While the music is entirely secondary to the game itself in all of the posts we have published thus far, how many games are there where the music came first? Flower was built around a series of themes composed by Vincent Diamante, and as the game's development continued, the ideas in the game seamlessly reflected the soundtrack. It is arguably the best integration of music and gameplay ever used in video games outside of the actual music game genre.
Thatgamecompany saw success with their game Flow, and Flower, also developed independantly by Jenova Chen and Nicholas Clark, was their attempt at really making a game that was not about "winning" or about "challenge" but was more of an experience. Flower was meant to be an emotionally engaging, relaxing interactive experience. It has no story scenes and no dialogue. It tells a seemingly grim tale entirely in visuals. The game is mournful but beautiful. The environmental message is not subtle, but it is not bashing you over the head either. I always interpreted it as the idea that nature always triumphs. Even after man has left his footprint in ashes, life returns and brings beauty to the grey empty ruins.
Diamante's compostions here are a mix of soothing, beautiful and relaxing sounds. I love the soundtrack to Flower and if you have not played the game, I would actually sugguest skipping listening to the songs here and go play it. It's under ten bucks on the Playstation Store and it is one of the best games on there. There really is no reason to have not played this title yet!
So, without further ado, let us take a look at a few of Vincent Diamante's compositions for Flower.
The Soundtrack -
This auditory journey is one of my favorites in the game. The twinkling piano and the soft sounds of the horn come together to make a song that feels just as the title suggests. Like you are, in fact, sailing on the wind. What is amazing is that this is not even the best song on this soundtrack, but it is a perfect place to start.
My favorite theme in the game is filled with soft piano, a beautiful melody and a smooth and simple rhythm. Everything in this song works for me, as incomplex as it really is. It really is an example of "less is more".
There is a melody that permeates the entire soundtrack to Flower. You hear it here and can hear it in almost all of the songs. It is the theme that ties everything together. This simple tune highlights this theme, placing it as the principle melody of the song.
This guitar version of the Flower theme is a nice little variation. I like the ethereal sounds gently humming in the background.
Another variation on the Flower theme, this one building to a full orchestral score. Around the halfway point, this song breaks down, revealing a more complex melody. Ever slightly leaning to a minor key, but never actually getting there. This one sounds much more mournful than the rest of the soundtrack.
This song is much more full and upbeat than the rest of the soundtrack. We see the fallen city around us, cold and lifeless, as we slowly restore color and life. The brightness returning as the sound builds, the chords moving in to really highten the emotional element of nature's victory. The music then subsides ever so slightly so we can absorb the work that is ahead of us, and as an encouraging force, returns to full-strength for the final push to completion.
The soundtrack to Flower is some powerful stuff, but for me, just listening to the music does not come close to playing the game, experiencing all of the parts as a whole. This captivating game has been out for some time, yet there are still people who have not played it. Find them, strap them to a chair and make them! On the next post, I am going to finally, FINALLY talk about a Final Fantasy game. Until then...
All above music, Flower and all elements therein are property of Thatgamecompany. The video files were found on YouTube and I do not own the videos or their contents.
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