Abzu review: A gorgeous, artful but ultimately unashamed Journey rip-off | IBTimes UK

Matt Nava and Giant Squid Studios' debut shows artistry but plays it too safe

[TwoForce]

Ok, what ? Is this a joke ? This game created by the creator of Journey. There is no way this game deserves a lower score. I understand its people opinion, but they using it for clickBait.

[Pongwater]

Love the game, and I agree that this score is comical, but I'd say it should be scored lower than Journey ( Just not this much lower. Wow )

For the sake of consistency I hope these guys gave CoD Modern Warfare a high score and every CoD afterwards a very low score. That's just an example, but the same goes for every other game that was very similar to something else ( the vast majority of games ).

[Wingsfan24]

Matt Nava is NOT the creator of Journey, he was the art director. And I don't think this author knows what a ripoff actually is. Bad review.

[RenegadeRocks]

Not by the creator, by the artist of Journey.

[uth11]

Abzu built its hype off of Journey comparisons, it is literally the games biggest selling point!

[Rimeskeem]

Journey rip off?

It was made by the same creators you freaking dimwhit. Also, I hate it when people take points off for being "too safe".

[nugget27]

If only I'd addressed this in the opening paragraph

[Rimeskeem]

So you call it a Journey rip off knowing they are by the same creators?

That just makes it worse man.

[kraenk12]

You are a sad shill man.

[coolbeans]

Technically, it's Journey's art director at the helm with a different team. This isn't made by thatgamecompany.

I can't say I follow your argument either. Okay, so part of the creative team is here that was behind Journey...so it follows there's no validity in calling it a rip-off? By that same logic, Vince Gilligan can make a new series replicating all critical plot and character points from Breaking Bad, bring it to a new setting, and no one can point out the striking similarities. The better argument would be to challenge his criticism by bringing up core design differences in THE GAME, not who's behind the scenes.

Signed,
someone's who's pre-ordered--and is excited to play--ABZU this week or weekend.

[Rimeskeem]

I'm saying creators not company.

[Pongwater]

I have no issue with the word rip-off, but I think it's a rightfully unashamed rip-off. It's still a beautiful example of this type of game. I'd score it lower than Journey too, but nowhere near this low.

[coolbeans]

I gotcha. But the crux of my argument (in the paragraph) still stands.

(Marked my other comment as Spam b/c it's more appropriate to have reply here)

[uth11]

Journey: "amazing, unique we need more games like this" 10/10

Abzu: too much like journey 4/10

Yeah it's ridiculous

[OB1Biker]

Haha. That made me laugh.
That's so true. Some reviewers make you question logic itself really.

[Relientk77]

And this review is irrelevant lol

[zodiac909]

Minus the fact that it's made from the people that made Journey...HOW is it a bad thing if any game strives to achieve similar emotions that Journey captured???

[Goldby]

Minus the Fact that ThatGameCompany had nothing to do with this game, and it was just the art director from Journey that is a part of this one, well that and Austin Wintory

[goathouse774]

Too harsh.

[kraenk12]

Ignorance is bliss I guess...

[WellyUK]

Journey was also terrible.

[feraldrgn]

We could get into all sorts discussing games having a similar atmosphere or gameplay & whether they're "rip-offs" or not.
I disagree about it being a "journey rip-off" though when it's by the Journey art director.

[TheOptimist]

Well it does have minimal gameplay. It is boring for me. Didn't feel like playing this game for more than 30-45 minutes. (Still better than decision making simulators and the like)

[DigitalRaptor]

Well that was a terrible review.

Journey was a transcendent, ethereal GOTY-quality gem. Not all games can aspire to be as good at doing what it did, but to call this a "rip-off" shows the author had an uninformed agenda from the start. 4/10 means the game is leagues worse than Journey, but the consensus proves this untrue. The very same guy gave Journey a 10/10:

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/jo... - so you can begin to see what I mean about "agenda from the start".