Flower (PS3)

[aruljothi]

Release Date: 02/13/2009
ESRB Rating: Rating Pending
Genre: Miscellaneous
Publisher: SCEA
Developer: That Game Company

Flower's the type of game that'll probably elicit numerous reviews slinging around words like "experiential" and other such highfalutin terms. But I'd rather get straight to the point: At its basic level, you fly around. You touch flowers. Green stuff happens. But it's more than that, a lot of which probably extends past the scope of this review.

This won't be an analytical take on thatgamecompany's auteurist endeavor. Though Flower is rife with potential symbolism, I'll try to leave most of the discovery to you; it'd be a disservice to reveal the game's ending. And I can't talk about Flower's minute detailing without discussing the project as a whole -- it'd be like analyzing a half-seen movie. But I will get into what it's like playing this beautiful PSN title. Quite simply: It's fun.

But maybe "fun" isn't the perfect word. Much like a well-constructed movie's emotional arc, Flower sets the mood, dips into the darkness, soars up for the climax, and ends on a satisfying resolution. Each level, represented by a potted flower sitting on a windowsill, takes you into the dream of that flower. In those periods of resting imagination, you soar through the air and make your way to that flower's secret inner desire, be it lush vegetation, bright color patches, or just shafts of light. But no matter the end, the journey is the same -- you fly around from flower to flower, collecting petals as you go. The more petals you add to your train, the faster you can fly. The levels are all fun, but they're also peaceful, exhilarating, empowering, and, as a mild spoiler, sometimes terrifying.

The game's distinct visual style immediately draws you in; people walking by my cubicle while I was playing would constantly stop and ask me what I was doing. This isn't the most technologically impressive game I've ever seen, but it is still one of the most beautiful. While the landscapes aren't entirely realistic, they offer exactly what I'd expect from a flower's dream -- hills speckled with stunning colors, ethereal orbs glowing in the grass, and a breathtakingly blue sky. Coupled with wonderful music and sound effects -- a dynamic score and chimes that tinkle fittingly as you collect petals -- Flower's presentation grabs and holds your attention.