Even if you find yourself abandoned...
Journey offers an intimate form of storytelling through beautiful imagery and a perfect score. I encourage you to take your time and enjoy the ride. Some of the most thrilling moments are over too quickly, even when playing at a leisurely pace. This only encouraged me to play the game again. After my second time through I casually began a third game. I had to drag myself away from my PS3 at three in the morning. There is a beautifully integrated chapter select option for when you want to show someone something specifically amazing.
...a new player will come for you.
I offer a word of caution for budget gamers: Journey is a short game, especially for $15 dollars. The whole game can be completed in about two hours. My second playthrough took me an hour and a half. I wanted to rush through the title, just to see how fast it could be completed, but I was paired with a truly stellar co-op partner. I was obliged to explore more of the world than I had anticipated, and I was happier for it. A speed run should take less than an hour, but if speed is your goal, you're simply doing it wrong. I plan to really stop and smell the roses in my third playthrough.
Editor's Note: I believe players will get the most from Journey by going into the game with a completely fresh perspective. I didn't want to spoil anything. If you have a question about any of the more technical aspects of the game feel free to ask in the comments section or PM me. I will do my best to answer them.
Journey is exclusively available on the PlayStation Network.
Verdict
Co-Op Score
Overall
The Co-Op Experience: Journey has a unique style of online co-op. You may play with a stranger and experience the journey together.
Co-Optimus game reviews focus on the cooperative experience of a game, our final score graphic represents this experience along with an average score for the game overall. For an explanation of our scores please check our Review Score Explanation Guide.