For this critical play, I played the game Florence. It is an interactive story game developed by the studio Mountains and published by Annapurna Interactive. I played the game on iOS, where the touch interface complements the game’s interactive storytelling, enhancing the emotional engagement and intimacy of the narrative. Florence targets a broad audience, including, fans of narrative-driven games and individuals interested in emotional and introspective female stories. The game’s simplicity and emotional depth make it appealing to both gamers and nongamers. It is a single-player game, where the player’s objective is to follow and interact with the narrative of Florence Yeoh’s life and her relationship.
Florence successfully provides a deeply personal narrative that highlights the emotional labor and personal growth of a young woman, thus offering a unique space for feminist interpretation. However, it also presents certain limitations in intersectional representation that, if addressed, could enhance its feminist narrative.
From a feminist standpoint, Florence is significant in its focus on the emotional and relational aspects of a young woman’s life. The game breaks away from traditional video game narratives that often prioritize action and competition, instead highlighting the subtleties of everyday experiences and the emotional labor involved in relationships. This aligns with Chess’s argument in “Play like a Feminist” that games need feminism to explore new narratives and perspectives and showcase diverse, authentic experiences of women. To play like a feminist, in Florence, I engaged with various aspects of the protagonist Florence’s life through interactive mini-games. These activities, such as brushing teeth, arranging memories, and sorting things after Krish moved in, immerse me in Florence’s world, emphasizing the emotional and relational labor she navigates daily (Figure 1). This focus on emotional engagement and narrative depth supports feminist ideals by valuing personal stories and relational experiences, with the same task mechanics indicating different underlying emotions. For example, Florence repeated the accounting task for work with boredom but after she realized her dream, she did it for herself for dream fulfillment (Figure 2). During those tasks, it explores themes of emotional labor and the dynamics of relationships, including moments of joy, conflict, and growth, reflecting real-life complexities rather than idealized portrayals and I can feel the same emotion progression along. By doing so, it highlights the often invisible emotional work that goes into maintaining relationships, a topic that feminist discourse frequently addresses.
Figure 1 – Small tasks indicating daily activities
Figure 2 – Same task with different emotions
A positive critique I have is that the game’s narrative arc emphasizes Florence’s journey toward self-discovery and independence, which resonates with feminist themes of empowerment and self-actualization. The progression from dependence on a romantic relationship to personal growth and pursuing individual passions is a powerful message about the importance of self-empowerment. Towards the end of the game, Florence rediscovers her passion for art first discovered during childhood time, which she had neglected, as shown in Figure 3. This narrative shift encourages players to appreciate the importance of personal interests and self-growth, independent of romantic relationships. It reflects feminist ideals of self-empowerment and the pursuit of one’s dreams and goals and gives me the fun of sensation. In the scenes depicting Florence’s work life and her artistic pursuits, the game highlights her individuality and outcomes in aspirations beyond her romantic involvement. This portrayal challenges the traditional narrative where female characters are often defined by their relationships, promoting a feminist perspective that values women’s autonomy and diverse roles in society.
Figure 3 – Narrative Arc of Florence’s rediscovering of her passion for art
Despite its strengths, Florence has some limitations. One significant critique is its lack of intersectionality. While the game does an excellent job portraying the emotional journey of a young woman, it does not delve deeply into other facets of her identity, such as race, class, or sexuality. This limited scope can be seen as a missed opportunity to present a more comprehensive and diverse representation of women’s experiences. Additionally, the game’s structure can sometimes position Florence as a reactive character rather than an active agent. Much of her story revolves around her romantic relationship, with significant personal growth occurring as a result of this relationship(Figure 4). A feminist critique might argue for a more balanced portrayal that highlights Florence’s agency and decisions in other areas of her life, such as her career or friendships.
Figure 4 – Limitation on discovering only after a relationship breakdown
Florence intertwines with feminist theories by highlighting the often invisible emotional labor involved in relationships. For example, I loved playing the mini-game where I needed to arrange speech bubbles during conversations between Florence and her partner Krish symbolizes the effort required to maintain effective communication. This mechanic vividly characterizes the emotional work involved in understanding and connecting with a partner, aligning with feminist principles that recognize and value emotional labor(Figure 5). During different phases of the conversation, the bubble visual and background sound effects change indicating different emotions evoked. This concept discussed in feminist literature and Chess book, underscores the emotional work that women traditionally undertake in maintaining relationships and family dynamics. By focusing on these themes, the game provides a platform for discussing the value of emotional labor and its impact on personal growth and relationships.
Figure 5 – conversation differences
However, the game could benefit from a more intersectional feminist approach. Intersectional feminism, which considers multiple aspects of identity and their interconnections, would enrich the narrative by reflecting the diverse experiences of women. For example, exploring how Florence’s cultural background influences her relationship dynamics and personal decisions could add depth and authenticity to the story. To enhance Florence from a feminist perspective, several improvements could be made, the game designer can introduce characters from diverse backgrounds, and exploring various social identities would create a richer, more inclusive narrative. For instance, Florence’s interactions with friends, family, and colleagues from different cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds could provide a more holistic view of her life. Providing more opportunities for player decision-making that influence Florence’s career, friendships, and personal development would strengthen the feminist narrative and can also improve the feminist perspective. Allowing players to make choices that impact various aspects of their lives would emphasize their agency and autonomy. This approach would align with Chess’s idea of creating spaces for feminist discussions around gaming experiences.
Florence offers an emotionally engaging narrative that aligns with many feminist principles by focusing on a woman’s journey. By broadening representation and emphasizing personal agency, Florence can continue to challenge traditional gaming narratives and provide a richer, more nuanced portrayal of women’s lives.
