TSA Staff: Game of the Year #3
Wooosh...Published 16/12/2009 at 13:00 by djhsecondnature
Flower Falls to £2.39 [38]
Flower Coming To PSP? [12]
PS Exclusives Get 17 Nominations In VGAs [20]
Flower. A ‘game’ that is barely even that. The words concept and experience provide a more accurate description of how to summarise this masterpiece. Whether it’s gushing over the initial screenshots or being totally overwhelmed by the sheer delightfullness of the game and it’s control-scheme, it was love at first sight. ThatGameCompany crafted a title to bring joy and serenity to gamers, and having received a 10/10 earlier this year it still stands tall amongst all of the years releases. Flower is one of a kind and it is TheSixthAxis’ third favourite game of 2009.
We’re at the mid-point now but here is video number three:
This video was produced and edited by David Howard.
Whilst trying to recover from their zen-like feeling, here’s what some the staff managed to mumble about Flower:
“Simply. Beautiful. Every element of ThatGameCompany’s Flower is simple but beautifully realised. From the wordless menu that evolves throughout the game, to the stunning fields of gently waving grass, to the way the gameplay-triggered sounds compliment the background music to create the soundtrack, to the sixaxis controls that let you forget you are even holding a controller. Flower even manages to tell its story, including the Empire Strikes Back-like dark middle section, without using the written word or spoken dialogue. It has so much to give whether you are replaying a level for a quick gaming pick-me-up or post-FPS chillout, or you can spare a few hours to lose yourself in its warm embrace. Never has a game conveyed such feelings of pure joy as it builds towards its glorious crescendo. If you cannot find room in your heart for Flower you have a very cold heart indeed.” – Greg Aldridge
I tried to show someone Flower this past weekend, a non-gamer who I thought would appreciate the art style at least: the game was met with slight bewilderment and confusion, the control method passed off as unnecessary. Flower can’t be demonstrated in a 5 minute slot, it can’t be rushed with a poor presentation of its qualities, and it can’t be summed up in a sentence - Flower, more so than any other game this year, needs to be experienced. The player needs to be there from the very first petal in the barren field until the incredible climax in the jagged, barbed city, and only then can one appreciate the amazing sensation of completition. Play it once, play it a hundred times, just play it.” – Nofi.
“Flower is, hands down, one of the greatest gaming experiences of all time. Ever. Never before has a game with so much simplicity left players feeling so rewarded. A tale with no words, no characters and no clear plot has ended up being one of the best, most emotional story-telling experiences of the generation, if not all. With it’s simple controls, perfect score and fluid mechanics, the game masks an incredibly complex engine, rendering beautiful fields with ease and slipping you into a state of mind so calming, anyone walking in on you would think you were high.” – Lorcan Henry
Tomorrow, we’ll be down to the final two. Who will it be?
Comments
Please note that all comments are the opinion of the individual author and not TheSixthAxis.
cc_star | 16/12/2009 13:01
Team TSA: Writer
7878 TSA Points | Member since: Forever
Truely a great, great gaming experience that no one should be without
tonycawley | 16/12/2009 15:42
Member
297 TSA Points | Member since: Feb 2009
I’m not sure I agree with this statement. Is it really a GAMING experience? Suppose that depends on how you define a game, but to me I’m not so sure this qualifies, I feel in order to be a game, it should have quite a high level of interaction, whereas this was just sort of floating around collecting petals.
It was quite good to play through once, but I’m not sure I’d say it’s GREAT either. No replayability whatsoever, but still these things are always a matter of opinion, and that’s just mine.
djhsecondnature | 16/12/2009 15:51
Team TSA: Media
893 TSA Points | Member since: Forever
I’ve played it over a dozen times already. I’d say it had plenty or replayability.
tonycawley | 16/12/2009 16:01
Member
297 TSA Points | Member since: Feb 2009
Unfortunately, I’ve become a trophy whore, so once I’ve got them, I generally don’t play a game again (with the exception of a select few titles like MP CODMW2)
tonycawley | 16/12/2009 16:02
Member
297 TSA Points | Member since: Feb 2009
Actually, on that note, does anyone know if multiplayer on Modern Warfare 2 is ever going to get trophies? I’d love it if it did, even if there was only 1 trophy, and it was a single, seperate platinum for reaching prestige 10.
Amphlett | 16/12/2009 16:11
Member
1248 TSA Points | Member since: Jul 2009
Seeing as how I’ve seen people on opposite teams (presumably friends in preplanned exercises) get together to allow massive killstreaks and the likes I doubt we’ll ever get multiplayer trophies for MW2.
Roynaldo | 16/12/2009 13:05
Member
2993 TSA Points | Member since: Nov 2008
i wonder if this will ever get in the deals section on thestore. knowing my luck i would buy it then it would go half price the very next week!
skibadee | 16/12/2009 15:27
Member
3919 TSA Points | Member since: Oct 2009
yeah I no what you mean I still need to get this.
Aitrus | 17/12/2009 10:50
Member
1491 TSA Points | Member since: Sep 2008
Well, buy it then. So everyone else can get it on sale!
Buy it anyway – it’s well worth the price.
commuterzombie | 16/12/2009 13:09
Member
471 TSA Points | Member since: Feb 2009
Interesting. I’ll pick this up if they ever do a special offer on it.
Vandix | 16/12/2009 13:14
Member
1199 TSA Points | Member since: Mar 2009
It is truly a great game. I wonder how many people pronounce it like me? Do you call it “Flower” or “Flow-er”… I somehow always call it the latter…
Roynaldo | 16/12/2009 13:23
Member
2993 TSA Points | Member since: Nov 2008
cc_star | 16/12/2009 13:27
Team TSA: Writer
7878 TSA Points | Member since: Forever
think it started like as fl0w-er but at some point it just became Flower
BrendanCalls | 16/12/2009 13:22
Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc - YOHIMBÉ!!!
1420 TSA Points | Member since: Forever
I will wait for this until it is on special offer too, I have been burnt too many times from the PSN Store, although if its voted higher than Batman:AA it must be half decent
RedStarGlow | 16/12/2009 13:23
Member
241 TSA Points | Member since: Jun 2009
For some reason I skipped this one. I will have to go back and check it out.
kevatron400 | 16/12/2009 13:33
Don't call him Kevatron400.
1761 TSA Points | Member since: Dec 2008
I can’t believe there are so many of you guys without this game. It’s quite literally a must-have.
Fresh191 | 16/12/2009 13:36
Member
585 TSA Points | Member since: Aug 2009
I really wasnt sure about this game at first glance but after the trusty TSA advice it is now and will always be in my collection.
TctclMvPhase | 16/12/2009 13:45
Member
818 TSA Points | Member since: Nov 2008
I hope next year we get a GoTY edition with all the expansion packs on one disc.
carlosfilippsen | 16/12/2009 13:54
Member
1316 TSA Points | Member since: Mar 2009
Flower truly is a masterpiece.
oMega-W | 16/12/2009 13:59
Member
2447 TSA Points | Member since: Forever
Shame they never got round to sorting out some sort of soundtrack release on the Store.
djhsecondnature | 16/12/2009 14:06
Team TSA: Media
893 TSA Points | Member since: Forever
Yeah I was gutted about that.
Would love it as my chill-out music.
Phil_E | 16/12/2009 14:02
Member
683 TSA Points | Member since: Forever
Worthy inclusion in game of the year line-up
AcidCrashX | 16/12/2009 14:12
Member
600 TSA Points | Member since: Jun 2009
love this game. going to go home and play this
Jumping Monks | 16/12/2009 14:38
Legend
1102 TSA Points | Member since: Jan 2009
I love this game so much, I still fire it up every now and again to chill out to it and forget any of the stresses that may have arisen in my day or week or whatever.
gawd that sounds so cheesy
Soild_Nat | 16/12/2009 14:43
Member
804 TSA Points | Member since: Apr 2009
Everyone with a PS3 should experience this game. Its brilliant and never fails to leave you with a smile each time you play it.