Florence beautifully depicts the turbulence of love and the struggles of combating the mundane daily routines of life through a gorgeously illustrated, albeit minuscule, interactive story.
WHAT I LIKED:
+ Florence Yeoh, a 25-year-old woman, has conformed to the monotony of routine-based life. Wake up, brush teeth, eat breakfast, catch up on social media, work at a job she lacks passion for, come home, go to sleep and repeat the cyclical nature of life forever. This depiction of mindless life, that the vast majority of societal members naturally abide by, is excruciatingly realistic and ever so relatable (especially for blue and white collared workers) and makes Florence empathetic. She then meets a cellist, Krish, who befriends her before a turbulent relationship sends her aspirational trajectory through a different direction. As a story, Florence shines as a silent linear experience purely focusing on its approachable narrative that makes an impression without having to employ violence. Plus, it's incredibly motivational! Capturing the essence of what it is like to fall in love and the joy of pursuing a hobby. Isn't that what life is about?
+ Life reinforcement through minigames. Being an interactive story, Florence slides away from the typical "web comic" and offers an array of interaction that assist in bonding closer with Florence and her life. From tediously playing a game of "Pairs" when working at the accountancy firm to conjoining speech bubbles when conversing with Krish. Very simple and understated minigames, but undoubtedly produce a sophisticated level of interaction for the player. Plus, it's the only story where you can repeatedly decline several calls from a mother, yet she still persists with ringing...
+ Life animated. Florence really is a work of art. The gorgeous illustrations of Florence, Krish and the memories they share together truly offer a premium storytelling method. The transitions between slides and/or chapters were sublime. The details within the animation and player interactivity were succinctly embedded. And the constant use of movement displays to indicate how the player should interact with the story, such as scrolling, makes Florence accessible for everyone.
WHAT I DISLIKED:
- Art trumps love. Not so much a negative, but more a criticism with Florence's conclusion. There is an obtuse amount of narcissism that doesn't sit well with me personally. When the majority of Florence's story settles for "first love" and the multitude of memories that she shares with Krish, to sharply open her future up after a certain event occurs seemed self-conceited and supplies a pessimistic perspective on what "love" controls. An argument for this ending could be that Krish's passion for music and the arts has now made an impression on Florence, something she would never have discovered without him. However the brief exploration into this does not warrant the self-adulation that regrettably possessed the conclusion.
- One's love life is incredibly short. Being an interactive story split into chapters, Florence is somewhat on the short side. It never outstays its welcome mind you, but further exploration into Florence's childhood and her memories with Krish could've enhanced her characterisation, and the game's length, that little bit more.
VERDICT:
7/10 <3 emojis
WHAT I LIKED:
+ Florence Yeoh, a 25-year-old woman, has conformed to the monotony of routine-based life. Wake up, brush teeth, eat breakfast, catch up on social media, work at a job she lacks passion for, come home, go to sleep and repeat the cyclical nature of life forever. This depiction of mindless life, that the vast majority of societal members naturally abide by, is excruciatingly realistic and ever so relatable (especially for blue and white collared workers) and makes Florence empathetic. She then meets a cellist, Krish, who befriends her before a turbulent relationship sends her aspirational trajectory through a different direction. As a story, Florence shines as a silent linear experience purely focusing on its approachable narrative that makes an impression without having to employ violence. Plus, it's incredibly motivational! Capturing the essence of what it is like to fall in love and the joy of pursuing a hobby. Isn't that what life is about?
+ Life reinforcement through minigames. Being an interactive story, Florence slides away from the typical "web comic" and offers an array of interaction that assist in bonding closer with Florence and her life. From tediously playing a game of "Pairs" when working at the accountancy firm to conjoining speech bubbles when conversing with Krish. Very simple and understated minigames, but undoubtedly produce a sophisticated level of interaction for the player. Plus, it's the only story where you can repeatedly decline several calls from a mother, yet she still persists with ringing...
+ Life animated. Florence really is a work of art. The gorgeous illustrations of Florence, Krish and the memories they share together truly offer a premium storytelling method. The transitions between slides and/or chapters were sublime. The details within the animation and player interactivity were succinctly embedded. And the constant use of movement displays to indicate how the player should interact with the story, such as scrolling, makes Florence accessible for everyone.
WHAT I DISLIKED:
- Art trumps love. Not so much a negative, but more a criticism with Florence's conclusion. There is an obtuse amount of narcissism that doesn't sit well with me personally. When the majority of Florence's story settles for "first love" and the multitude of memories that she shares with Krish, to sharply open her future up after a certain event occurs seemed self-conceited and supplies a pessimistic perspective on what "love" controls. An argument for this ending could be that Krish's passion for music and the arts has now made an impression on Florence, something she would never have discovered without him. However the brief exploration into this does not warrant the self-adulation that regrettably possessed the conclusion.
- One's love life is incredibly short. Being an interactive story split into chapters, Florence is somewhat on the short side. It never outstays its welcome mind you, but further exploration into Florence's childhood and her memories with Krish could've enhanced her characterisation, and the game's length, that little bit more.
VERDICT:
7/10 <3 emojis