Journey was never hard, per se, but it required a bit of proficiency to keep the action moving. No matter how visually or symphonically rich these sequences may be, they're robbed of a bit of intensity by the fact that they ask for little input from the player. The combination of Wintory's soaring yet melancholically whimsical score and the lavishly colored groups of fish, dolphins and whales that swim by your side make for a thrilling spectacle that would seem at home in a Miyazaki film. The highlights of Abzu are several sequences where the diver is scooped up by a rushing current and sent careening through the ocean. (Did I mention you can grab a dolphin's fin and ride it? Because you totally can.) It's the main draw of the game, and frankly, just experiencing this world is enough to recommend Abzu. There's not a square foot of this ocean that doesn't pulse with beautiful, colorful life. Manta rays glide lazily past the player massive schools of fish swim in dizzying cyclones dolphins play and flit circles around the solitary diver. Abzu, however, is literally teeming with life. The world of Journey was so solitary that the occasional presence of a second player felt like an oasis. There are, however, plenty of important divergences. just experiencing this world is enough to recommend Abzu
The games also share a composer, Austin Wintory. Its creative director is Matt Nava, Journey's art director.
The game's pedigree makes the comparison even more sound. Also like Journey, Abzu can be completed in a couple of hours. Story isn't explicitly conveyed, but rather alluded to in the environment. In Abzu, you are an unspeaking protagonist who only interacts with the world via sonic pings.