Wikipedia:Today's featured article/March 9, 2010

Flower is a PlayStation 3 video game. It was developed by thatgamecompany, designed by Jenova Chen (pictured), and announced at the 2007 Tokyo Game Show. Flower was released on February 12, 2009, via the PlayStation Network. The game was intended as a spiritual successor to flOw, a previous title by Chen and thatgamecompany. In it, the player controls the wind, blowing a flower petal through the air using the movement of the game controller. Flying close to flowers results in the player's petal being followed by other flower petals. Approaching flowers may also have side-effects on the game world, such as bringing vibrant color to previously dead fields or activating stationary windmills. The game features no text or dialogue, forming a narrative arc primarily through visual representation and emotional cues. Flower was primarily intended to provoke positive emotions in the player, rather than to be a challenging and "fun" game. The team viewed their efforts as creating a work of art, removing gameplay elements and mechanics that were not provoking the desired response in the players. Flower was a critical success, to the surprise of the developers. Reviewers praised the game's music, visuals, and gameplay, calling it a unique and compelling emotional experience. It was named the best independent game of 2009 at the Spike Video Game Awards and by Playboy, and won the "Casual Game of the Year" award by the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences. (more...)

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