Flower Review

Many debate whether video games can be art, and every once in a while a game comes along that says "yes, they can." Flower is one of those such games, as its one of the most artistic, and unique gaming experiences in recent memory.

The graphics in Flower are absolutely gorgeous, the many different colors almost jump off the screen, and watching a large patch of brown grass turn into a beautiful sea of green is one of the most visually impressive things I've ever seen. Allowing the game to reminisce which shows many different areas of the level close up by pressing the select button is highly recommended, as it shows the beauty this game has in a whole new light. Flower's most impressive technical feat however is the fact that it throws around thousands of individually modeled blades of grass. But its the artistic quality that really impresses, as each level has it's own unique visual style.

Beautiful.

The music is also very beautiful, setting the relaxing tone of the game just perfectly. The audio design is perhaps Flower's greatest achievement. Each flower has its own distinct audio cue, be it a stringed instrument or chorus song. Its especially cool when you bloom different flowers in quick succession, creating beautiful waves of sound, providing perhaps the greatest incentive for perfecting your path through each level.

Obviously, the gameplay mainly revolves around blooming flowers, which in turn restores the color and beauty back to the specific area. Not all levels are confined to just blooming flowers however. One level has you illuminating patches of grass and other objects, showcasing some wonderful bloom effects. The game takes on a much darker tone after that, which really doesn't fit with the whole concept behind Flower. Thankfully, it gets back on track very quickly.

Wind is your best friend.

The controls are delightfully simple, hold one button, any button to blow the wind, and the sixaxis to control the direction. Again, this fits the relaxed tone of the game very well, as the controls are very responsive, and some of the best use of the PS3's motion controller to date. It takes a little getting used to at first, but you get a feel for it very quickly.

If I could summarize Flower with one word, that word would undoubtedly be beautiful. Flower is a beautiful game in many ways, from its graphics, its music, control, and art direction. It may not last long, but cleverly designed trophies will have you coming back for more. Its worth the ten dollar asking price to be sure, as its one of the most beautiful, serene, and relaxing gaming experiences you'll ever have, and it will have you rethinking your definition of art. And amidst all of the negative talk against DLC as of late, Flower is a refreshing reminder why its one of the greatest things to come out of this generation, because otherwise, smaller developers would never be able to share their creative and artistic masterpieces such as this with the world. If your a gamer with an open mind and can appreciate games such as this, you definitely should give Flower a try.

8.75/10

*Originally written March 23, 2009*

Braid Review

Can video games be art? That is the question. Braid is one of those games that answers that question with a resounding "yes". I'll explain why.

Braid tells the tale of Tim, in a moving story of loss and redemption, becoming complacent in our day to day "ordinary" lives, and wanting to do and be something more. This beautiful story is told in a classic storybook fairytale fashion, which fits nicely with the rest of the game, especially the artistic graphics and beautiful musical score.

Classic.

Braid's graphics are some of the most beautiful 2-D visuals I've ever seen in a game before, the art direction is extraordinary, never has a game made you feel like you were playing an interactive painting before more than Braid other than perhaps Okami. I could go on and on about how pretty Braid's visuals are, it's easily one of the best looking XBLA games available, and one of the most artistic looking in years.

The music in Braid is equally beautiful, with lovely violins and moody cellos, Braid's musical score will constantly delight your ears. It also changes depending on what Tim does in the environment, increasing in intensity or creating a feeling of desperation, and when need be, a soft relaxing melody almost like a complement of a job well done.

"GET OVER HERE!"

The thing that makes Braid most unique however is it's gameplay, granted you can run across the various levels stomping the enemies and bosses in your path in minutes, but the real meat of Braid's gameplay comes from using the time manipulation mechanic to solve various puzzles in order to collect puzzle pieces. Each time you complete a certain world's puzzle, a multicolored ladder will grow a little bit more leading the way to the top floor, which is where the final level of Braid lies, and it's nothing short of epic. Using time manipulation to solve puzzles is simple at first, but later on you will encounter objects not affected by time, another level has Time controlling a shadow version of himself, and it only gets more complicated and stranger after that. No doubt, Braid's puzzles will make your head hurt, in fact, I haven't played a game with puzzles this tough since The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.

Braid is probably best described as the Super Mario Bros. of the 21st century, although the difficulty comes from the puzzles, there is no punishment for death, simply rewind time to before you died and your back running again. Arguably the best, not only Xbox Live Arcade title available, but the best downloadable game available period, Braid is a game that every gamer should give a try, especially if you enjoy 2-D puzzle-platformers.

9.25/10

*Originally written April 18, 2009*