Flower, Sun, and Rain

[Evil Avnovice]

Press release. (XSEED Games (http://www.xseedgames.com/news.php?id=62))

Torrance, Calif., (May 27, 2009) – Marvelous Entertainment USA and XSEED Games announced today that Flower, Sun, and Rain for the Nintendo DS has officially gone gold and will ship to retail outlets nationwide starting on June 16, 2009. Originally created for the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system, the DS port brings the same creative quirks that made the original a cult classic, while also incorporating the touch screen functionality of the DS along with some additional content.

On the tropical island of Lospass sits a seaside resort called Flower, Sun, and Rain. On the surface, this island oasis resembles everything you would find on a picturesque vacation; swimming pools, the bright shining sun and an ocean paradise waiting to invigorate even the weariest of travelers. However, all is not as it seems at the Flower, Sun, and Rain Resort. While the tourists are busy soaking in the sun, a bomb has been detected on a plane docked at the island’s only airport.

Sumio Mondo, a searcher, has been urgently summoned to the island by the owner of the resort to help defuse the bomb before it interrupts the carefree island atmosphere. Upon his arrival, Sumio becomes caught in a time loop as the events of the same day are played out over and over again, each day culminating with an explosive end at the hands of the terrorists. With the aid of his trusty computer, Catherine, Sumio is able to tap into the minds of his subjects and hopefully stop the explosive device that threatens to destroy the entire island.

With a story and universe created by the infamous, award-winning game designer, Suda51, Flower, Sun, and Rain is unique, off-the-wall and completely unpredictable. The DS port includes 50 exclusive new puzzles and 18 mysterious scenarios contained within the rich storyline with a wealth of bizarre outcomes.

Flower, Sun, and Rain carries a suggested retail price of $29.99 and is rated “T” for “Teen.” For more information on Flower, Sun, and Rain, please visit the product website at www.flowersunandrain.com.

[Evil Avnovice]

XSEED Games Newsletter:

Story:

On the tropical island of Lospass sits a seaside resort called Flower, Sun, and Rain. On the surface, this island oasis resembles everything you would find on a picturesque vacation; swimming pools, the bright shining sun and an ocean paradise waiting to invigorate even the weariest of travelers. However, all is not as it seems at the Flower, Sun, and Rain Resort. While the tourists are busy soaking in the sun, a bomb has been detected on a plane docked at the island's only airport.

Sumio Mondo, a searcher, has been urgently summoned to the island by the owner of the resort to help defuse the bomb before it interrupts the carefree island atmosphere. Upon his arrival however, Sumio becomes caught in a time loop as the events of the same day are played out over and over again, each day culminating with an explosive end at the hands of the terrorists. With the aid of his trusty computer, Catherine, Sumio is able to tap into the minds of his subjects and hopefully stop the explosive device that threatens to destroy the entire island.

Key Features:

-Story and universe created by the infamous, award-winning game designer Suda51 - Classic, unpredictable and off-the-wall!

-18 mysterious scenarios contained within a rich storyline and a wealth of bizarre outcomes.

-Touch Screen controls enhance the thought provoking puzzles with the use of the stylus.

-50 new puzzles exclusive to the Nintendo DS version.

[Purple Santa]

This has been on my Gamefly Q for quite sometime. I'm glad it's finally coming out.

[Thanasimos]

If there's anything I've noticed about XSEED, it's that they consistently pick up titles that really appeal to me. I trust them almost like I trust a good studio.

This is just another game that I'm going to have to get.

[Evil Avnovice]

E3 2009 trailer.

51349

[Purple Santa]

In a busy month for games, i've moved mountains in my Gamefly Q to make sure this game will get to me. Between this and Miami Law, a great month for me with DS games...

[Spigot]

Another game that I'm very interested in but am leery about dropping real money for. I mean, it's Suda 51... but it looks to be even stranger than Killer7, and that's not always a good thing.

Of course, XSEED can bring over this but won't bring over Retro Game Challenge 2... grumble grumble...

[Purple Santa]

Another game that I'm very interested in but am leery about dropping real money for. I mean, it's Suda 51... but it looks to be even stranger than Killer7, and that's not always a good thing.

Of course, XSEED can bring over this but won't bring over Retro Game Challenge 2... grumble grumble...

I don't know...after playing Lux Pain and living through that oddness of a game...I have a fondness for strange and possible not playable games :p. And you will have to PM me why Killer7 was so bad..I want to track down a copy because you mention it often enough....

[boratika]

This game looks so ridiculously suited to my tastes.

I don't think this getting released locally. This means I can impr0t it for cheap though so still good news.

And you will have to PM me why Killer7 was so bad..I want to track down a copy because you mention it often enough....

Do yourself a favour and track down a copy (preferably the GC version.) It was easily one of my favourite games of last gen. You're into pretty offbeat games, so I'd imagine you'd be into it.

Also has the most disturbing content in any game I've played. (The Curtis Blackburn chapter in particular.)

[Spigot]

Killer7 isn't bad. It's just incredibly surreal (it makes Lux Pain look downright straightforward). I'm not sure I can handle another game that is potentially even odder than Killer7.

And yes, get the GC version of Killer7 if you can.

[BLeeP]

I have been keeping an eye out for Gamecube Killer 7 for years now, and all I see is Playstation 2 copies 8-(. I did pick up Lux-Pain yesterday, though, for 20 buckaroonies!

[Purple Santa]

I have been keeping an eye out for Gamecube Killer 7 for years now, and all I see is Playstation 2 copies 8-(. I did pick up Lux-Pain yesterday, though, for 20 buckaroonies!

Woohoo! Another Lux-Pain player. Let us know how you like it...

And now I am on a search for a GC copy of Killler 7...I will not rest till I find one...

[Evil Avnovice]

....And you will have to PM me why Killer7 was so bad....

Killer 7 was mostly panned because of its "on-rails" gameplay. Ignore that, and you have a pretty nifty first-person type game with a really bizarre, off-the-wall and plain fucked-up story.

And you can find a brand new copy at Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B0002A6CPK/ref=dp_olp_new?ie=UTF8&condition=new) for a low as $15, or Gamefly (http://www.gamefly.com/game/gamecube/Killer-7/110425/) it. ;)

You will learn to trust the pigeons....

[Evil Avnovice]

Off-topic, but I'd wish XSEED or anyone would localize this:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/8f/428cover.jpg

41724

[Spigot]

Woohoo! Another Lux-Pain player. Let us know how you like it...Heh. Lux Pain is worth playing, both to experience a very interesting adventure game and to see first hand how cutting costs on localization can nearly destroy a game.

I personally loved the on-rails feel to Killer7 because it meant I didn't spend half of the game wandering around looking for what to do next. I'm all for wide open freedom but this stripped away something that allowed my brain to focus on all of the other surreality going on around me and try to parse it.

[Purple Santa]

Killer 7 was mostly panned because of its "on-rails" gameplay. Ignore that, and you have a pretty nifty first-person type game with a really bizarre, off-the-wall and plain fucked-up story.

And you can find a brand new copy at Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B0002A6CPK/ref=dp_olp_new?ie=UTF8&condition=new) for a low as $15, or Gamefly (http://www.gamefly.com/game/gamecube/Killer-7/110425/) it. ;)

You will learn to trust the pigeons....

I need to Draino my very clogged Gamefly :p. Thanks for the link to Amazon...going to panhandle right now to see if I can get some donors with some help to purchase the game...

And I screwed myself with Flower, Sun and Rain. I goofed and didn't remove Ghostbusters from my GF Q...so instead of FS&R I have Ghostbusters. Hopefully if I ship Ghostbusters back quickly, I can get a copy.

[Spigot]

From the sounds of it, Ghostbusters won't take very long to blast through, so you'll be fine :)

[Young Al Capone]

So has anyone played it yet?

[Spigot]

I went looking for it today but couldn't find it at the two stores I visited. Alas. And it's not available on Amazon.ca.

[Purple Santa]

From the sounds of it, Ghostbusters won't take very long to blast through, so you'll be fine :)
I'm torn what I should do. I'll probably put FO3 on the back burner so I can push out Prototype. Ghostbusters is short so that is good...but I want FS&R...and I like Ghostbusters, i'm not the immense fan some are over in the Ghostbusters thread. Most likely i'll send it back and rent it again another time.
I went looking for it today but couldn't find it at the two stores I visited. Alas. And it's not available on Amazon.ca.

See this is what i'm afraid of. Gamefly will be out of their copies and it's going to take a month to rent it. I don't know how much of a buzz this game has...

[Spigot]

See this is what i'm afraid of. Gamefly will be out of their copies and it's going to take a month to rent it. I don't know how much of a buzz this game has...To be fair, the guys at EB said it was in transit, so their copy might show up tomorrow. I'll probably call both EB stores near me mid-day to see if they can put it aside and I'll grab it, as it's only $30 and I basically made that sitting in the stupid meeting I was stuck in all evening tonight.

I can't really let it pass me by though and even with getting it and Class Of Heroes, that's basically equivalent to buying one new PS3/360 game up here.

[Spigot]

I posted this in the Weekday Gaming thread, but figured it could use some eyeballs over here.

---

FYI, I would really, REALLY like to know if the writers of Lost had played Flower, Sun And Rain. There are a few things disclosed early in the game that made me sit up and say, "Wha? That's the basic premise behind the island on Lost!"

And then I realized that FS&R came out in 2001...

Hmm...

That said, this is one messed up game. I'm liking it, but it irks me to no end to know that XSEED is willing to back this horse but not bring over an infinitely more accessible game in Retro Game Challenge 2. Grr. I think that if you were, like me, someone who really GOT Killer7, you'll enjoy FS&R. If you were annoyed with Killer7 though, stay far, far, FAR away from FS&R.

On another side note, it's neat to see some of the odd and quirky elements that made it from FS&R to Killer7.

[Camel]

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B001HCQVYY/

Amazon video game deal of the day. $19.98.

[Spigot]

I spent the majority of my weekend playing the game and have become quite smitten with its absurdity.

Now I have to figure out a 10 digit code to get further. Grr. Time to dig into the guidebook again.

[Mike Kelehan]

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B001HCQVYY/

Amazon video game deal of the day. $19.98.

Bought it at that price. I'm really digging Amazon's deals of the day.

[jpublic]

God damnit! I was trying to resist this one, but you bastards made me so damn interested I had to buy it. *shakes fist*

[Spigot]

I apologize. Supposedly the latter half of the game ties into another game by Suda51 called The Silver Case which will be out in 2010 over here, if the site I read is correct.

FS&R is a very odd, very stylized game and it takes a while to get into, but if you can sink a good hour or two into it in one sitting, it will get its hooks in you.

[jpublic]

I've spent the last....ye god, 2 hours on this. And I still don't know how I feel about it.

Firstly, there's a lot of tedium. It's talky, and a lot of it just ends up being irritating.

Secondly, the absrdity that I loved in Killer7 and NMH isn't really doing much for me in this. I think without the hyperviolence to play off it, the absurdity just gets old fast. (However, I'm loving the payoff at the end of each day.)

Yet, the puzzles are *amazing* and some are really *hard*, and I feel a really big sense of accomplishment when I get them.

[Spigot]

I told you it was weird. Like I mentioned earlier, it takes some times to sink its teeth into you and it has its own very strange pace, but it takes some time to get into its rhythm.

You're right about how satisfying it is to solve a puzzle. I was able to make it to Day 6 or so before I had to break down and read a hint, but otherwise, I've managed to use my own noggin and it feels so good.

[jpublic]

I'm on day 10, and if the resto f the game is like Day 9, with running along roads for MINUTES at a time with those crappy controls, this game will not keep me interested.

[Spigot]

I'm on day 10, and if the resto f the game is like Day 9, with running along roads for MINUTES at a time with those crappy controls, this game will not keep me interested.But the walking gives you a chance to meditate on the nature of time and self. And to figure out the clues from the last set of puzzles.

Are you at the church or the day after the church? I think that's about where I am.

[jpublic]

Day after the church. MINUTES of walking. Gah.