Flowers: Le Volume sur Hiver
- June 18, 2022
- Innocent Grey
Get on SteamIn "Flowers: Le Volume sur Hiver," Suoh Shirahane becomes the president of the Council of Nicaea and seeks answers about her missing partner, Mayuri Kohsaka. As winter arrives, Suoh faces challenges and relies on her friends for support. This visual novel from Innocent Grey offers lyrical writing and beautiful artwork, concluding the Flowers series with an emotional finale. Gameplay involves selecting choices for a personalized experience and reaching different endings.
PC
Windows
PlayStation
Playstation Vita
Reviews
- Hiver provides a satisfying conclusion to the Flowers series, wrapping up character arcs and mysteries that have been developed throughout the previous games.
- The game features stunning visuals, beautiful music, and excellent voice acting, maintaining the high production quality established in earlier installments.
- The character development is strong, with emotional stakes that resonate deeply, making players feel invested in the relationships and outcomes.
- The plot can feel convoluted and unsatisfying at times, with some character motivations and resolutions appearing weak or poorly explained.
- Players may find the requirement to replay the game multiple times to unlock all endings frustrating and tedious.
- There are noticeable localization issues, including typos and translation errors, which detract from the overall experience.
- story58 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 74 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The story of the "Flowers" series is a complex tapestry of character development and emotional depth, often marked by a leisurely pace and intricate mysteries that may confuse some players. While the narrative has been praised for its unique atmosphere and fulfilling conclusion, it also faces criticism for plot holes and character motivations that can feel inconsistent. Overall, it is celebrated as a beautiful and emotional journey, particularly for fans of yuri and character-driven storytelling.
“I played through the entire story in one day since I needed to know how it ended.”
“Le volume sur hiver, a grand finale to a beautiful saga filled with mysteries and blooming feelings, truly delivered the best conclusion to every character and flawlessly unfolded a story that was developing since printemps.”
“Even though the ending was not as I expected, the story from the beginning (printemps) to the end (hiver) was wrapped up perfectly.”
“The plot is confusing at best.”
“A gorgeously illustrated, voice acted, and written work, all in the service of a flimsy mystery story full of characters whose motivations make no sense.”
“On the other hand, I thought the plot meandered a lot, the drama was too far removed from logic at times, and the ending seemed so incredibly forced.”
- music25 mentions
- 52 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The music in the "flowers" series is consistently praised for its beautiful composition, particularly the classical elements featuring piano and strings, which enhance the game's atmosphere and emotional depth. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack as a standout aspect, describing it as top-tier and integral to the storytelling, with some noting improvements in sound effects in the latest installment. Despite minor technical issues like music glitches and typos, the overall quality of the music and art is regarded as elegant and high-class, contributing significantly to the series' appeal.
“The music just works and the atmosphere - as expected from a flowers game - really pulled me in.”
“I will not delve into details but I will tell you this: the flowers saga seriously has the best music composition I have ever heard. Every song and instrumental from openings to BGM and credits is a top-tier masterpiece; Manyo is truly goated.”
“The music and art are beautiful, the dialogue is clear and witty, and in all honesty, I think it's the best yuri visual novel series out there.”
“But unlike autumn, which I found lacking a little something when it came to its music and sounds, I found this episode to outdo itself here.”
“Cons: the music stutters sometimes on the home screen; some letters do not appear correctly (r, n, j) in some dialog boxes.”
“Like all other flowers entries, the title screen music will glitch if you touch the settings; there are typos, and sometimes letters get cut out of the text box.”
- emotional11 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highly praised, with players expressing that it evokes a wide range of feelings, from sadness to joy, often leading to tears. The immersive writing and character development contribute to a deeply impactful experience, making the conclusion of the series particularly poignant and fulfilling. Overall, the game is recommended for those seeking a heartfelt and emotional narrative.
“It's so good it made me cry, that's no easy feat.”
“They're not only tears of sadness that the series I have come to love so dearly has inevitably come to an end, but also tears of happiness, of fulfillment that I have read such a beautiful and wholesome story about the girls who grew with the seasons.”
“Without going into spoilers, this is an extremely emotional conclusion to the whole series.”
- graphics9 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Flowers" are widely praised for their stunning watercolor art style and elegant visuals, which complement the engaging narrative and character development. The combination of beautiful artwork and a captivating musical score enhances the overall experience, making it feel akin to a well-crafted literary work. Reviewers highlight the series as a standout visual novel, particularly noting the impressive quality of the visuals in the "Cinderella Recital" episode.
“Magnificent visuals, engaging story and characters paired with a failed route system.”
“Music and art styles are really elegant.”
“This series is the best visual novel I have ever read, with the story, the character personality, and the visuals.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in the game is highly praised for its immersive quality, enhanced by fitting music and a charming energy reminiscent of spring. While the narrative may have some plot holes, the overall experience is described as captivating, particularly for fans of light yuri and mystery.
“The music just works, and the atmosphere - as expected from a flowers game - really pulled me in.”
“I think it's worth playing if you're into some light yuri and mystery and can disregard some plot holes for a genuinely great atmosphere.”
“Flowers is a lovely experience that's incredibly atmospheric, but you'd be better off not thinking too hard about the actual plot.”
- character development3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Character development is particularly strong in the summer and autumn episodes, showcasing the growth of characters from previous games while maintaining their relatable insecurities. The winter episode shifts focus more towards the story, but overall, the character arcs are consistent and enriched with new insights, enhancing their realism.
“The music is perfect for setting the moods, and the character development is true to who they've been through the previous games in the series.”
“I like how we can see the character development of the girls from the past games. Even though they have grown, they still keep their insecurities, making the characters seem more realistic and revealing more information we did not know about them.”
“While summer and autumn episodes are mostly noticeable in their character development, the winter episode gives much more importance to the story itself and its surprisingly numerous layers.”
“The character development feels rushed and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the characters on an emotional level.”
“I was disappointed by the lack of meaningful growth for the main character; it felt like they were stuck in the same place throughout the game.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is well-received, with players finding all characters, including previously disliked ones, to be lovable and engaging. The witty dialogue and amusing situations contribute to an overall enjoyable experience, complemented by intriguing mysteries that enhance the comedic elements.
“It is humorous; all characters are lovable. Even my least favorites from the previous games, the twins, are good in this one.”
“The humor is spot on, making even the most mundane tasks entertaining.”
“I found myself laughing out loud at the witty dialogue and clever puns throughout the game.”
