Video games are a canvas for artistic expression, allowing developers to portray emotions and novel ideas into immersive experiences. Among these creative works, Flower stands tall as a shining example of gaming as a true art form.
In this game, the creators have embraced experimentation with open arms, crafting a gaming experience that transcends the boundaries of traditional gameplay. Flower is not just a game; it’s an interactive symphony of emotions and colors that dances with your senses.
The game introduces a new way of gameplay in its simplest but purest forms. As you take control of a gentle breeze, your mission is to guide petals through lush landscapes, rejuvenating dormant landscapes and restoring vibrant colors to the world. The gameplay might come off as very simple, but there’s more to it in this game that meets the eye.
Annapurna, one of the best publishers of indie games, brings us this amazing game developed by Thatgamecompany, a developer known for their creative gameplays, emotional storytelling and artistic vision. The game was designed by Jenova Chen, the mastermind behind classic indie games with creative and innovative approach, like Journey and Flow.
Chen is known for creating games that are different, with stories that go beyond established rules and try to appeal to universal themes. This is reflected in Flower, since the main objective of the game is to restore what was once a beautiful landscape from the punishing grip cities take hold of. Chen has influenced heavily the game production philosophy of Thatgamecompany.
As an artist himself, Jenova Chen contributed to the game’s artistic direction. He worked closely with the art team to ensure that the visuals and aesthetics aligned with the emotional journey the game aimed to deliver. Chen’s involvement in the game contributed significantly to the game’s critical acclaim. The title received widespread critical acclaim for its unique approach to gaming, innovative mechanics, and emotional impact.
As mentioned before, the brilliance in Flower lies more on its originality than gameplay mechanics. They are very simple, you begin in different levels as a tiny petal, and your mission is to explore the world around you, gathering fellow petals to bring life back into the different sections of the level, and by doing so, you bring back life and color to the scenery.
To move the petal, you just move your mouse in the direction you want to go and with the right click, you can either speed up or slow down your petals. This was the only issue I found at the beginning, since I didn’t know the speed could be changed, I spent a good amount of time thinking the game was kind of slow, until I realized the speed can be controlled. The gameplay of “Flower” is intentionally designed to be calming and meditative.
It offers players a unique opportunity to unwind and enjoy a tranquil experience, making it an ideal choice for those seeking a relaxing gaming session as you drift around with calming music.
There are different levels, and each level introduces different emotions, like wonder, peace, and even sometimes melancholy. As you interact with the world around you, you can see how these different emotional experiences can transform the environment, leaving a sense of change both in the game and in real life.
The story is not conventionally told with dialogue and characters, it unwinds as you change the different worlds in the game. The central theme of the game revolves around rejuvenation and restoration and how important is our connection with our environment as human beings, showing in each level the duality of how gray humans can turn the world, but also, how we have the capacity to bring colors in the same way.
The Flower game encourages players to interpret the story in their own way, making it a personal and introspective experience. The narrative’s ambiguity allows for multiple interpretations, making it a deeply subjective and engaging storytelling approach.
Whether Flower is replayable or not depends on your preferred game style. I personally would love to play this game again, but after a while, when I don’t remember much of the experience, so I can relieve everything again as if it were the first time, but I think whoever wants to play the game right after finishing it and have a relaxing time, it’s perfect to replay as many times you want.
This Flower game is incredibly simple and incredibly fun. I really enjoyed exploring the different levels and bringing color into the world, and, at the same time, experiencing the multiple emotions the game suggests. When I first heard about this game and its gameplay, I thought it was a joke or an experimental simulator, but after hearing about the mastermind behind the game, I immediately went and bought it and I was not disappointed.
Remember to check out more reviews in our Blog page here! And if you want to check out some other games from Thatgamecompany, check out their website here.