The Night Journey

The Night Journey (2007-2018) is one of the first experimental art games ever made. A collaboration between renowned media artist Bill Viola and designers at the USC Game Innovation Lab, it uses both game and video techniques to tell the universal story of an individual’s journey towards enlightenment. 

After being exhibited around the world over a decade, it is now available on home platforms.

(Adapted from original source: The Night Journey on itch.io)

It uses both game and video techniques to tell the universal story of an individual’s journey towards enlightenment. 

The game begins in the center of a mysterious landscape on which darkness is falling. There is no one path to take, no single goal to achieve, but the player’s actions will reflect on themselves and the world, transforming and changing them both. If they are able, they may slow down time itself and forestall the fall of darkness. If not, there is always another chance; the darkness will bring dreams that enlighten future journeys. 

The interactive design of The Night Journey evokes a sense of the archetypal journey of enlightenment through the mechanics of the game experience – i.e. the choices and actions of the player during the game. The game design explores a challenging question: what is the game mechanic of enlightenment? How can we model such an intensely personal yet archetypal experience in a game?

(Source: Official Website)