This review contains spoilers
When I was 15, I visited a museum in Seattle.
It was a very engaging and interesting museum. Known as MoPOP, or the Museum of Popular Culture, it's a place I like to return to often. Though it is often not related to video games at all, there is a section dedicated to "art" games (whatever that means.)
It's here where I had my brush with Old Man's Journey. I found the concept fascinating, as someone who was too young to have been in the zeitgeist of similar games such as Journey - I was aware they had existed, but had not played them - and it sat in my mind for a bit.
Two years later. I am 17. I, again, find myself near Old Man's Journey. Two weeks before the pandemic begins, I am staying with my grandparents and have not much else to do, but my dad had given me this game since he remembered my interest in it. So I played it.
The game itself is beautiful, though not in any particularly unique way. However, it speaks to me in specific because of my personal journey with it. It took a long time for me to be able to see the Old Man's Journey to the end, and I had changed a lot as a person since then. 17 year old me had more scars than 15 year old me, and also a lot more experience. I was a maelstrom of emotions now. Of course, I've changed a lot as a person since I was 17 as well. I'm 20 now and I like to think I'm fairly stable. Maybe I should replay this and introspect once again. Perhaps it's time to cross reference my own life with our old friend once more.
My boyfriend clicks away on a controller across from the bed where I write this. How will I see young love when I change again? I go back to school soon. Will I become someone I am proud of?
When I am in my twilight years, will I be happy with what I have done? Or will I mourn a life I didn't live?
It was a very engaging and interesting museum. Known as MoPOP, or the Museum of Popular Culture, it's a place I like to return to often. Though it is often not related to video games at all, there is a section dedicated to "art" games (whatever that means.)
It's here where I had my brush with Old Man's Journey. I found the concept fascinating, as someone who was too young to have been in the zeitgeist of similar games such as Journey - I was aware they had existed, but had not played them - and it sat in my mind for a bit.
Two years later. I am 17. I, again, find myself near Old Man's Journey. Two weeks before the pandemic begins, I am staying with my grandparents and have not much else to do, but my dad had given me this game since he remembered my interest in it. So I played it.
The game itself is beautiful, though not in any particularly unique way. However, it speaks to me in specific because of my personal journey with it. It took a long time for me to be able to see the Old Man's Journey to the end, and I had changed a lot as a person since then. 17 year old me had more scars than 15 year old me, and also a lot more experience. I was a maelstrom of emotions now. Of course, I've changed a lot as a person since I was 17 as well. I'm 20 now and I like to think I'm fairly stable. Maybe I should replay this and introspect once again. Perhaps it's time to cross reference my own life with our old friend once more.
My boyfriend clicks away on a controller across from the bed where I write this. How will I see young love when I change again? I go back to school soon. Will I become someone I am proud of?
When I am in my twilight years, will I be happy with what I have done? Or will I mourn a life I didn't live?