Every year, I go back and play Thatgamecompany’s Flower. It’s a short game, which is probably part of the draw, but it’s also a beautiful. Another part of Flower’s appeal is that I can feel myself getting lost in it, weaving through petals and the wind as I direct it. It’s soothing and transcendent, where the player can either throw on a podcast or music in the background or remain wholly focused, and have essentially just as satisfying of an experience. While Flower isn’t in virtual reality, and in all likelihood never will be, there is an upcoming game that hits similar notes.
In comes Lantern, from developers Storm in a Tea Cup, a game that looks like it takes more than a few cues from Flower. In Lantern, the player controls (surprise) a lantern. The lantern begins its journey worlds away from a “sad princess,” who’s unfortunate gloominess has drained multiple environments of their color. As the player directs the red paper lantern, as they would a petal in Flower, the world around it is greeted with color once more. And if the developers manage to land the magical, airy feel of floating through the air just right, Lantern just might be a treat.
Lantern will be released on November 15th on Steam for the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive.
