Customer Reviews

Flower [Online Game Code - Full Game]

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Flower is a surprise hit with critical praise and bestselling status. The developer, thatgamecompany, aims to show emotion in the games they create, giving the player satisfaction on a different level than most mainstream games. Its simplistic controls--SIXAXIS motion control to move and any button to move faster--let you focus more on the astounding graphics and soundtrack and less on worrying about specific techniques. The game is made to let you relax and is a very nice departure from most other video games.

In the game, you are the wind. As the breeze flies throughout the beautiful blades of grass, you pick up single petals from flowers that you fly over until, eventually, you have hundreds of flower petals following you. The first few levels introduce you to simple puzzles involving exploration and collections of certain petals, but the last few levels reveal the plot in which you bring organic energy to a dismal, lifeless urban environment.

The game is rather short, especially if you just go through the levels quickly, but the game is meant to be played slowly so you can take in the entire experience. It is very visually stunning and must be seen on an HDTV to truly enjoy the animation of each blade of grass. Replay value comes in the form of trophies with certain goals, which include finishing levels with certain criteria and finding all "secret" flowers throughout all levels. I must admit that, after getting 100% of the trophies, it's not a game I play too often, but it is very nice to play through when I need a break.

This game is a great example of interactive art and I think it could actually prove to be a landmark game in the movement for emotion in gaming. Many people still say that video games can never be art, but if thatgamecompany has anything to say about it, there will be some changed minds in the future.

After waffling over which console to get, (360 or PS3), "Flower" was one of the games that offered a compelling argument beyond the technological differences between the two: Independent game. "Flower" brings an incredibly novel approach to gaming and put the "must race here to kill this or get that" to bed for a minute to allow you to soar across this valley as a swirl of petals with nothing to do but relax and enjoy the view.
It was my first PS3 game purchase and I love it.

This game quite simply has to be played through to be understood. This isn't a game for high scores, or objectives, or life and death or anything else in games that is used to add tension. This is a game to relax with and just get lost in. The designers describe it as an interactive poem and I must say they hit their mark. The game isn't more than 5 hours long but you can't really fault anything about it. Just know what you're in for, and enjoy the ride

Maybe because I am getting older, maybe because I enjoy the scenery of a game, maybe its a little of both but more. Enter in Flower, an unassuming small title from 2009. It was not until I had seen a short review of it elsewhere that I thought I would give it a try. If you ever wanted to show the true power of the PS3 without blowing some zombies head off or screaming down the track, 2 minutes in this game is more of a demo of the system that anything out yet. You basically control the wind with a single petal of a flower on that gust of wind. As you fly over other flowers they release a petal to your flowing chain and, some unlock new areas.

This is a game for a slow winter day when you long to smell the warm scented air of the midsummer day. It is so mesmerizing that you quickly lose track that you are even playing a game. It turns into an experience when you start some of the night levels where there are eerie sounds and complete darkness. As you unlock the areas you become a ball of light spreading through the dark. This game is art, and it is programming at its best.

If you would rather give your pal a high five because you just blew some kids head off, then you might want to stay away from this title. If, on the other hand, you are a student of art, lover of life and even a plant lover you can easily get captured by this game much in the same way as the wind captures the petals.

Pros:
>> Lack of instruction
>> Cost - it is almost free to download
>> Shows off the computing force of the PS3
>> One of the only games I have played that used the SIXAXIS controller fully. (They do turn off 1 axis but that actually makes playing easier and more intuitive).
>> Gorgeous lanscapes, music and beautiful lighting

Cons:
<< Lack of any instruction. (See it was a pro also but it can be either depending on the player, I think its more of a pro).

This is a fully accessible title for people of all ages, my 3yr old, my 6 yr old and even my parents love this title. It envelopes you with warmth and feeling of being lighter than air. I know this all sounds really grandiose and full of hyperbole, but in a way it has to because this is more a piece of art than a game, yet it is very fun to play.

Highly recommended for any PS3 owner!

Thank you for reading my review.

Flower has had it's fair share of kudos from NPR, Slate, and others. After giving it a spin, I have to say I agree with the hype. Getting into too much detail would ruin the fun, but a few things are worth mention.

WHAT IT IS:

I would describe Flower as Portal (from Valve) without a body. You play as a gust of wind (or a breeze) and play out a visual metaphor of pollinating flowers - spreading the lush greenness of nature. I admit, it sounds a bit "hippy-dippy", but the game designers pulled it off well. There are very few instructions and the game relies on the sixaxis part of the controller (motion controlled). The buttons do have a function - it's the same for every button, so I would have to say figuring out the controls happens within 5 minutes of play. The actual play can be very relaxing once you understand how to move around. There are objectives, levels, and trophies, but there is no score and no real rush to "get to the next level" until you feel like it.

This is a linear game, each accomplished level opens up another. Once a level is unlocked, you are free to return to it whenever you would like. The game has a plot and a vague story that unfolds nicely. The soundtrack is relaxing as well.

Playtime can run from ~3 hours to 10 hours, but it depends on how long you "hang out". This is well worth the price as the game cost less than a trip to the movies and is more entertaining.

WHAT IT ISN'T:

This is not a game for those who enjoy racing through levels "just to get to the end". A player who does that is going to get to the end pretty quickly and wonder, "what was that?" If that's you, you might want to look elsewhere for entertainment.

This is also not a game that you will play over and over. You may find it fun to go through a couple of times, but eventuality the lack of new environments will will create boredom. I can't really knock the game creator for this, seeing that the game cost about 20% of an 'A' title game, but it's the one real detractor for me.

Lastly, for the Orange box gamers out there, please excuse all of the Portal references (I was just revisiting it). I will make one more reference though. The Cake is NOT a lie in Flower.

Happy Gaming!

I have few words to describe what exactly WHAT flower is. But, it doesn't matter.
Here are some things I DO know:
It is one of the best, if not THE best, PSN games of all time.
It might be the the best overall Ps3 game ever. (No, not kidding)
It is one of the most beautiful games of all time.
Graphical quality is superb, if you were still wondering.
This "game" can hardly be considered a "game" as it is more an experience than a game.
Its soundtrack is definitely worth purchasing: only $3 for one of the best "videogame" soundtracks of all time.
Its setup is extremely easy to grasp and to get into.
It is one of the only games to give me a feeling of utter peace (the other being Okami).
The final "level" is something you will never forget, and is hands down the best "level" I have ever played. (I was honestly grinning the whole way through)
And no matter how long it lasts for you, you will NEVER forget Flower.
One final thing:
There is another room........

If this review helped you, say so, and help people realize how this could be one of the best games of all time.

I usually prefer shooters and action/adventure games and Flower is so far away from any of those kinds of games they're not even comparable.

Flower is simple, soothing and amazingly fun. This game stimulates your senses with it's breathtakingly beautiful visuals that can be enjoyed even if you don't own an HDTV.

There's no real challenge to completing the game (except for maybe unlocking some of the trophies), but passing through each level is relaxing and rewarding. The controls are very simple, but not so much that you feel like you can just sleepwalk through the entire game.

The game, like flOw, is just a reminder that life can be and should be enjoyed.

This game may seem to some to be boring, childish, or "girly", but it's not only fun, it's a very beautiful, serene, and relaxing game. The game requires you to control the wind to gather specific flower pedals which achieves specific goals throughout the game. The way I describe it makes it sound boring but I assure you it is great. Controlling the wind requires pretty much no button pressing on the controller. You simply move the motion controller (Sixaxis) like you would in the direction you want to move. Many people have complained about the motion sensing of the Sixaxis/Dualshock 3 but this game has used it to perfection. The game is simple so it does not require complex movement, yet the movement is very accurate going exactly in the direction you want with no delay. It does take a little time getting used to, but it becomes very simple and fun. The only use of buttons is for making the wind stronger (faster) which is done by pressing any button. Once you get the hang of moving around, you'll see that boosting the wind while moving is not too difficult but challenging enough to remain fun and engaged. The game goes through 5 or 6 levels which all have a different theme and include different settings and tasks. The music is absolutely beautiful, and the graphics are simplistic yet elegant and artistic. The only negative to this game is that it takes only a few hours to complete, yet it does have one of the most rewarding sets of trophies I've seen on any PS3 game. Getting all the trophies requires at least playthroughs, so you definitely get your money's worth, and it's the kind of game you go back to playing after a couple of months just to relax and enjoy it all again. I personally think this is the best game on the PSN and really makes me consider the argument that video games can be art.

I can only imagine how this game was pitched in the board room. On paper, it is nothing more than a flying/driving simulator with the six axis and a throttle button. And of course, your vehicle of choice is a petal(s). The premise couldn't be any simpler yet the game will only be appreciated by a mature audience with an appreciation of art. You will play this game because of the music and art direction. There are no headshots nor killstreaks to track. The controls are very good (probably the showcase piece for the six axis controller) and the speed can provide a roller-coaster-like rush at times, but you needn't master them. Anyone who tries will finish the game. The experience will last about two hours and I can't say there is any replayability to it, so the question you have to ask yourself is "Is it worth $10 for a two hour experience that is refreshingly different, relaxing and uplifting or do I go back to raising that headshot count?".

This game doesn't have any fighting, you don't die. What this gane is all about is that you are a flower pedal that floats around with the breeze, opening closed flowers along the way, collecting their pedals and causing baren land to turn green along with other very pretty positive effects. The graphics could be better considering the ability of the PS3, but you end up getting lost in the music and beauty and don't notice. I play this at night in a dark room and feel as though I've been transformed to those fields. Worth the money if you just want to smile and feel happy.