Flower

Behold the dawn of "Zen gaming" in a title where you'll manipulate the wind to restore life to gorgeously-rendered lands.

More art house production co. than traditional interactive entertainment developer, experimental software studio thatgamecompany scored a major coup when fl0w launched last February and instantly shot up PlayStation Network's sales charts. Now, the indie impresarios are back with a second bite at the apple in Flower, and - as with its spiritual predecessor - the title (less customary button-masher than tranquil sensory experience) proves just as wildly engaging. Assuming that is, of course, literally watching grass grow is your cup of tea.

Vivid color and natural imagery permeate this interactive work of art.

Vivid color and natural imagery permeate this interactive work of art.

Transitioning from modern-day urban apartments that double as level hubs, you'll quickly make the leap into gorgeously-rendered, verdant green fields, all seemingly ripped right from America's pastoral heartland. The catch: Many patches of plants and foliage inhabiting these environments appear dull and lifeless, seemingly having had the color and energy leeched right out of them. What's more, you don't control a character, per se, here - rather, you manipulate the ebb and flow of the wind. Watching the dance of flower petals that blow in currents and eddies of air, progressing therefore doesn't require quick gamepad taps or sick hand-eye coordination. Instead, you'll just have to hold the X button and tilt the SIXAXIS controller to change the direction the breeze blows.

Naturally, passing through patches of yellow, red and white blooms causes them to blossom, throwing more petals up into the air and creating a confetti-colored swarm. Repeat this process enough times, and those aforementioned dead patches spring back to life, adding vibrancy and charm to background locales. Later levels introduce windmills and stony set pieces, adding other curious, but stress-free twists into the mix. Billed as the first example of "Zen Gaming" though, there's no one right or wrong way to interpret, or play, the title, according to its creators.

All we know is that the title's pixel-perfect high-definition panoramas and low-maintenance action - both of which make you feel like you're running fly-bys through a living painting - may provide some serious tension relief. In fact, that's our biggest beef with the title so far after hands-on demos: Given that its simulated views (featuring 200,000 individually-animated blades of grass) are capable of effortlessly doubling as screen savers, it may just as easily put hardcore players to sleep. Still, provided you're looking for something less left of center than way freaking off it, the title's definitely different and arresting enough to warrant further investigation when it debuts early in 2009.

The title's so meticulously detailed, it actually simulates hundreds of thousands of individual blades of grass.

The title's so meticulously detailed, it actually simulates hundreds of thousands of individual blades of grass.

Restore life to barren fields to make stunning visual panoramas even more eye-catching.

Restore life to barren fields to make stunning visual panoramas even more eye-catching.