Florence brings its fleeting love story to PC today
Lovely stuff
Two years after its mobile debut, Florence is settling down to tell her story on desktop. Fitting into the length of a lunch break, Mountains' short visual novel reflects on the little moments of life and love - considering everything from settling down for lunch with a crush, taking phone calls from your mum, to getting dressed for the day ahead, all told through interactive puzzles that are more vignette than challenge. It's a delight, one you can check out on your computer screen today.
Headed up by Monument Valley designer Ken Wong, Florence tells a slice of life story around the eponymous Florence Yeoh - and how a chance encounter with a cello player "changes everything about how she sees the world."
Notably, Florence used simple little puzzles to fill out its vignettes - piecing together conversational responses, for example, or wiping away at a mirror until Florence sees her idealised self. It did pretty damn well for itself on mobile too, snagging dozens of awards including a BAFTA for Best Mobile Game and an Apple Design Award.
Does it lose some of that tactile finger-wiping interaction in the jump to PC? Perhaps, but it's the sort of thing I'd love to spend a half-hour with on a comfortable evening, cosied up to my PC with a nice cuppa.
It's certainly one to check out for fans of short, intimate games like Angela He’s reflection on love and communication, Mixed Messages, or Nina Freeman's sharp romantic comedy We Met In May. If you're looking for something longer to sink yourself into, why not peruse Mexi Gremillion's rundown of the 10 best visual novels on PC?