Review: Flower
Flower makes me jealous. Why can't where I am now look and sound so beautiful?Published 17/02/2009 at 13:00 by djhsecondnature
Flower Falls to £2.39 [38]
Flower Coming To PSP? [12]
TSA Staff: Game of the Year #3 [48]
Having meticulously toiled over this review for days now, I can safely say it is the hardest review my still youthful journalistic journey has brought to the table. Trying to justly depict the true nature of Flower and the experience it brings needed to be done honourably. For that reason, there will be a distinct lack of jokes throughout the incoming blossom of scenic metaphors and phrases; it just felt wrong to change the tone. Equally no mention of how the levels pan out will be present, would you really want to spoil the climax?
My opening thought when playing Flower, aside from one where my mind is jealous and my heart rate slows to a gentle pace, was how all the little things mattered. How every single one of the two-hundred-thousand blades of grass helps contribute to such a special journey; in the same way that the following collection of letters and punctuation becomes words and phrases that make up the review you are reading now.
Premise
Flower’s concept is delightfully simple and trying to explain it – you fly around, blossom flowers and just generally try to make the world a better place – doesn’t really cut it. Flower is just like a story; if someone were to explain the plot and characters, you may be intrigued, but only by personally experiencing the sensation of becoming the wind, the gentle chime of a flower blossoming, the glaring sunlight in your vision – only by choosing to partake in a genuinely unique experience will you ever sincerely understand.
Gameplay
The movement of the wind and the use of SIXAXIS seem to be a perfect match: no other control scheme would provide the freedom and simplicity that this often scrutinised functionality provides. Immersion is key to soaking up the entire experience, and having the ability to forget about the lump of plastic in my hand, swinging a single wrist to direct the breeze accordingly, and allowing my focus to remain on the beauty bestowed before me provides a sense of freedom that extends beyond the gaming parameters that would normally restrict it.
Visuals
Simply put, Flower is exceptional. Visually, audibly, emotionally; everything about the game is pure ecstasy. The graphical style immediately moves you; the opening sight of the first level is just breathtaking. Brilliant use of depth of field on the opening of each dream, whilst floating around or focusing on a single bunch of flowers just adds to a simple tremendous ocular feast. The vista that lay before me may not be entirely realistic, but it just doesn’t matter, nothing so far has been so visually pleasing on a video game than that of the landscapes in Flower – the saturated greenery of the grass, the curves of hills, the combinations of vibrant colours, the awe-inspiring sky.
Sound
With visuals such a virtuoso sight, developers thatgamecompany have simply surpassed themselves with the sound, providing a heart melting orchestral score on which each blooming flourish blends an ambient note, filling the world with a moving soundtrack. With the swiftness of the breeze and the varying flower colour affecting each note, your real-time composition is set to the mood you wish.
Next Gen
From the get-go, it is noticeably only possible on a next gen system. The crisp quality of both the high-definition graphics and sound, coupled with the use of the SIXAXIS controller and ability to provide such a title as a low-priced, downloadable game, is all only possible on the PS3.
Conclusion
Flower is relaxing, therapeutic and sends you to that Zen paradise you always dreamed off, taking you on a cruise of emotions that most developers could only wish for. Beginning with a sense of gentle sorrow – like sitting on the window sill, thinking of how things used to be as rain trickles down the thin glass – you travel through a sense of accomplishment when you restore the vibrant colours to the land, finishing with a climatic conclusion which leaves me in an upbeat state of mind every time.
As with anything overly artistic it is all open to subjective interpretation, so this is by no means for everyone; but if you are willing to give something new and interesting a try, prepare for something genuinely unexpected. The addition of a photo mode would be a welcome one by possible DLC, and the lack of being able to pick up the soundtrack would greatly sadden me.
Overall it is relatively short, with a single playthrough being somewhere around two hours, but whilst it may not provide masses of varied replayability, my continuing hunger to play it just one more time makes up for that. If you don’t own this you are doing yourself a disservice. Some may think that £6.29 for two hours of gameplay isn’t good enough value for money. My response is simple; never before has a game moved me so strongly, never before has a game made my day better, never before has a game affected my view on life and never again will I be so content with the spending of a handful of pounds.
10/10
Comments
Please note that all comments are the opinion of the individual author and not TheSixthAxis.
hannes_truce | 17/02/2009 13:19
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2919 TSA Points | Member since: Sep 2008
Come on monday, come on monday, come on monday.
i want this soooo much.
nice review
hannes_truce | 17/02/2009 13:25
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2919 TSA Points | Member since: Sep 2008
also, loving the google adds for flowers and photos of flowers in the top corner LOL
jediryan123 | 17/02/2009 13:24
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22 TSA Points | Member since: Nov 2008
Great review man, might think about getting this.
Chimpanzee | 17/02/2009 13:26
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482 TSA Points | Member since: Forever
Nice review. The only thing I’d disagree with is 10/10. For me, the game would get an 8.5 just because it’s too short. Fair enough, the game moves you, but it would be better if if moved you for longer. It didn’t need much more, maybe one or two more levels in the same style as the first two. Or maybe even just a little more incentive for replaying. I can see myself picking it up every now and then just to relax but other than that, there’s nothing really. Don’t get me wrong, I love the game and I think I get the point of it, but it’s just shy of a perfect 10.
djhsecondnature | 17/02/2009 13:28
Team TSA: Media
890 TSA Points | Member since: Forever
Well you are of course welcome to your own opinion. I rate things on quality over quantity. I would rather have 6 levels of utter wonderment than 8 levels that were slightly not as good.
Chimpanzee | 17/02/2009 14:26
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482 TSA Points | Member since: Forever
How about 8 levels of utter wonderment?
Like I said, I’m by no means saying it was a bad game, just that in my opinion it’s not quite “perfect”.
cc_star | 17/02/2009 13:28
Team TSA: Writer
7869 TSA Points | Member since: Forever
Trophies?
You aren’t going to bloom 10,000 flowers on your 1st through, or gather 50,000 petals.
I even love the fact you have to play the end credits
LFC-FANATIC | 17/02/2009 16:59
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204 TSA Points | Member since: Aug 2008
That’s the best credit sequence ever.
cc_star | 17/02/2009 13:26
Team TSA: Writer
7869 TSA Points | Member since: Forever
Without a playable character which has the depth of somebody like Niko (and R* huge marketing machine), Flower manages to tell the greatest story ever told, all without uttering a single word.
Flower most likely won’t be in the reckoning for GOTY, but I defy anyone to enjoy a game so much this year.
Pixl1983 | 17/02/2009 13:36
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491 TSA Points | Member since: Forever
Great review, great game!
I’ve not finished it yet as I’m enjoying the early levels too much and trying to bloom the flowers fully.
Beautiful game though. So calm and serene.
baconsarnie | 17/02/2009 14:03
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1002 TSA Points | Member since: Oct 2008
haven’t picked this up yet but after hearing so much about it am gonna have to download it later!
slickhenry | 17/02/2009 14:14
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360 TSA Points | Member since: Jan 2009
Nice review – here is mine:
“Flower made my spine tingle” 10/10
Paragonknight | 17/02/2009 14:18
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3 TSA Points | Member since: Dec 2008
Flower got a 10!? Seriously? Am I missing something? I think I need to finish the game.
Chimpanzee | 17/02/2009 14:33
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482 TSA Points | Member since: Forever
Yes, you do… definitely!
Lorcan | 17/02/2009 14:30
Team TSA: Writer
1248 TSA Points | Member since: Oct 2008
I can’t argue with anything in that review!
It really is such a fantastic game!
And a steal at that £6.29
It’s the most perfect way to loose yourself and relax and it’s sixaxis control is fantastic. It’s so easy to forget that your playing a game.
It didn’t move me as much as Metal Gear Solid 4, but it boldly joins the very short yet prestigious list of emotionally involving games.
Watchful | 17/02/2009 14:43
Team TSA: Writer
2084 TSA Points | Member since: Oct 2008
Love this game. Not sure a game has ever made me feel so much joy at such simple pleasure. It really is a beautiful game. I like building up a long trail of petals and then simply ’spinning on the spot’; it’s like being in a snow globe filled with petals. [Can't believe I just said that!] Of course guns are cool too. Killzone 2 has great guns. /macho
piekat | 17/02/2009 14:44
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123 TSA Points | Member since: Oct 2008
it deserves 10/10 in my opinion, mostly because it’s something that’s quite rare: a new game, not a sequel or a spin off or a plagiarism…
Redlac | 17/02/2009 15:02
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62 TSA Points | Member since: Oct 2008
Nice review. Dunno what I’d rate it as meself as I haven’t finished it yet. It may be about as deep as fl0w was, but it’s a great game to counter the gore and guns fest that’s my usual game experience. Plus.. it’s very pretty, even on my standard def telly.
yogh_wayne | 17/02/2009 16:29
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2852 TSA Points | Member since: Oct 2008
It’s a dream! 10/10
CaptainMurdo | 17/02/2009 16:33
Team TSA: Writer
1866 TSA Points | Member since: Sep 2008
I just bought it last night and it is marvellous. Only completed 2 levels but I love it. Oh and I’m not even trophy hunting… yet.
CrazyKrissZ | 17/02/2009 17:29
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552 TSA Points | Member since: Oct 2008
So much to say about this game!!
First, groundbreaking. Never played something like that. It’s not quite a game, even if it’s as enjoyable, not quite a painting, even if it’s as colourful, not quite a poem, even if it’s as moving. It stands on its on ground, without competition.
Second, emotional. It’s not ofter you feel such delight in a game, watching the dawn in a flower field, thinking that you took part of that beauty. Also, each time you blossom a flower, the little tone that emerge just somehow melt trough the music, like your a breeze of music orchestring thousands of little instruments. You feel involved in make this world a better place!
And last but least, exclusive to PS3!!