Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsStart with Journey if you want a focused, mysterious desert adventure with the possibility of a brief, anonymous online encounter. Choose Sky: Children of the Light first if you want a shared multiplayer world, cross-play with friends, customization, and ongoing events. That recommendation follows how thatgamecompany and the official store describe the games; it is not a universal quality ranking or a claim based on hands-on testing.
Journey vs. Sky at a glance
| What matters to you | Start with Journey | Start with Sky |
|---|---|---|
| Social experience | An anonymous adventure with the possibility of meeting companions along the way, as described by thatgamecompany. | A multiplayer online role-playing game set in an animated kingdom, according to its official Steam store page. |
| World and framing | A passage across a mysterious desert toward a distant mountain, per the developer’s description. | A social kingdom framed around a shared world, with seasons and events described in the publisher’s materials. |
| Playing with friends | The official description emphasizes anonymous companions, not a persistent social hub. | The publisher says Sky supports cross-play across devices; check current compatibility for the specific platform you and your friends use. |
| How to get started | Separately released title; current price was not established in the cited materials. | Free to play, with optional in-game purchases. |
The table compares the games’ official framing and storefront models, not measured playtime, difficulty, map size, player counts, or value.
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Should you play Journey or Sky first?
Choose Journey for a focused, solitary-feeling adventure
Journey is presented by its developer as an anonymous adventure through a mysterious desert toward a distant mountain. You may connect with a companion online, but the description centers on the crossing itself, its visual art and music, and the possibility of a chance encounter—not on building an ongoing group of friends. That makes it the more natural first choice if you want a contained experience and prefer discovery to a social hub.
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Thatgamecompany says Journey attracted over 100 industry awards and media accolades; the figure is the studio’s own undated claim on its Journey page, not an independently verified current count.
#1 Best Overall
- Experience the expansive combat system, richly-realized world, and stirring story of the 2nd chapter of the Trails series! By carrying over your clear data from 1st Chapter, you can obtain exciting bonus items that will help you on your journey.
- Overpower your enemies with new Crafts and S-Crafts! Link your characters' attacks during Quick Battles with the new Brave Rush, and make full use of the orbment system for access to Arts.
- Dive into an intricately woven narrative to uncover the conspiracies threatening the Kingdom of Liberl.
- Enjoy a variety of new content in the sequel, including minigames like fishing and poker, cooking with your companions, and fan-favorite characters joining as playable party members.
- Like Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter, this remake will have updated English and Japanese voice, and English, German, French, and Spanish text language support.
Choose Sky to play together and return to a shared world
Sky is described by its official store as a multiplayer online role-playing game in an animated kingdom. The publisher says it supports cross-play across devices, making it the clearer starting point when playing with friends is your priority. Because compatibility and account behavior can vary by platform and change over time, check the current support information for your devices before you buy or install.
Sky’s ongoing-world framing, customization, seasons, and events suit players looking for reasons to revisit a shared setting. The publisher reported more than 300 million downloads as of May 2026 in its June 1, 2026 art-book announcement. That is a publisher-reported download figure, not an independent measure of active players or a direct comparison with Journey.
Rank #2
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Is Sky like Journey?
They share a developer and an emphasis on expressive worlds, but their social designs are not the same. Journey’s official description focuses on an anonymous crossing with potential companion encounters. Sky is explicitly framed as a multiplayer online world, and the publisher highlights cross-play. In practical terms, Journey is the closer fit for a focused passage; Sky is the closer fit for a shared place to meet and play.
The difference in scope here is about how the games are presented—not a measured comparison of their length, map size, or amount of content.
What do they cost, and where can you play?
Sky: free entry, optional purchases
The official store describes Sky as free to play. The publisher says optional real-money purchases can include cosmetics, seasonal passes, currency packs, and gifts, and are not required to enjoy the game. Its support materials explain that purchase assistance and refunds depend on the third-party platform and region. Store listings and item prices can change, so check the relevant store before making a purchase.
Journey: check the current listing in your region
The cited materials do not establish Journey’s current price. The developer documented a PlayStation 4 release in a 2015 announcement and said its PC release had launched earlier that year in a 2019 iOS announcement. Sky’s official materials indicate availability across mobile, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, and PC via Steam. These announcements do not establish a unified, current catalog across regions or platforms; check your regional store for availability, price, and device compatibility.
Rank #4
- Dive into a majestic underwater adventure
- Discover in game collectibles to unlock end of game achievement
- Never before seen lighting dynamics that create unparalleled under sea realism
- Tens of thousands of fish and hundreds of species from around the world
- Score by composer Austin Wintory.Nominee and winner of multiple game awards since its announcement
Bottom line: which should you start with?
Pick Journey for a mysterious, focused adventure and the possibility of an anonymous encounter. Pick Sky if you want to play with friends in a cross-play multiplayer world and return for ongoing events. If you are undecided and want to try the free-to-play option first, Sky offers free entry, with optional purchases; check your platform’s current listing for access and compatibility.
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Best Value
- 2-Player online co-op: play solo or bring a friend. Onward to adventure!
- explore, fight & catalog: Survey 4 different biomes on planet ar-y 26
- scan and catalog alien flora and fauna at your own pace
- discover 30+ creatures, each with unique behaviors, threats, and abilities
- complete player-driven quests while uncovering hundreds of collectibles and secrets along the way
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
