Flow (Vita)

Around the time I got Journey Collector’s Edition, I reviewed the game Flow off of that collection, since I had not played it beforehand, and I called it art in video game form. Recently, Flow has also been ported to the PlayStation 4 and Vita systems, joining Flower as a Thatgamecompany game available for the new home console. When I found out about Flow’s recent porting, I became curious about how the game would work with the Vita’s controls, so I decided to check it out. After having played the Vita version of the game, I can safely tell you that the game is still worth the investment.

As with my review of Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault for Vita, anything I have said about Flow that is not related to graphics or controls can be found my original review of the PS3 version; also like Full Frontal Assault for Vita, keep in mind that this review is based solely on the single-player experience (the game disabled Network functions when I played). Now that that’s out of the way, I would like to explain how the experience differs between PS3 and Vita, if applicable.

The graphics of the Vita port of Flow are very impressive, especially for a handheld device, though this may have to do with the game’s art style. In any case, I’m impressed by how smoothly the game flows (no pun intended), with very seamless movement and no noticeable lag. The game looks just as good as ever, which shows evidence that great care was taken with this port’s visuals. As for the controls, there obviously had to be some modifications made to fit with the Vita’s layout. To move, you have to take advantage of the system’s gyroscope function, which makes sense since the PS3 version used the console’s SIXAXIS controls for movement. Controlling your organism with the gyroscope takes a little getting used to at first, but you quickly get the hang of it and the game becomes enjoyable to play through. As with the PS3 version, you can use practically any button you want to gain a short boost, but now there’s the added capability of using both shoulder buttons (at once) to help stabilize movement, which works fairly well.

The Vita version of Flow is a very well-made port of a great indie title and I highly recommend downloading it, whether you have or have not already played and enjoyed a previous version of the game. The gyroscope-enabled motion controls take a little getting used to, but overall it is a very solid product that is very much worth your time and money. It may cost $6 to download, but it will work with the PS3 and PS4 in addition to the Vita, so you will definitely be able to get more mileage out of your purchase if you have at least one of the aforementioned consoles. If you only have the Vita on hand, it’s still worth the purchase anyway.

Cloud

In my recent review of Journey Collector's Edition, I mention that the package lacks Cloud, the first game made by the founders of Thatgamecompany. Soon after posting it, I decided I had some time to actually play the game and see what I think of it. After downloading the game from its hosting site (thatcloudgame.com should do the trick if you're curious), I found myself enjoying the experience ahead of me.

In Cloud, you take the role of a boy who has been hospitalized. During his time there, he often dreams about the clouds he sees just outside the window. During his dreams are where you take control, with the ability to manipulate the clouds as he floats in the sky. This includes such actions as the ability to not only gather clouds together, but also shape them into a desired form, such as a lollipop. You can also use the lighter clouds under your control to eliminate darker clouds, creating a rain effect, at the cost of  a portion of your gathering of clouds. If you have any trouble absorbing a larger cloud, you also have the option to absorb clouds and then release them to form a new cloud, expanding either sideways while moving or upwards by staying still, forming a taller cloud for further gathering. If this sounds familiar in any way, the experience is sort of like Katamari Damacy, but executed differently.

The cutscenes of Cloud are simply stunning. Each one is comprised of a pan over two or three beautifully made paintings that perfectly capture the mood of each of the four main stages. (There are also extra stages available to extend the replay value.) The music is also excellently done, creating a dream-like, happy atmosphere. This also serves as a perfect contrast to the rain created when trying to eliminate darker clouds.

Cloud is, like the games formed after Thatgamecompany's founding, simple but engaging. If you are a fan of the aforementioned company and want to see the roots of it, this is a game for you to check out. If you are not a fan of Thatgamecompany, this probably isn't for you.

Journey Collector's Edition

Sony has put out HD collections in the past, but recently they have begun further branding them under an umbrella Collection banner. To show this new branding, four collections were released on the same day, including God of War Saga, Infamous Collection, Ratchet & Clank Collection, and Journey Collector's Edition, the last of these being unaffected by this new branding. On this blog, we wish to discuss the first three of these collections at later points (just as soon as we can acquire them), but right now, let's focus on Journey Collector's Edition.

The main focus and draw of this collection stems from the fact that it includes Thatgamecompany's PSN titles, Flow, Flower, and Journey. This collection works differently from others I have seen, in that rather than each game being ready to play right off the disk, you must install them to your system first. Fortunately, for those who already have any of these games already on their PS3, the disk will actually recognize whether or not its already there, thus saving you the trouble of having to go through the game again in order to obtain a new set of trophies. In this way, this bundle is actually smart. What I personally find neat about the main menu (yes, I'm talking about a menu screen) is that the images representing these three games look like amazing movie posters.

Aside from these three acclaimed games, this collection also has three bonus mini-games that haven't been released by Thatgamecompany, known as Gravediggers, Duke War!!, and Nostril Shot. Since I don't want to go into too much detail about these mini-games, I will just briefly tell you what I think of each one. Gravediggers has a unique concept, in which two or more players play as gravediggers while competing to collect the most zombie skulls; it has great implementation, though it's charm comes from its resemblance to an Atari 2600 game, which should please fans of old-school gaming. Duke War!! also has an interesting idea, in which multiple people playing as dukes compete to collect the most money for a king with the help of peasants, which can actually be pretty competitive; this game has its own charm as well, thanks to some humorous voice acting and graphics resembling drawings on a whiteboard. Nostril Shot, on the other hand, isn't exactly my cup of tea personally; you play as a space maiden shooting at swarms of enemies, with the power to change whether you can shoot or charge at them, presumably with multiple players; I couldn't really get into this one, nor could I get a full grasp on it, particularly how someone else can join in, but on the upside it does faithfully recreate the look and feel of an old arcade game.

While the presence of three games previously released as downloads may turn off owners of those games, there's still plenty of extras for those that have already played them. Aside from the games themselves, the collection also includes concept art galleries and soundtracks for each of the main games, as well as trailers and other videos that provide more insight on each game from behind the scenes. At least the Flower soundtrack has also already been released via PSN (from my knowledge), but it's still worth checking out.

My only complaint, however, is the lack of the game Cloud. Before Thatgamecompany existed, its founders Jenova Chen and Kellee Santiago, along with other students from University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts, developed a game called Cloud that was released through Microsoft Windows. It would have been nice to see the game make an appearance here, but this likely would have involved more development time and Sony probably wanted to just use the games Thatgamecompany had under their contract. Oh well, you can't always get what you want.

So, is Journey Collector's Edition worth a purchase? While there's plenty of extras to entice those that have already bought one or more of the featured games, it's probably better for those who have not played any of them yet. In either case, however, I would tell you to consider purchasing it, especially if you're like me and you prefer having things in a tangible medium. (Plus, if you get it new, you also get a code for 24 free Flower and Journey avatars.)

Flow (PS3)

I am currently in the process of playing Journey Collector's Edition, which I received as a gift, with the intent of reviewing it upon completion. It has occurred to me that of the 3 main games included in the package, I still had not yet played or reviewed Thatgamecompany's first game, Flow (stylized flOw), which I understand has been very well received. Thanks to the aforementioned collection, I decided it was about time I played their first game after putting it off for so long. And now, without further ado, here is my review of Flow.

In Flow, you control a microorganism within a vast array of water. As you advance deeper into your environment, you can extend the creature's length and size by eating smaller organisms floating around each level, or by killing larger forms of microscopic life and eating the smaller life that remains of them. Once you complete your journey through the water, you unlock a new organism so you start it over again.

Controlling your organism is very simple. Movement simply requires you to tilt your controller, while quite literally almost any button will give you a short boost. These boosts are limited, but you can acquire more by eating, and the visual effect of these boosts and how they work depends entirely on the organism. Due to the simplicity of the controls, anyone who is capable of holding a controller can start playing. In fact, the game encourages anyone nearby to, in its words, dive in. When playing with multiple people, the game can get somewhat competitive as you try to snag as much food as possible to grow your microscopic life.

The visuals of the game are simple, yet intriguing at the same time. There's something about it that sucks you in and makes you not want to leave, much like Thatgamecompany's later titles. There's beauty in this simplicity, to where I soon found myself thinking of the game as a work of art more than a game. These visuals are accompanied by an equally elegant soundtrack, which helps the immersion further. As you continue playing, you may find yourself thinking that, as the game says, life could be simple.

Flow may be simple, but its beauty comes from that simplicity. This game also serves as amazing example of art in the form of a game, and its something you want to keep admiring until you absorb every last detail. If you own a PS3, you owe it to yourself to play this game, whether through Journey Collector's Edition or direct download from PSN.

Second Opinion - Journey

If you've ever played Flower, you should have a pretty good idea of the work that developer Thatgamecompany can provide. Placing more emphasis on generating an emotion in the player, rather than building a game around its mechanics, they have managed to create games that may be considered much closer to art than anything else. However, this route isn't all that bad, as demonstrated by their latest release, Journey. As a PlayStation Plus subscriber, I was able to play this early, and I believe my $15 was very well spent.

Journey is all about the journey taken by a cloaked, genderless figure as the player makes their way to a mysterious mountain in the far off distance, while also learning about their past, present, and even future. Along the way, you may come across a companion that may accompany you to the goal, as well as help you solve various puzzles across a handful of levels. While communication is key most often in co-op plays, the difference here is that there is no way to talk to anyone else other than through a wordless shout, and even then you can't identify them in any way until after the end credits. Isolation is the main aspect of Journey, and these qualities help to create that feeling, along with a sense of comfort once you find someone else in the lonely world.

While the levels are minimal, they are also large and absolutely beautiful. I'd have to concede that along with having a gorgeous graphical style, the game sports physics that can outdo even Uncharted 3's sand; sand is to Journey what grass was to Flower. Traversing the environments is also as easy as it could possibly get, since literally anyone could grasp the controls and the two or three buttons needed. Floating like a petal in the breeze is invigorating, as is the perfectly cued music used throughout. Mentioning any specific moment would make this review spoileriffic, but I would like to mention that I could easily have cried at one point or two in awe.

While Journey can be completed in roughly a couple of hours or so, it's the experience that really counts. It's a masterpiece that impressed me to such a degree as to tempt me to press Start immediately after the title screen came up again. Putting emotion over gameplay is something that resonates well from the game, but I'll admit that it isn't for everyone. Potential players expecting it to go the other way may not find it as thrilling as those who will no doubt fall in love with this adventure.

Journey

Soon after the release of Flower, Thatgamecompany began work on a new game called Journey. Having enjoyed the company's last game, I was so excited by the announcement that I recently went back and played Flower again as a lead-in. I wasn't sure what experience to expect as the release date got closer, but this question was answered after getting to see for myself. (This game was released a week early to PlayStation + subscribers.) Having played this game twice already, I can't wait to do it again.

In Journey, you are a mysterious hooded figure travelling through a desert with a mountain in the distance. Along your way to this distant goal, you solve a series of puzzles as you learn more about the world you inhabit. During your journey you can also meet and travel with other players online, however there are no indicators at all as to who they are, and your only form of communication is a wordless shout. All this helps to create a sense of isolation in this vast, awe-inspiring landscape, with a feeling of closure when you are near another traveler.

The controls to this game are very easy to grasp, since there are very few, allowing absolutely anyone to pick them up and begin a new journey. Early on you obtain a scarf that allows you to fly for a brief period of time, which can be refueled by either going near flying pieces of cloth or by touching cloth creatures or other players, and can be extended by touching special symbols hidden across each level. Performing your shout not only allows you to communicate, it also allows you to rejuvenate tattered pieces of cloth spread across the desert and activate statues and small pieces of tapestry that tell you more about the game world's past, present, and even future.

The graphics of this game are simply stunning, putting itself up there with many current Triple-A titles out there. However, Journey surpasses them all in terms of the detail in the sand, even one such as Uncharted 3 which features a desert prominently. The physics for the sand and cloth here, much like Flower with grass, also surpass every other modern game I've seen. I enjoy the way the robes of the travelers flap in powerful wind, rivaling the dress physics in Alice: Madness Returns, and especially how movements from the player and their shout affect the sand in very subtle ways, again beating out Uncharted 3 in this fashion. Equally amazing is the music accompanying the actions onscreen and the layout of each locale, perfectly setting up the game's atmosphere and the emotion it wants from the player.

Journey isn't just simply a game, it's an experience. And while it may be a short experience that lasts under two hours, it is most certainly one you will want to go through over and over again. If you own a PS3, this is absolutely one download you do not want to pass up for any reason.

Flower - Elegance At Its Finest

Thatgamecompany (also written as thatgamecompany) is an independent game company known for creating games that are unlike any other currently on the market, with the intent to influence players' emotions. Their first game, Flow (stylized as flOw), was incredibly well-received and is, as of this writing, currently on my list of games to obtain in the future. Their last game, Flower, also got high ratings, and is among one of my top favorite PSN games. The company currently has another game called Journey on its way soon, so as a lead-in I have decided to re-play Flower and give my opinion here. Returning to this game after a few years, it has yet to lose its place as an amazing work of art.

The story of the game is very simplistic, in that you are a potted flower dreaming by a windowsill. As it dreams, you are the wind guiding a flower petal as it picks up other petals from blooming flowers, forming a long trail of petals as you go forward. To move forward is very easy: all you have to do is hold down almost any button you like, and you can change your course at any time using the Sixaxis functionality of your PS3 Sixaxis or DualShock 3 controller, and all you need to do to bloom a flower is to touch it with your trail. This makes the game accessible to anyone who wishes to play.

If there are any words I can use to describe each level, "beautiful" is not enough. This game has quite possibly the best grass effects I have ever seen in a video game, even to this day. The music in each level helps set the tone of each dream, which helps to get the right emotion from you at any given time. For instance, when my trail ran into electricity during a later stage, I felt genuinely scared as I tried to avoid any petals getting shocked. The stages aren't all like this though, as all the others help you feel very calm and relaxed. As a bonus, there are also a few secret flowers hidden within each level, encouraging you to explore every field at your leisure.

Flower is a game that is very simple, yet elegant in its design. It is a game I find to be very soothing and relaxing, to where I believe it can possibly help people recover from something such intense warfare or heavy depression. This game is nothing short of artwork and to me stands high as an example of how a video game can be treated as such. I would recommend this game to absolutely anyone who owns a PS3, as it is something you will find yourself playing over and over again. If you play this and enjoy the soundtrack, you can also get it separately on PSN; this soundtrack alone is able to get a good feeling out of you and you will not want to let it go.