Many PS3 owners will be familiar with the work of independent developer thatgamecompany from their game flOW, which was one of the earliest downloadable titles released on the PlayStation Store. An oddity that was really an “interactive experience,” with only the vaguest game-like qualities, flOW was written off by some as being little more than a tech demo for the PS3’s SixAxis motion control functionality. This wasn’t really fair, as flOw was a surprisingly relaxing and soothing experience, and while it wasn’t exactly much fun, it was engaging enough to mark thatgamecompany as an up-and-coming developer to keep an eye on.

Their latest offering, Flower, shares quite a few similarities with flOw, but is also significantly different. Unlike flOw, Flower is a “proper” game, replete with levels, a narrative structure and various distinct objectives guiding the gameplay. And what a game it is! Flower is a pleasant and unexpected surprise, a game as fresh and beautiful as its title suggests, and one which manages to set a standard that few 2009 games could reasonably be expected to match.

Continue reading El33tonline’s review of Flower.