Why Journey's last song was the hardest for Austin Wintory to compose

[@awintory]

I am so beyond honored by this, you have no idea. Clayton: no one has ever produced a look at my work on this level before and I am just speechless over how great the final result is. I could never thank you enough for all the care and detail you put in; it's insane to me that someone would go to those lengths over work I did (almost a decade ago!) and so I'm just overwhelmed with gratitude today

[@cremoir]

Journey is the game that made me to professionally study game as art and even pursue it as a career!! I lost count how many times I used Journey as a subject for my critical theory papers-about its amazing use of all art forms and how they blend together so well to convey emotion! Thank you so much for your work... I am still sad that I missed several MAGFests even though I actually live right there......

[@medomai]

I started crying just watching this video; Apotheosis is soul touching. I'm so happy that we got to see the background on this, and that you get to see how appreciated you are! Thank you, Austin!

[@KiwiBananaCat]

You deserve it. Your work on Journey is absolutely beautiful.

[@rinnterra]

thank you so much for making it. I've always loved your work and this soundtrack in particular defined a large part of my life for years. again, thank you

[@ezralaguna]

Love your work! Hope to hear more from you soon ;)

[@parkrangermoon2334]

Hot take: How Journey is a game that makes you comfortable with dying alone

[@awintory]

The best feedback anyone ever sent me about the game and its music said something like that. Insanely beautiful words you can read here if you're curious (Scroll to the bottom): medium.com/@awintory/the-real-reason-why-a0dd43c98c93

[@SerratedSkies]

I've always seen the ending of Journey as a celebration of helping others. Saying that if you spend your life making the world a better place, you can peace and fulfillment in that. And maybe by bettering the lives of others, you've formed connections with them that mean you're never truly alone in the world.

[@parkrangermoon2334]

Austin Wintory I deeply enjoyed this game when it came out, and I’ve been listening to the soundtrack consistently in the years that followed. It truly did move me in an amazing way that no other piece of art has before or since. You’ve created something wonderful, and personally it has helped me through times of pain and loss, and boosted me in times of great happiness. Thank you so much for this work

[@okofreak01]

@@awintory Thank you for sharing that read. It truly made my evening!

[@Horsehead147]

Or not dying alone. Even if there’s no companion with you in the game, there is the environment, the carpet creatures, the music. All things based on real life. And something important I learned from the game and the few times I had a companion in game...if you can only have one companion, be it a spouse, a sibling, a friend, a pet, whatever it is, that one companion can make the journey through life so much less lonely. One of my favorite parts, if you finish with a companion, is you are slowly walking side by side until eventually one of you is forced in front of the other due to the narrowness of the path and you become indistinguishable, one with the other. You become one. And there’s something to that imagery that feels right.

[@gambogelyght]

Turn on the captions. The last one says: "sustained cello note that would make an angel weep" I'm crying. How true.

[@catriziacat1756]

Don't forget the impossibly beautiful cello solo

[@sunflowers19100]

i just made your comment has 1k like, i am god

[@gambogelyght]

@@sunflowers19100 as if this has any significance to the course of the world...

[@avocadothecat]

It certainly made me weep... like every time I play the game

[@Horsehead147]

Whoever did captions nailed it

[@caitlinjopepe541]

My boyfriend has complained about how hard this song is on cello, hearing it was just as difficult to compose is some sort of justice

[@caustic1611]

vindiCATIOOOOON!!

[@awintory]

LOL amazing

[@caitlinjopepe541]

@@awintory justice aside, learning about your creative process was fascinating! Thank you for your art 😄

[@davidwilmot4630]

Do you know where he got the cello part for this? I'd love to be able to play this!

[@2dan4me97]

I didn't realize this was Polygon when I clicked on it and was expecting something about the band Journey thankfully this is at least 1,006 times better

[@OrbInDaFrame]

Same

[@harrylane4]

I was expecting 8 bit music theory

[@TripleGatan]

Journey's kinda good too tho

[@salimaa9209]

@@harrylane4 feels like something he would do.

[@necrocrunk]

its so good to see journey is still just as emotionally compelling and absolutely beautiful as it was when it released. ive played it over and over and over, and never once have i gotten tired of it. its such a beautiful game, and the relationship between the music and the gameplay... that dynamic is so important. it adds that movielike quality, except you are the actor, and you're playing the main character. i dont think ive had an experience in a game like i have with journey, since ive played it. it is so uniquely amazing, and it wouldnt be anything close to what it is without the attention wintory paid to the soundtrack

[@weaselqueen220]

Dave Harley when was it released ?

[@necrocrunk]

electro_ swinger_07 march 2012! quite a bit ago. still stands the test of time in that respect

[@rcecile]

Do you still meet players online? I want to play this game, but I’m also nervous I won’t get the full experience because the game is so old.

[@necrocrunk]

@@rcecile im so very late to this, oof, but yes! every once in a while i hop on my ps4 and replay it, and i still see people playing every once in a while- though i will say it can be lonely since time has passed. the PC release was relatively recently, so you may have more luck on PC! (and this video may have kickstarted some old fans, so there may be a bigger player base since its come out.)

[@TheoPhysics495]

Fine I’ll listen to Apotheosis again, I haven’t cried in a while anyway.

[@peridotqueen26]

Same, even the short samples of music in this interview are making me cry =.] i'm glad i'm not alone

[@bekksplore4669]

All the tears

[@lindseys3708]

I have been meaning to play this game, still know nothing about it really, but I was even tearing up watching this in the break room at work. I cannot fathom how moving it is to play the game.

[@TheoPhysics495]

Lindsey Snoddy I hope you find time to play it soon, there is nothing like it. You’ll get the most out of it by just diving in with as little knowledge of the game as possible. If you have a way to play it I can highly recommend doing so!

[@calebv123]

Just the small snippets of the soundtrack used in the video *still* send chills down my spine. Just so good.

[@NickHunter]

lump in my throat the whole way through.. give me games like this all day

[@Zazelpire]

"FEEL THIS MOTHERFUCKER." is gonna be one of my new favorite things to say now.

[@jascharadziewski3803]

It's basically Gustav Mahler's motto in every single of his symphonies.

[@cyanideSnakeEater]

Well I'm crying again, thanks polygon

[@kw9719]

I love Claytons sense of humor, some of my favorite examples from the video are: *wink* Mutually Assured D'Art W R O N G His editing is so well done as well, i loved when he decolored the orchastra in order to highlight Tina Guo, it was really helpful!

[@flipppbook]

+

[@yuvalsela4482]

ok I'm stealing Mutually Assured D'art

[@AskForDoodles]

F E E L T H I S M O T H E R F U C K E R

[@DUHRIZEO]

Journey is one of the only games that has ever made ME as the player feel so many emotions. The silent story, wrapped in such a beautiful and dynamic soundtrack, has forever locked this experience in as an all time favorite. Thank you to all those who worked so hard on it!

[@Niffoni]

I only played Journey one time because that experience was so perfect. I met a companion in the early going, and we stayed together until a terrifying moment right in front of the gate when I thought I'd lost them, only to have them come chirping a few seconds behind me. We walked through shoulder to shoulder. I never wanted to launch the game again. It would have been wrong to go without them.

[@sallytaniguchi874]

Thanks for sharing your amazing story. I've tended to be a loner, so I played Journey offline on my own the first time. I loved the music and story so much that I play it occasionally, and it is interesting to see who I run into. Three times, the random user has been someone who has shown me how to access hidden areas of stages. Doing that without any text chat is amazing. When I played Journey last year, I ran into another user who was obviously a longtime player. They showed me a shortcut which I had never seen anywhere before. That was so special that I had a chill just now thinking about it. I enjoyed that run so much that I did record that playthrough so I can watch it myself for memory's sake.

[@xF3arl]

I love the juxtaposition of Polygon. You have a video like BDG's most cuddleable Mortal Kombat characters one day and then a meaningful thought provoking video like this the next and then just some friends playing a murder board game. I love this channel and I love your content and I love the people who are here. Thank you.

[@marv2507]

How dare you challenge the meaningfulness of ranking the cuddleability of MK characters... 😧

[@theonattrass2207]

"By the time I got to there I had it," Yeah that got a chuckle out of me

[@owRekssjfjxjxuurrpqpqss]

??

[@theonattrass2207]

@@owRekssjfjxjxuurrpqpqss 0:34

[@davisginn1298]

😂

[@frog_pogs]

bdg’s kingdom hearts unraveled is quaking at this hero’s journey

[@danieljohn9257]

When we re-awakened at the bottom of the mountain only to begin soaring towards the top, I always thought of it as our soul emerging from our body upon death, this bittersweet transcendency, and we pass through the gates of heaven as we reach the summit of the mountain. All at once, the music fades into a new beginning, an ending, everything and nothing.

[@dinolandra]

For me, it was like the culmination of the teaching of all the ancestors helping you to get to this place. Then you become an ancestor and guide the next player through the game and are reborn through them

[@peelsreklaw]

I think we climb that mountain over and over again in life. Each summit can give you a new grander perspective.

[@danieljohn9257]

@@peelsreklaw @dinolandra I like that, guys. More of an eternal reincarnation in which each time builds upon the last one. Really nice. And you guys each describe a different kind of reincarnation. First our soul grows wiser throughout life, which, in turn, helps the next souls by passing on the wisdom!

[@dinolandra]

@@danieljohn9257 it really is beautiful to think about. They put so much heart into this game

[@fairyhaven13]

I cry every time I play this game. My brother and Dad think I'm a sap, but I get so attached to the little wanderer and the music pulls me in so tightly, and by the end it's just softly saying, "You mad it. You did it. You can rest now, you can let go." The sheer effort it took to bring that musical feeling into existence only supports the feeling I get in turn. It's *meant* to make me feel that way. I love this game so much, I love how it's so connected with every little piece of it. Every texture you walk or glide on, every ray of light and reflection, every gradual gradient of color shifting to the next, and every note of music, is so specifically composted to carry you. It's such a precise science, and it's exactly what I mean when I tell people that art, and storywriting, and music, and video game creation, are all actual sciences.

[@stephgilliam]

I almost swiped away the notification for this because I thought, "Why would I care about the band Journey?"

[@annonimooseq1246]

Steph Gilliam I can’t believe you stopped believin’

[@crispwhite9068]

Don't stop beleeeevin🎶

[@Jillybean711]

Journey is a very special game to me. I've played it many times, and the fact the fandom is dying makes me very sad. The majority of players I encounter now only play it to get me to participate in their glitch escapades, which is not what the game is. Playing that game was one of the best decisions I've ever made. Through like 3 different playings of the game I've cried. One of the players i shared my journey with was Japanese, this is a game that transcends language, and countries. It helped me through the hard times. Thank you so much, Journey team, thank you.

[@ysaethwr]

I finally played for the first time yesterday and I loved it! I think that their new game Sky is inspiring new players to check out Journey. I played a couple times through yesterday and happened upon quite a few other people - the most memorable being a veteran player with a very fancy cloak and the white robes who stuck with me through the end, frantically beeping with me the whole way. I actually miss them! Haha!

[@Furiousa96]

He did an amazing job in composing this game’s music and as a result of the soundtrack it has become one of my favorite games. The final song always moves me.

[@ezrawyrd9275]

Hey Clayton I really appreciated the 'mutually assured d'art' joke

[@noellejones7164]

“the harp and viola represents your online friends” *bold of you assume i would ever be friends with a viola*

[@icetones6706]

ok violin

[@Bonsaijodelfisch]

@@icetones6706 this back and forth has restored my faith in humanity for the next 10 minutes

[@pallasproserpina4118]

I agree, but at least it’s not a violin

[@maiab-w8733]

@@pallasproserpina4118 hey! >:(

[@evilmarc]

lmao. I love stumbling across viola jokes

[@darlae6268]

Apotheosis is my favorite song from the OST! I love the story behind it- gives it a lot more meaning, especially remembering the song's climax and end.

[@swallowfox237]

Every time I watch a video about journey I cry. I haven't even played the damn game but it's just so powerful and the way everyone talks about it reminds me how beautiful art can be

[@davisginn1298]

Hey it’s only $7.50, I’d say go for it Misieur SwallowFox, It’s a truly beautiful and awesome experience!!

[@sallytaniguchi874]

You really should go for it now. Journey is available on most platforms, so you don't really have an excuse to not be playing it. Another reason why you should play the game is to hear the different themes which express different stages of the game.

[@ashareeoo]

God I loved this game and soundtrack. It still brings tears to my eyes! 😭

[@conansboy]

Still my favorite game of all time. I've made a personal tradition of replaying it again every New Year's Eve to bring in a new chapter.

[@awintory]

That's beautiful

[@christianbolles1874]

@@awintory Journey has the distinction of being the only entertainment experience to change my life, and your score has quite literally echoed through my being ever since I first played it years ago. That immortal cello emerges when I least expect it, catapulting me back to that moment when I entered the mountain for the first time, tears streaming down my face. Watching this made me feel a profound gratitude for your work that I can only really express by saying thank you, thank you, thank you.

[@Alayna1412]

Honestly, I need more episodes like this, about stuff like this please.

[@NeonGreyscale]

Thank you for posting content about the score of Journey 7 years later because 7 years later I'm still obsessed with it and it's my favorite video game soundtrack.

[@blinkfilms1]

I love a good leitmotif

[@Gorpfield]

sideways?

[@blinkfilms1]

@@Gorpfield sideways.

[@DaemonInWhite]

I truly didn't expect Journey feels in the year of our Lord 2019

[@djfrogtime9956]

yay! clayton content!! his videos are so good

[@taakotuesdays]

in two videos he went from existential dread to happy music what a fucking legend

[@anxiousrobot82]

Hearing the music just in this VIDEO is making me cry, it’s so good

[@silmist11]

I’ve literally never played this game and watching this vid made me feel like crying what the heck

[@davisginn1298]

It’s a truly beautiful and awesome experience, I’d highly recommend it!

[@meiiohi5915]

Playing Journey for the first time is one of the few times a video game has made me cry. It was perfect in every possible way

[@aceonfire12]

I haven't played journey yet so i just bought it. I'm gonna play it and THEN i'll watch this bad boy

[@SheeplessNW6]

I envy you, playing this masterpiece of a game for the first time

[@YawninHaze]

Please tell us what you thought after you finish it.

[@aceonfire12]

@@YawninHaze everything about this game was beautiful. I knew the music was going to be a big part so i made sure to wear headphones and boy am i glad that i did! that score is perfect, like when i met the giant automatons i legitimately got a chill down my spine from their theme. The fact that this game is from 2012 and i still had companions for my journey just goes to show how lasting of an impact this game has left. Now if you'll excuse me i think i'm gonna play it again

[@CaioPudim]

That made me cry all over again. Man, I love this game so much. What an amazing video, what a journey. *wink*

[@BlizzyFoxTF]

Beautiful. Beautiful. One of the landmark gaming titles in 2010s. An emotional tale, and a moving soundtrack.

[@nyan2317]

Polygon: "Journey is an orchestra following a Hero that gains so much yet in the end it all fades into deafening silence without saying a word" Also Polygon: "AM I WALUIGI OR AM I LUIGI?!"

[@MortalSyn]

I remember when I played this game while I was still living at home. I played it alone in my room and knew it was something special. I moved my PS3 to the family room the next day and started another playthrough. By the end of that playthrough everyone in the house had slowly assembled, without a word exchanged telling them to sit and listen, and they watched me play until its completion. I love this game and I've replayed it recently. I own a digital version of the OST and listen to it often.

[@VoxyGon]

This was a great peak behind the scenes and I really enjoyed Austin Wintory's visceral description of musical concepts! Did not even realize that the score changed when playing solo vs with someone else either, pretty neat little tidbit. He definitely knocked this one out of the park, I hope we'll be hearing more scores from him for some time to come.

[@clovenhooved4774]

Journey is in my like top 3 fav games, and the music is a huge reason for that. Nice job Wintory!

[@awintory]

[@nekokey]

No joke, i literally cried a lot in this video, the scenes and the music were.. Something. All started with that bit of the cello(2:25) .

[@theamericanyoutuber]

Holy.... chills. Throughout this entire video. Chills. And tears. Can’t forget the tears. ....

[@vietbluecoeur]

Journey was one of the first games I ever got for the PS3, and “Apotheosis” was the song that I came away with feeling as if I’d gone through an emotional battle. I listened to it over and over afterwards, and my heart would always feel like it was soaring. To know how difficult it was for Wintory to create what ended up being the game’s most soulful, impactful song for me is both eye-opening and inspiring as an aspiring creator. Thank you, Austin Wintory, for this utterly sublime soundtrack, and thank you Polygon for this interview!! 🧡💛🧡💛🧡💛

[@randomnpc7773]

I realized journey was my favorite game when the soundtrack alone makes me cry

[@carabinercara]

Quite literally, listening to 10:27 made me tear up, and I've never even played this game. That's some absolutely astonishing talent, to make someone emote to something they have zero connection to.

[@AntiRiku]

I like how charismatic this guy is.

[@eternal8song]

all that work definitely paid off; Apotheosis is one of my favorite instrumental pieces ever

[@nschwartz311]

God the score for Journey still gives me literal chills

[@FullMetalElectroma]

excellent video! I've been a big fan of Wintory ever since I played journey and it's great he's getting a spotlight here

[@Crane_feather]

Aaah one of my favourite game soundtracks of all time!

[@elizabethgorman6467]

I’m so glad Journey is still getting the appreciation and recognition it deserves because it’s such a gorgeous and incredible game.

[@clairecohen3178]

Thank you for this video. It definitely didn't make me tear up at all.

[@jellybeesplease]

To me, this game is incredible. It's pretty much everything I could want in a game. It's an interactive painting, an experience! I would love to perhaps be a part of making a game as immersive as this on day. Gorgeous!

[@Emperor4Hire]

Austin I love love looooooove your music! Journey is fantastic and I listen to Banner Saga's soundtrack every winter constantly. I work at a winter festival and I listen to Banner Saga to get me in the mood for a day of cold frigid work outside! Seeing this video made me go dig up my Bandcamp account again so I could redownload those tracks. Can't wait to hear your next piece

[@kateeastland3328]

Fantastic video Clayton!!

[@leo79033]

when he said 'only you' that got me

[@Milly4772]

I'm so glad people are still talking about this game. This game has so much meaning to me and the soundtrack is definitely one of my favorites

[@somethingclever9975]

I always saw Austin as this reserved, calm, musical god. This is not the case. I love how down-to-earth this guy is.

[@moriah.]

I’ve never played or watched journey before but this video was so good it did make me cry

[@WeyardsWoWMusic]

This game is still one of my all time favorites, THANKS to the music. It is a literal masterwork; thank you Austin!!

[@AGrotesqueMess]

Whenever I rewatch this video I always want to replay journey to just adore the music and gameplay.

[@dinolandra]

I've played this game multiple times but I'm always blown away by the ending

[@FroggiKiss]

I just love this game so much. Hearing the music brings me back to a time I played this with a friend, and all was easy and fun and we had pizza and her pet lizard was sitting on her lap while playing. I’m not crying! You are crying!

[@mackncheesiest]

The whole soundtrack is fantastic, but Apotheosis has always been my favorite. I'm glad to get a chance to hear the background of how it came to be

[@jameschapman2782]

Honestly, thank you Clayton. That was a fantastic video. And thank you to both Austin and thatgamecompany for making a beautiful gaming experience. I wish I could go back in time to the first time I played Journey and experience it again. It is such a good game.

[@BlondeManNoName]

I think Journey is one of the greatest games I've ever played because of it's emotional impact. Such a beautiful game and the music truly makes it amazing and touching.

[@one_secular_sparrow]

This is one of my favorite game scores ever composed. Thank you so much for making a video giving us a deeper look into the composition process! Amazing

[@Waffilicious]

i had actually forgotten the music for journey but this video made me cry, remembering it and experiencing it all over again

[@kltbird182]

Never thought I’d cry while watching a Polygon video since I usually just watch BDG and Griffin’s Amiibo Corner... but just hearing that song again broke me

[@LadyRuin]

I cannot state how happy a game like journey makes me. The relationship it shares with it's score is amazing and is something to whole heartily love. ❤️

[@marcoguerreiro2760]

When I played Journey for the first time I was completely blown away by how beautiful it was, how everything just fit together perfectly to create this masterpiece. It felt like magic to me, like I was playing videogames for the first time in my life. It's been my favorite game ever since.

[@Horsehead147]

And it became the best track in a soundtrack full of wonderful tracks. Well done Austin 😊

[@man.6618]

i first played this game while i was relatively young and it really changed a lot of the way i viewed video games and art in general, because i didn't know you could make a something like this. its just suuuuch a beautiful experience.

[@orewing]

I had the utter delight of seeing Austin conduct a live performance during Animex 2018. It was an incredible musical journey, from his earlier work, through samples and covers of various soundtracks, down to a beautiful, heart-rending crescendo of Apotheosis as the final piece. I had never played Journey, but it moved me in ways I can't put into words. I made sure to pick up a copy of the game's soundtrack on vinyl before I left-and he even signed it for me :)

[@RecordsSam]

I love the analyses of minute parts of video games that Polygon does. Please, never stop.

[@LeloTheUnamused]

Journey is my favourite game, I've played it many times for years, every time I felt down it never failed to give me hope and dreams. I love it, I always felt a special attachment to it. Seeing a video about it in 2019 made my heart skip a beat. Now I'm crying remembering everything I ever felt playing, and I'm re-listening to the music. I think I'll play it again tomorrow. I feel genuinely happy right now, I didn't realize it until now, but I needed Journey back into my life.

[@MILOPETIT]

DAMNIT I CAN'T EAT MY SOUP WHILE I'M TRYING NOT TO CRY

[@amandagray4564]

No video game has given me a more instantaneous reaction than Journey. I ended the game sobbing, crying so hard I couldn't see the screen. The story just spoke to me on a human level. So fantastic.

[@ethan-loves]

Clayton, extremely well done. I've seen few videos that are as good at helping me appreciate and understand art as this one.

[@seanashby8313]

I cried at the moment when you burst through the clouds and reach the summit. "I finally made it and it's beautiful". No other game has had that effect on me and the music played a big part in that.

[@spiridiums]

I can't really explain why but watching this video made me cry. Apotheosis is my favorite video game soundtrack song and I've played a lot of games with amazing songs over the years, and being able to hear about the story leading to its creation was amazing. Thank you to Polygon for making this, and thank you to Austin Wintory for....everything, really. I knew there was a reason Journey is my favorite game. Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to bawl my eyes out for a few minutes.

[@rafaelcontreras4920]

This was a very good video Clayton

[@JustJordynNZ]

This game was a true experience for me. I played it far later than many, but the entire experience from start to finish, the first time and eighth time, will always stick with me. Nacense always warms my heart, Road of Trials always gets my blood pumping, and Apotheosis always manages to beat the snot out of my feelings. The first time I ever played this, I was lucky enough to have a companion, who drew a heart in the snow at the very end as Apotheosis was finishing. Since then I've always felt that the snow was there to leave one last message to your companion. Hearing how much effort was out into that last track brings back all those memories.

[@MonolithTMA]

A great video about the compositional process. It's amazing how even in the context of an interview, Austin Wintory's music still moves me.

[@sirmoonglade]

Knowing now how deeply the developmental relationship between the game and the music, both of which I still feel vividly to this day, just makes me appreciate the hard work that went into making Journey what it is: an embarkment and a return home. Thank you, Austin Wintory, and thank you Polygon for this video. I think I have to play Journey again now because my soul is gonna eat itself if I don't feed it some catharsis

[@miyabi121190]

Journey is the only game I've ever played that still regularly moves me to tears. Even after this long I still go back through and play every now and then, and every single time I still get those same emotional highs that came with the first time I ever watched someone else play it. I go back through every so often, don the white cloak, and hope to meet a little red robed player with those first one or two layers of their embroidery, and I walk through it with them right to the end. I will never forget the run done with someone I'm assuming was young and from Japan (just based on their user handle displayed at the end) and when we reached the summit of the mountain, they were so excited and drawing patterns in the snow, flowers and hearts and running in circles around me until we were ready to walk into the light together. Nothing hits me the same way and I still listen to the soundtrack all on its own when I'm out and about. It's a very warm and fulfilling game and every aspect is stunning.

[@ArkhBaegor]

Love Wintory's work, he also made the soundtracks for ABZU and the Banner Saga

[@Jota_108]

Just when I thought I wouldn't cry again for Journey. Thank you all

[@Chacha-xg7cm]

The first time I heard Apotheosis I was 17 and I remember thinking at the time that I wouldn't mind if that was the last song I ever hear before I die. Nine years later, I still love it just the same.

[@polygon]

Ten years now!

[@giualonso]

*painfully beautiful cello solo* lol As usual Clayton delivers! Amazing video, so great to see what's behind a masterpiece like Journey.

[@sarahdeel3553]

I was so excited to hear the composer's thought process on this soundtrack, and I was not disappointed

[@KenadianKenough]

Austin Wintory's works don't just set a mood, but establish an entire universe that you're stepping into. Easily some of the greatest orchestral pieces I've ever heard, and I find myself listening to his work (particularly from Journey) when I want to reflect or meditate.

[@shraydn]

Man, why are you guys resurfacing my feelings for Journey after God knows how many years. Oh that game...

[@Niriixa]

Journey is one of those games where visuals, gameplay and soundtrack come together to create just an immensely enjoyable and emotional experience. I have huge respect for the work Austin Wintory put into making the score fit so perfectly with the gameplay and the intense emotions it evokes.

[@voidfren]

This is going to make me cry again because of how gorgeous this game is 🥺 the music is so breathtaking, thank you for exploring it in detail!

[@Pgdarling06]

journey my game favorite

[@stolasish1184]

Austin Wintory is a musical genius, as are all of his collaborators (Also, I appreciate the “Before apotheosis” graphic. Nicely done!)

[@sugarblunt]

Even videos about journey make me cry goddamn I love it so much