Florence - Annapurna Interactive

This review of Florence was completed by the Australian Council on Children and the Media (ACCM) on 25 March 2019.

About the app

This section contains details about the app provided by an ACCM Reviewer.

ACCM review

This review of Florence contains the following information:

• The level to which the game was reviewed
• App description
• Reviewers comments
• In App purchasing
• Online information
• Gambling
• Advertising and product placement
• Gender stereotypes and sexual references
• Coarse language
• Game playing behaviour which may be of concern to some parents
• Other

The level to which the game was reviewed

Our Reviewer considered all available features in this review.

App description

Florence is an interactive comic-book style story. Players are introduced to 25-year-old office worker Florence Yeoh, whose life changes when she meets cello player Krish. They fall in love, move in together, and face struggles around love, life, and dreams. The story progresses as the player interacts with the characters and the story, like making Yeoh brush her teeth, help her with tasks at work, or have conversations with Krish. The player cannot influence the story line as such but can make some minor decisions within the story line such as arranging things around the apartment. Tasks can be solved intuitively by scrolling, tapping and swiping, and include puzzles, visual scales, matching numbers, and simple arithmetic. 

Reviewers comments

Florence is a 'play-once' type game, in that the player cannot influence or modify the story line other than making some minor decisions that do not change the overall progress of Yeoh's and Krish's story. Once you have progressed through to the end, you can play it again, but it is the same 20 chapters as before. Thus, playing the app is more like reading a book or watching a film – if you love the story, you will do it again, even though the story remains the same. Game-play is not challenging in a literacy, numeracy, creativity, or motor skills way but it is stimulating in an aesthetic sense, featuring illustrations by award-winning Australian designers and a high-quality classical soundtrack. Most importantly, it is a heart-felt story that most people, particularly teens, will be able to relate to. Playing the game can provoke thoughts and stimulate discussions about love, fate versus coincidence, heartbreak, the challenges of relationships, social media use, compromise, courage, making peace with the past, priorities, and following dreams.

In App purchasing

• There is no in-App purchasing in this game. 

Online information

Although it is not necessary to create an account, provide any personal details, or connect with social media in order to play the game, and there is no interaction with other users,  there is some optional online connectivity in this App, such as:

• The "About" section contains links to Facebook, Twitter and Outlook (if applicable) but access requires logging into an existing or creating an account.

Gambling

At the time of review, the reviewer found no simulated gambling content.  If you discover simulated gambling content in this app, please contact us with the details so we can update our review.

Advertising and product placement

• None of concern.

Gender stereotypes and sexual references

• This story is about a love relationship between two young adults. It contains images of the couple sharing a bed, as well as embracing, and kissing. These topics of romance are illustrated in an aesthetic and modest way and not in a provocative or sexual style.

Coarse language

• None of concern.

Game playing behaviour which may be of concern to some parents

Parents may want to be aware that this story features romantic love and a relationship break-up that may potentially be upsetting for sensitive children, particularly if it is something they have recently experienced. Though the story does end on a hopeful and not a sad note. Also, the protagonists move in together and share a bed without seeming to be married.

Other

N/A.

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