Florence has a lot in common with graphic novels – except that there are barely any words. A story of falling in love for the first time structured as a series of little moments, it will inevitably surface your own memories as you play. You could race through Florence in less than an hour, but you won’t want to, because each interactive snapshot speaks volumes with a soft, sketched aesthetic and light use of animation. Like many acclaimed narrative video games, Florence’s intimate personal story isn’t particularly interesting as a series of events – 25-year-old Florence goes to work, calls her mother, reminisces about her childhood, dates a man – but it’s told through clever and affecting use of all the tools a game designer has at their disposal.
Colour plays an important role. Early scenes of a commute and office desk are mostly black and white, while moments with more emotional intensity are brighter. There’s minimal text, so it stands out when it appears. In scenes where Florence speaks to her mother, each response is written in English and in her native tongue. The few sound effects – like the noise of a vacuum cleaner – ground the relatable story. The instrumental soundtrack highlights different instruments to match the tone of the scene, surfacing playful piano to accompany Florence’s memory of making art as a kid, or cello for a romantic moment.
Simple interactions move you through the chapters of Florence’s life. Tap an alarm clock to silence it; drag left and right to brush her teeth; rub the screen to shake a Polaroid; tap Florence’s phone to like photos on her social media feed. One particularly clever metaphor is used for conversations with her love interest, Krish. To get her to speak, you have to combine jigsaw pieces to form a complete speech bubble. Over the course of their first date, these jigsaws become easier as she becomes more comfortable with him. Variants of this interaction used elsewhere in the game are similarly effective.
Florence is linear, but the intimacy of its vignettes ensures that you remain emotionally invested throughout. It doesn’t matter which objects you choose to put in storage when Krish moves in; the impact comes from having to make that choice. Inaction and lack of control are used to great effect, too, especially towards the end. This short collection of small moments manages to cover a wide range of powerfully relatable emotional highs and lows, beautifully capturing what it’s like to fall in love for the first time.
