Journey is an exercise in restraint from a fantastic developer that's so sure of what they've got under the hood, it's only when you least expect it that you'll be blindsided by a memorable visual or interactive element that'll spark endless discussions and appreciation online. One game mechanic that's rarely covered as Journey tends to be referred to as this half-exploration, half-platformer, is the idea of surfing down the sand dunes with just the right amount of momentum, weight and elegance. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DW2wF9Ne6c Carving through the sand and arching left and right feels as tactile as your first run in SSX, and when the camera swings to the side for the sake of smacking you in the face with an astonishingly powerful visual, the whole thing combines to provide one of the best moments in the whole game.
