The famous Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (don’t worry, I didn’t know who he was at first either) once said “less is more.” Robert Venturi was having none of it when he coined the opposing phrase “less is a bore.”
Well, Robert Venturi is stupid. If you don’t believe me, try playing a little gem for the PS3 called Flower.
In the game, you play as a flower. Genius, right? At night, when you go to sleep, you’re whisked away to a dream world where you are a mere petal floating around in a not quite perfect world. The goal of the game is simple – fly around touching flowers and collecting their petals to help the world regrow into the lush landscape it once was before us dumb humans ruined it.
You control the flower by tilting the controller. That’s it. If you want a boost, use the trigger buttons.
It took me about 12 seconds to be completely hooked. The developer, thatgamecompany (TGC), says the game is their “video game version of a poem, exploiting the tension between urban bustle and natural serenity.”
A poem is the best way to describe Flower. As you fly freely through the grass, which renders 200,000 blades independently and simultaneously onscreen, you’ll literally feel a sense of calm wash over you. It’s easy to spend hours enjoying each particular environment for its unique, vibrant beauty. After amassing a good collection of flower petals, you can take a breather from flying and just watch as the petals hang peacefully in the air. I did, for about 10 minutes. How often do you encounter a game that’s almost as enjoyable to not actually play?
Considering how other developers expend so much effort cramming as much functionality into their games as possible, I have to give props to TGC for their creativity. The simplicity of Flower, as well as the breathtaking aesthetic make it one of the best games ever created. Period.
This game may not be for everyone (action junkies), but at only $9.99 on the PSN…it’s well worth every penny.
I could talk about this game endlessly, but I honestly think it’s something everyone should experience for themselves.
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Micah, this sounds like it might be cool – but let’s be honest, you have been smoking a lot of reefer, no?
Damn hippies now making video games!