With the game Journey, Thatgamecompany created one of the most popular indie games in history. But in 2009 a game was released that is as legendary as Journey, Flower. Flower was like Journey developed by the indie game studio Thatgamecompany. It was first released on February 12, 2009, for the Playstation 3 and later on November 15, 2013, for the Playstation 4. There is also a PC version that came out on February 14, 2019. It was Thatgamecompany’s first big success.
At the beginning of the game we are in a room and looking out of the window. There is a small flower in front of the window, to start our adventure we have to click on the little flower.
Shortly after we started the first level we are on a green meadow in the middle of nature. In front of us lies an idyllic landscape with the sun shining in the sky and grasses dancing in the wind. A peaceful natural landscape with a musical background that fits perfectly into the scenario. But the beautiful atmosphere will be influenced by you shortly afterwards, because you will quickly realize what task you will have in the game. A small flower appears in front of us, if we click on it our main character of the game appears, a little blossom.
The controls a rather unusual but also interesting, because you control your character with the movements of your controller. If you move your controller to the right or left, your character which is the little blossom, will move in the corresponding direction. If you lift the controller up, the character goes up and if you hold the controller down, the character goes down, very simple and easy. To move forward we need wind, which we can generate by pressing any button on our controller. The controls not only work perfectly, they also feel really refreshing and give the game an artistic and harmonious touch. It fits the game perfectly. Now our journey can begin. After leaving the first blades of grass behind us, we discover more flowers in the distance, our job is to open the buds of the flower by touching them. By opening the buds of the flowers, more and more different colored flowers join us, which accompany us on our journey through the level. As the number of the flowers rises steadily, this results in a several meter long chain of flowers that follows us. It looks impressive and beautiful.
The goal in each level is to let the flowers bloom again in the landscape. There are seven different levels in the game and you will quickly realize that the levels are more and more getting darker. The landscape become dreier and more lifeless.
It becomes clear during the game what an negative influence humans have on nature. Everyone can do something to protect the nature, we just have to do something, that’s all.
All levels are different, sometimes we fly through gorges, past impressive rocks or have to restart wind turbines. And in the final level we have to free the city from all its mechanical and metallic facades in order to let the city bloom again in new splender.
The special thing in about flower is that there are no time limits, game over, or frustration moments. This game gives you enough time to experience a relaxing fantasy trip. With a total playing time of 1,5 – 2 hours it is a relatively short game, but this is not a problem. Good games don’t have to belong to give you wonderful gaming experience. Everything in this game harmonizes perfectly, the beautiful music and landscape create a breathtaking experience. Thatgamecompany created with flower a masterpiece, it shows what great quality indie games can have.
