While E3 2011 was filled with sequels, prequels, and remakes of triple-A franchises, the event also wasn’t without its truly original games. Among those was thatgamecompany’s Journey, a title that builds upon the developer’s previous success with a style that is extremely unique.

Though you might not have heard of Journey — at least if you weren’t a fan of the developer's previous title Flower — there is a small segment of gamers who are experiencing the title as we speak in a closed beta.

Allowing gamers to interact with each other, or NPCs, all without in-game lobbies, chat, or messaging, Journey takes the idea of online interaction to an entirely new level.

It’s actually quite hard to sum the experience of Journey up in words, especially considering the game itself is devoid of character dialogue, so it’s best to let the game speak for itself. Thankfully, someone who was lucky enough to get in on the beta has shared some of their gameplay footage to allow other gamers to see what Journey is all about.

So, without further ado, we give you Journey:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ws5kMsqjgzY

The game is subtle, beautiful to behold, and undeniable proof that video games are art. Thatgamecompany’s continued partnership with Sony has blossomed into something where creative director Jenova Chen's imagination can run wild. The look of the game is very different from the previous titles thatgamecompany has delivered, but its almost zen-like motivations are very similar.

Obviously, the game isn’t going to be for everyone, but those who do feel compelled by the visual artistry on display will most definitely want to give the game a look. Unfortunately all beta invites have already gone out, but the title itself will be releasing before the year is up.

Do you plan on checking out Journey when the downloadable title releases? What about the game most fascinates you from a gameplay and a design perspective?

Journey should be released by the end of 2011 on the PlayStation Network.

Source: YouTube, PlayStation Blog