Sunday, 22 February 2009

Catch the Wind - Flower review


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Flower
is an incredibly unique experience, something that could only exist in the downloadable space. It's received a lot of press in the run up to it's launch, a lot of it due to the debate over whether it is so-called 'interactive art' and whether, in fact, it is a game at all.

The first thing to clear up is that second point.  This is most definitely a game, though a rather relaxed and sedate one.  The actual progression through the game is a simple case of item collection, in this case of the titular flower, but it's in the implementation that Flower excels.  Sixaxis motion control has been very much an afterthought for the majority of games that use it, but in Flower it is implemented near perfectly.  Any button on the controller causes the wind to blow, and tilting the controller changes the pitch and direction of your collection of flower petals. Gusting over other flowers causes them to open and add petals to your collection.  And that's it. But the result is a gloriously free feeling of flight, great tactile wind physics combining with the excellent sixaxis mapping to help create the illusion of soaring and swooping across verdant meadows.  It doesn't hurt that the game is alarmingly beautiful, green grass and lush vegetation creating a wonderful atmosphere.

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If it ended there, Flower would merely be a fine 'gimmick' game, a neat exercise in motion control.  But it's elevated beyond that by the narrative progression. Though the game has no real story, each there is definitely a trend that runs through the game, moving from the dappled meadows of the opening level to darker and sadder territory as time passes by.  Music and graphics conspire to create a real atmosphere, each level having a defined mood it tries to capture.  This culminates in an astonishing final level, which, without spoiling things, is a euphoric cap to everything that has come before.

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That Flower is able to mix a clever and interesting mechanic with such an interesting attempt at imbuing the game with higher meaning and pull it off makes it a very unique experience.  It's uplifting, relaxing, and very beautiful and deserves the comparisons to the equally idiosyncratic Rez. Transcending expectations, it manages to both stake a reasonable claim to be the aforementioned 'interactive art' and also a very fine game indeed.

[9]

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