Florence

Florence weaves its alluring aesthetics, simple interactivity, and genuine story in creative and compelling ways

This graphic novel-style chronicle of twentysomething romance uses a delicate aesthetic and clever interactions to keep you emotionally invested

But, what is Florence? It's an evocation of the beauty, sadness and hope that comes from any human connection we make in our lives, whether with art, nature or another person. It's a succinct and incredibly successful exploration of moments you'll recognise from your own life, and the way it mirrors thoughts and feelings through small gameplay mechanics makes it one of the most affecting experiences we've enjoyed on Switch, or any other platform.

For something that you can fit into a long lunch break, Florence is a beautiful and memorable story that has stuck with me ever since I finished it. I laughed and cried along with Florence as she made her way through life, and it helped me get through some particularly tough times. The developers at Mountains have done a phenomenal job at elevating an everyday story to a beautiful, whimsical and sometimes sad adventure, and they’ve reminded me that if things don’t work out, there’s always something else to look forward to.

Florence is a simple, exciting, sweet and sometimes bitter narrative experience, suitable for those who want to laugh with sadness and cry with joy. It is a graphic novel about youth, first love, personal dreams and gender issues and, although it manages to do everything it proposes in a short period of time, it must frustrate those who hope for more challenges or longevity.

Of course, with a great desire, the authors of the project can be accused of plagiarism, because a year before the game was released, the Brazilian blogger Rudy Mancuso released his famous video "Circle of Love". However, Florence has much more side meanings.

Florence tells a wonderful story about first love. You can see how love grows and goes and be part of a great story. It's over after around 40 minutes and I couldn't have any influence on what's happening, but that just meant that I wanted to experience more of this game. Florence is as delicate as a flower and as mighty as a storm.

Despite its short, singular narrative, [Florence] is one I will undoubtedly visit multiple times. Just because it’s so touchingly beautiful.

Through the highs and lows of a newfound love, Florence is a wonderfully told and emotive story that engages you in such simple, but effective ways.

Like the video game equivalent of an orchestra, Florence is comprised of so many different elements that all work seamlessly together to create an emotional masterpiece. Video games exploring romance is nothing new - but this short and sweet game is probably the best and most realistic title that portrays what the realities of falling in love is actually like.