Vibrant colors and good Sixaxis controls make flower a must-play.
Flower is the latest release from the makers of the game-slash-screen saver flOw, thatgamecompany, released exclusively for download through the PlayStation Store at a $9.99 price point. Flower is a game experience that, while short, makes enough of an impression with vivid colors and intriguing gameplay to recommend its purchase and repeated playing.
Flower excels noticeably by doing effortlessly what so many other games have failed to do: making the Sixaxis controls functional and enjoyable. While some games, such as Ratchet & Clank: Tools of Destruction, integrate Sixaxis controls intermittently and with varying degrees of success, some large-budget titles relying almost solely on Sixaxis have disappointed severely (do I need to specify which game I'm referencing here?). Flower's control scheme consists of the use of one button - any button of your choosing - to alternate the speed at which your petals travel, in a cyclonic whirl, and the tilting of the controller for direction.
This is an excellent game for significant others or disparaging parental units, to show them that video games are not all violence and blood, or time-sucking, life-wasting MMOs. While there is objective-based gameplay available, it is not entirely necessary to complete the game - or even a level - to enjoy what is on offer here. The parting of individual blades of grass as the wing and petals race along the ground, or the array of vibrant colors through levels light and dark are spectacles in their own right, and there is plenty of time to enjoy any of these aspects, since the game's levels do not have time constraints.
One of the great delights of Flower is that its ease of controls and relatively free world and level design leave enough to interpretation that each player may approach it differently. In this way Flower is a little like John Cage's 4'33": the experience and sounds are as much about the audience as they are derived directly from the game.
Flower is a great starting point for someone just getting into games, or a great way to relax and enjoy a wide palette of color for veteran gamers taking a breather from more intense or violent games. Its merits and low price point make it easily recommendable to anyone.
