Florence is a low-key game/interactive graphic novel aimed at twentysomethings. It follows the 25-year-old titular character, Florence Yeoh, as she goes about her daily routine, meets someone, and falls in love. The sparse and highly stylised sketched animations combined with lush, relaxing background music combine to make you feel as if you've fallen into an interactive indie movie; it's 500 Days of Summer crossed with a mindfulness app.
The makers of Florence are Mountains, an independent games studio based in Melbourne whose founder and creative director is Ken Wong. Wong worked on the multiple award-winning Monument Valley and his impressive design sensibilities come through in the gentle but impactful flow of Florence's storyline.
First argument
The puzzles mirror the narrative; at one point you’re forced to piece together puzzles as they move too fast and finally swing out of your control, cleverly mirroring the couple’s first argument.
If you're not a casual or hardcore gamer but want to take a break from your usual smartphone diversions, give Florence a whirl. At €3.50 it's a decent price for whiling away the time only to leave feeling a bit more zen.
