There was a time in the motion picture industry when the judicious use of lighting could denote emotion, could bring joy or dread to a scene. But then we got to a place where everything just became about color and splashing it around without any sense of creative use.

When next-gen consoles were introduced, the potential was there for innovative steps forward in terms of creative gaming trends. Too often, it seems, we are stuck in the miasma of familiar game mechanics and retread concepts.

And that is what makes a game like Flower so refreshing. The game is not overly complex and yet tantalizes with a rich palette of colors that the player controls. Each level is an environment and the player is the wind. You pick up petals from blossoming flowers and, using the motion-control of the SIXAXIS controller, push and steer the petals throughout the environment, over other flowers that have auras around them (in some levels there are not flowers and you decorate with glowing bits of light). As you complete the circuits you bring lift to the environments; grasses will change colors and trees will blossom.

The staging area for the whole game is a city, that begins as dull and drab and as each level is completed, it also takes on color.

Flower is from the same team that was responsible for flOw – thatgamecompany – and published by SCEA. It is a mixture of three-dimensional environments coupled with simple game mechanics, filtered through a rich color scheme with a wonderful and appropriate musical score dancing behind each level. This game borders on a truly Zen-like experience.

The game is appropriate for all ages and the difficulty ramps up as you progress through the levels. Shortly along the path, you will encounter wind mills that create their own push and you will find yourself redirected easily should you get into that stream.

There is not a whole lot to the game in terms of options or even different maps for levels you have already accomplished. In that regard the game may not have much to offer in terms of replayability. And there is no multiplayer available. This is a very straightforward game.

Graphically, the game sparkles and the music is wonderful, with each flower you touch giving off its own tone and adding it to the symphony of the game. The controls are easy to understand and use.

There is little doubt that the game is imaginative and a bit unlike anything else available on the PlayStation 3 console. It should have a wide demographic but while there is talk of the ability to customize the experience, the version GameZone received didn’t really show that. Still, for what it is, Flower is definitely worth a look.

Gameplay: 8.5
The controls are easy to use, the load times are minimal, but the game may not have a lot of replayability outside of the initial run-through. Sure, you can go back at any time and try to complete the level faster or grab more petals than you did the first time through, but the levels did not seem to change at all.

Graphics: 9.0
This is a real visual treat.

Sound: 9.0
Inasmuch as the game is a feast for the eyes, it is also a delight for the ears

Difficulty: Easy/Med

Concept: 8.8
The dev team did a fine job of creating a game that blended compelling graphics with simple gameplay.

Overall: 8.7
This is a beautiful game that is easy to pick up and play and should be accessible to anyone in the family. The game may falter in terms of replayability, but the levels have been designed to bring a true emotional feeling to the game through the use of lighting and music.