Florence
Year: 2018
Rating: T
Time Played: ~30 minutes
Video games as a medium are changing. Technology has advanced to the point where storytelling isn’t just confined to books, movies, and televisions shows. Sure, there are “cinematic” triple-A titles that have exciting gameplay and dramatic twists. Then there are the indie titles like Florence that make a heartfelt story interactive through video games. It’s a cute game that doesn’t have much replay value but is worth checking out at least once if you have a little time to kill.
It’s odd how such a simple game can pack an emotional punch with such a short story, but that’s where Florence succeeds. The player is engaged in portions of the story through a series of minigames that don’t necessarily change the plot in any significant way (which might have been an interesting way to increase its replayability). However, these little interactive bits are great at expressing the wordless emotions of the characters as they try and figure out this thing called life. After all, there are highs and lows and messy bits that we have to deal with, and Florence gives the player a chance to experience these moments in the titular character’s life.
While I did truly enjoy the story, I have to reiterate that it is quite short. I think it took me about a half-hour to play through the storyline, which itself doesn’t change if you want to get your money’s worth. And for $6 on the Switch, I was glad I got it on sale for half that price because even $6 seems steep for as much content as you’re getting. So, if you’re looking to try this game (and I suggest you do), try and wait for it to go on sale before enjoying its heartfelt story.
A little pricy for an emotional, interactive story, I give Florence 4.0 stars out of 5.
