Genre: Point-and-click
adventure
Completion
Time: One hour and fifty minutes to complete the main story,
parceled out in pieces over a couple of days and with occasional referencing of
a walkthrough.
A
surreal, haunting, and oddly endearing Japanese point-and-click adventure.
Interesting:
For the
most part this is a fairly standard point-and-click adventure, although the
dress-up mechanic is interesting in that it is both functional and aesthetic. In
addition, the artist has scattered galleries of his other work throughout the
game, which is a neat concept. 3/5
Fun:
Without
a walkthrough this would have been too frustrating to be worth my time (since
the entire world is mostly open, realizing that you missed something means having
to comb over at least a dozen screens). With the walkthrough, it was
smooth and pleasant if not particularly exciting. Sadly, I have to dock a point
for two minigames with aggravating interfaces. 2/5
Moving:
This is
another one where the real power is in the aesthetics. The characters are
intriguing in design, and the whole world is beautifully executed with a very
unique style. The ending was not mind-blowing or anything, but did provide a
satisfying and affecting wrap-up that was worth playing through to. 4/5
While not really meant to be played in one
sitting, Hanamushi: Flower Insects provides a lovely little world to drop into during
your coffee breaks.
