This article is a stub. You can help Journey Wiki by expanding it. |
This page will serve as a basic how to play guide for Journey. Feel free to edit this guide with any tips, tricks, and suggestions.
Basic gameplay[]
Please consider reading Basics Guides, if you are having your First Journey or just started to play the game. Those give hints and links to other helpful articles.
PC versions[]
- it is recommended to start the game via the launcher (see Talk:PC Version FAQ)! For some people, it seemed they couldn't connect when not using the launcher.
- Consider using a controller; if you are on keyboard or mouse, you might want to check "Controls" below or the in-game settings to see which buttons have a function.
- Sand settings on low or medium look more grainy. Some people say its better than having it on high setting.
- Just try out different settings (PlayStation versions did not have that option), Journey can look differently for PC players.
- Medium settings is the equivalent to PS3, High = PS4, Ultra is PC exclusive and Low corresponds to Vita according to Flower but not the case here.
- For reference: FXAA, Vsync, Cloth interpolation all enabled and MSAA 2x is the closest equivalent to PlayStation and iOS versions on PC
Common hints[]
Journey is rather self-explanatory. In the first level you cannot meet a companion, so there is time to try out the controls and chirp at flyers, those little cloth pieces that fly around certain places.
The first level ends after a vision and walking through a corridor.
The Broken Bridge (BB) level is the second tutorial-like level and the first place where it's possible to encounter a companion. The Banners and Flyers will recharge your scarf. Try different Chirps/chiming/singing at the Flyers!

Cloth, in this case two Banners.
Cloth[]
are like energy for you. On contact or upon approaching them, they will recharge your scarf and behave in many different ways.

A Chirp bubble.
The chirp[]
Chirp is your friend. It is a tool used to interact with the environment and activate things in the game.
Read more about different Chirps, about the Symbol it shows and some trivia in the article above.

A very long Scarf, gained through collecting Symbols.
Your scarf[]
See article: Scarf
Your Companion's loud Chirps will also charge your Scarf, if the sound bubble hits you (applicable up to a certain distance).
Your scarf is comparable to the health or stamina bar in other games. Keep a constant eye on your and your Companion's scarf and do big chirps at your companion if you notice their scarf is emptying/empty. This is especially important when trying to fly together.
Try to keep your scarf charged via mid-flight chirps at flyers, hitting banners, etc.
Controls[]
Journey is naturally intended to be played with a controller, since it came out first on a console.
The table below shows the standard settings for each device.
PC[]
Play the PC version of Journey with:
- PS4, XBOX and Logitech and third party XInput controllers
- DualShock 4 natively and emulated
- Keyboard and mouse
- Keyboard only
- Mouse only
Warning: the game might crash, if the RT button is used with a xinput controller through the in-game options
Camera movements with a controller are naturally slower than turning around with the mouse. If you are having difficulties controlling your flight, you might want to try reducing your mouse sensitivity.
iOS[]
iOS touch controls are mostly self-explanatory (no dedicated sitting button)
- Movement can be on left or right side, default is left
- Jump, chirp and camera movement can not be pressed together and are on the side opposite to movement.
- Top-left button is Menu/Pause.
Alternatively, you can connect a controller to your Apple iDevice. See: How to connect a controller to your iPhone or iPad.
The standard settings for iOS version are the same as PlayStation/PC and depend on the connected MFI controller
DS3 controller on PS3 | DS4 controller on PS4 | PC version: PS4 controller | PC version: XBOX controller | Keyboard (PC) | Mouse (PC) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Move your Wayfarer | Left stick | Left stick | Left stick | Left stick | WASD | Disabled |
Move the camera | right stick or SIXAXIS motion if stick is not used | right stick | right stick | right stick | Arrows | Enabled |
Chime, Chirp | pressure sensitive circle | circle | circle | B | Space | Right click |
Fly | X and L1 and R1 | X and L1 and R1 | X | A | Shift | Left button |
Sitting, meditating | Select | Options[1] | Share | Back | Enter | - |
Screensaver, forced sitting | Start | Touchpad | Options | Start | P | - |
Menu (PC only) | - | - | Share | Back | Esc | - |
To invert camera and/or controls[]
PlayStation: Press Start/Touchpad, options, then press select. You have to press it several times to circle through the options (only camera inverted, only control, both).
PC version: Enter the menu -> options -> controls. There are settings for camera: OFF (standard), X, Y and X+Y (both inverted).
Options and start buttons do more than you think[]
Select/Share/Enter will make you sit down and meditate. Also used to communicate and for tricks. Since it doesn't start the screensaver, it could be considered the "faster" sitting.
Start/Touchpad/Options/P will start the screensaver, moving right (camera) stick or pressing start again will bring you back to normal view. It's also a forced sitting and used for tricks. To begin experiments with pause button, try using the screensaver-sitting in the slide level.
Remapping for PS or PC[]
You can customise your buttons with
- In-game options or an external program on PC
- Accessibility Settings on PlayStation 4
See Hints for the regularly travelling Wayfarer, Remapping controller.
Remapping can help to accomplish certain tricks easier (see Tips for the long-term traveler, Zen jump, Faceplant Jump (FPJ)).
Playing offline[]
PC version: Playing offline without turning all network traffic off
PlayStation: How to go offline
References[]
- ↑ Settings for PS4 information, with best thanks to -InF-
See also[]
- Common Behaviors
- Hints for the regularly travelling Wayfarer
- System requirements, see also Patch Notes for PC
2 Broken Bridge (BB)
3 Pink Desert (PD)
4 Sunken City (SC)
5 Underground (UG)
6 Tower
7 Snow
8 Paradise
9 Credits
Category:Levels
2 Broken Bridge (BB)
3 Pink Desert (PD)
4 Sunken City (SC)
5 Underground (UG)
6 Tower
7 Snow
8 Paradise
9 Credits
Category:Levels
Recommended How to play guide for Journey • Chirp/Scarf • Tandem Flying • Dusting / to dust/Common Behaviors • Companions Met Along the Way (CMATW)
Frequently Asked Questions • PC Version FAQ •
2 Broken Bridge (BB)
3 Pink Desert (PD)
4 Sunken City (SC)
5 Underground (UG)
6 Tower
7 Snow
8 Paradise
9 Credits
Category:Levels
2 Broken Bridge (BB)
3 Pink Desert (PD)
4 Sunken City (SC)
5 Underground (UG)
6 Tower
7 Snow
8 Paradise
9 Credits
Category:Levels
Recommended How to play guide for Journey • Chirp/Scarf • Tandem Flying • Dusting / to dust/Common Behaviors • Companions Met Along the Way (CMATW)
Frequently Asked Questions • PC Version FAQ •