Grave Gamer News & Views — thatgamecompany

Journey Assortment

by TacoSauceNinja

Flower Blooms on the PlayStation Vita

thatgamecompany may have found widespread success with a little digital diddy called Journey, but the L.A. based developer was burning up the indie scene at all four corners way before gamers were chirping and hopping the cresting dunes of, er, Journey-ville?

I’m referring to 2009’s critically acclaimed PSN download — and my personal favorite from the studio — Flower.  In this motion-sensitive game, you are the wind, and as the wind, you blow a flower pedal about, interacting with the world’s flora and gathering a colorful flotilla of even more pedals as you bring brighteness and life to sometimes sparse and desolate environments.  It sounds like a six gram mushroom trip, I know, but it’s actually a relaxing bout of artful, offbeat fun.

Despite co-founder and lead designer Jenova Chen’s insistence on seeing his games made as widely available as possible, the majority of TGC’s catalog is PSN-only.  Today, though, brings the news that Flower is being ported to the PlayStation Vita.  The Vita version will come equipped with new motion and touch controls specific to the Sony’s handheld.

A release date hasn’t been locked down but Flower for the Vita will make an appearance as a part of IndieCade’s E3 display.  While Flower arguably makes tons more sense for the Vita, I think the question stands among fans whether a portable visit to Journey-ville is in store?  (They, uh, they’d probably word the question differently.)

The Drop by SpoonfishLee

By Ailovc

Industry First: Journey’s Soundtrack Nominated for a Grammy

Thatgamecompany’s critically acclaimed download-only adventure, Journey, just accrued itself even more acclaim: Journey’s soundtrack is officially the first video game score to be nominated by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences for a Grammy Award.

Falling into the category “Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media,” composer Austin Wintory’s work on Thatgamecompany’s unique co-op adventurer sits right alongside heavyweight nominees such as The Dark Knight Rises (Hans Zimmer) and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross).  That’s right, an online platformer that only allows you to communicate with other players through a “chirp” button is up for a Grammy.  Hear that Hollywood?  That chirping is the sound of the video game industry rolling up on your shit.

As IGN points out, there is some precedent for this event.  Previously, a single song from Civilization IV was nominated for and took home a Grammy.  Journey’s is the first  entire video game soundtrack to be nominated and, if nabbed, it will be the first game in history to win the category’s award.  The 55th Annual Grammy Awards will commence on Sunday, February 10th, 2013.