Song of Bloom, an ambitious narrative mobile game, was released today. It's a pretty intense tale, beautifully presented, and it's about… well, everything! It is a craft experience that allows the player to playfully explore this story told through art styles that will change quickly, taking us on a journey through the game. Through experience, we will learn to control the changes. and the presentation, and then to find out what's really going on, because the real twist isn't in the storytelling alone.
As the game presents us with various signs in rapidly changing art style presentations, the story - that is, the narrative - is also closely tied to the themes and symbols. We are introduced to what we see by a female voice, which seems to tell her intimate story in some way. However, the voice and the symbols are not just a story presentation that we have to go through. There will also be a hint on how to proceed and progress in the game, as the pictures and narrative are only two-thirds of the gameplay. The last third is us, the players.
In the Song of Bloom mobile game, the player has to interact with the presented symbols in a way that is suggested through the symbols themselves and the voice, which makes the entire interactive experience even more immersive. In this regard, the mechanics of how we interact and move forward in the game give a certain confusing effect, but much more so than games actually labeled “puzzle games”. You really have to be immersed and pay attention to what is happening on the screen, which makes the experience very rewarding.
The story advances to such depths, rarely seen before in mobile gaming or gaming in general. It's a mystery that we have to solve as it unfolds, and the whole experience has a certain feeling of a dream presentation. The artwork and the different styles that intertwine and move quickly only add to the surreal feel of Song of bloom, while the title surely presents an innovative way of looking at video games.
