Flower

Game Info

Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment

Developer: thatgamecompany

Platform:  PS3 Download

Genre(s): Action

Players: 1

ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)

Release Date: February 12, 2009

Intro: 

The scene closes in on a single flower bud in a pot on a windowsill.  The world outside is bleak, making this flower the brightest, happiest part of the scene.  Using the capabilities of the SIXAXIS controller, the player hovers over the bud and pushes any button to enter the world of Flower. 

Getting Going: 

Once in the world, the single, glowing petal that entered the world from the plant on the windowsill now hovers over a single flower in a field of grass.  The player is simply prompted to push any button.  The flower blooms with a single musical note and the two petals set off on the wind.  Guiding the petals is as easy as steering the controller while pushing any button to create the wind.  If you take your finger off of the buttons, the petals rest in mid-air. 

Fun:

Flower is an innovative art game.  It's immersive quality comes from the combination of environment and sound.  There are no buttons to mash and the act of steering a controller to create movement makes the game more relaxing and enjoyable than "fun". 

Visuals and Sound:

As in Okami, completing a level causes everything to burst into bloom, unfolding a shining, colorful landscape.  The gameplay is very different, and yet it is still the combination of art and music, as well as floating petals on the wind, that create the pacing and the same relaxing feeling in play.  The flowers that must be brought to life glow beneath you.  Moving the wind down, your trail of petals rushes through the grass toward the glowing buds which burst into life with the notes of wind chimes, guitar strings, harp and other sounds. The background music is of the New Age variety.  Nature sounds blend with gentle instruments, adding to the relaxing feel of the game. The blades of grass part before the trail with the rushing sound of the wind in the grass.  As portions of the fields are brought to life, the life spreads, showing the next area and providing an instant reward at the same time.  Bleak, bland environments burst into life.  The environmental texturing and movement are stunning in their complexity, while buildings and man-made items are simple and insignificant by comparison.  In one opening scene, however, we are treated to a curb and puddle during a light rain.  The texturing and visuals in this seemingly forgettable scene are quite impressive from the look of the cement down to the reflections in the water of the puddle. 

Intelligence:

The physics in Flower have been given a great deal of attention.  The wind wants to go where it will and items cause different reactions by the wind.  It would seem that you are steering the wind in Flower, but it is more like you are riding it.  The inside of a drafty building causes different wind drafts than an open field free of obstacles.  Some items in the environment, such as fans and windmills, create updrafts which make seeing and getting to higher blooms easier.  Some environments will also guide you back through to get blooms you missed on the first pass.  These environments do not allow you to circle back in any way, again giving the impression that the player is not, in fact, in control of the wind, but the petals that are riding it.  

Immersion:

Flower has a relaxing, meditative quality to it.  It's easy to get into a zone, merely focusing on moving the petals on the wind.  There is no button-mashing and no real puzzle-solving required.  Players merely guide their trail of flowers through the landscape, going anywhere they wish, at their own pace. 

Rewards and Punishments:

Rewards are instant and plentiful in Flower.  Floating into any glowing bud brings it to life in both sight and sound.  It also creates a rush of wind which powers the player forward instantly.  This works to your advantage if you are lined up correctly, rushing you over the next trace of buds.  When an area is completed, that portion of the scene bursts into life, opening up the next area.  Growth at the end of each level is accompanied by vibration in the controller if you have a motion controller.  Some trophies and hidden flowers are available.  There are no punishments for poor play or slow play in the lower levels.  Players can take their time getting all of the flowers to bloom and there didn't seem to be any real rewards for getting everything quickly.  In the upper levels, however, power lines can take out your trail of petals and zap you out of the area you were trying to work on, startling the player and causing them to try again.  At the end of every level, the flower in your pot blooms and a leaf drops.  If you've done very well, more leaves are received.  In addition, the cityscape outside of your window begins to brighten as you progress through the game. 

Cameras:

There didn't seem to be any real camera control, but you can fly up to get a better view of the field and zoom down to move your trail of flowers into position.  The camera follows your movement, providing a continuous first person view.

Controls:

Controlling Flower is as easy as moving the SIXAXIS controller as if it were a steering wheel of sorts and pushing any button to ride the wind.  There are times when I struggled to steer into the correct position, but this is the way of the wind and the challenge level is intentional and obviously necessary.

Ideas:

I've noticed the effects of music and rewards on the pacing of games in previous studies.  Like Okami, Flower effectively combines sound and rewards to create pacing and mood.  The game doesn't feel rushed or frenetic.  Instead, it's relaxing to play while still being immersive.  It's an inventive combination that works extremely well here.  As in Kick-Ass, the credits are playable, as well.

Memory:

Flower is an excellent, and brief, escape.  The game is not very long but, as a casual game, offers a great deal of replayability.