heart shed a tear:

“At the end when I had played for 3-4 hours with the same player and we finally reach the top of the mountain and we know its about to end so we sit at the top for a minute with each other and drawing hearts in the snow before letting each other go, that was a moment I will never forget, then watching the credits roll with this song and its all over.” - SpartanUruk

“I remember the first time I played. I got to the snowy area and met a similarly lost soul, as we both hid from the giant flying worm things. Then we reached the final stretch, saw the mountain. We were getting weaker. Then I saw them fall. And I collapsed next to them. I never felt anything like that sense of hopelessness in any other game. I lost them on my way to the top. I hope they had a good one. That experience was beautiful.” -  Dayne Fishwick 

It also makes you realize that as much as a single-journey is a beautiful experience, it is good to have someone by your side. Someone who will understand you, without telling a single word and keep you company - while sand surfing or keeping you warm during the tremendous snow storm.

I haven’t mentioned the music in detail yet. The soundtrack has been written by Austin Wintory and to be honest, it's a journey of its own. You would need to experience the game for yourself to truly understand it, but even as standalone music - it's a masterpiece. I listen to it again and again:

https://austinwintory.bandcamp.com/album/journey

So, you eventually reach the peak of the mountain, and as much as I want to share what it is all about, I just can’t. I think you should experience it on your own, I don’t want to give any spoilers away, that would be unfair. The only thing I’m going to share is the lyrics of the song at the end of the game. Each verse of the song is a phrase taken from various poems from all around the world… (How cool is that ?) 

Stat sua cuique dies To each his day is given (Latin, Aeneid)

Stat sua cuique dies To each his day is given (Latin, Aeneid) Mæl is me to feran (Maél is mé tó féran) 'Tis time that I fare from you (Old English, Beowulf)

Aleto men moi nostos (ὤλετο μέν μοι νόστος) I gain from our time here (Greek, Illiad)

Aleto men moi nostos (ὤλετο μέν μοι νόστος) I gain from our time here (Greek, Illiad)

C'est pour cela que je suis née I was born for this (French, Joan of Arc) Kono michi ya (この道や) On this road (Japanese, Matsuo Bashô haiku)

Yuku hito nashi ni (行く人なしに) Where nobody else travels (Japanese, Matsuo Bashô haiku)

Kono michi ya (この道や) On this road (Japanese, Matsuo Bashô haiku) Aki no kure (秋のくれ) Autumn Nightfall (Japanese, Matsuo Bashô haiku)

C'est pour cela que je suis née I was born for this (French, Joan of Arc)

Ne me plaignez pas Do not pity me (French, Joan of Arc)

C'est pour cela que je suis née I was born for this (French, Joan of Arc)

I want to believe the purpose of video games is more than just entertainment. And most people will not see it this way. Society very often sights computer games as a source of violence and nothing more than wasting time. Also mainstream media pictures video games as the lowest form of art. Journey proves that they are wrong. This particular title pushes the boundaries of what a video game can convey in the respect of visual effects, music, communication and gameplay. It’s amazing how every aspect of the game touches your mind and soul, very deeply. 

Even after reading this article, you may think you know what the game is going to be about, but believe me - you won't know until you experience it for yourself! 

Toodle-oo!