Life Moves Forward, And You With It

Written by Naomi “Bez” Norbez

I remember reading somewhere that a breakup’s emotional pain is equivalent to the physical pain of breaking an arm. But an arm heals in two weeks. It took twice that long to get over my own breakup.

It was during that time when I decided to seek out Florence, a game I’d heard of before, and had gained critical fame, but I felt no need to experience - until I needed it during those times. So I watched a no-commentary playthrough on YouTube. It was just as good as everyone had claimed, and a lot of it resonated with me - those early feelings of romance, the highs and lows of love, and the erosion that can happen in a relationship if we’re not careful in maintaining it.

However, I think Florence has a fatal flaw within its story. It may not be a big deal to most, but I think it’s a pretty significant gap. And this is, we don’t see who decided that the breakup should occur. We don’t see who looked at this crumbling relationship, and said to the other person, “Maybe this isn’t working.”

That’s a significant moment in a relationship, one that starts an avalanche of feelings. I wish Florence had told me who decided to release the landslide, and stop ignoring the obvious. It takes insight to even want to initiate a breakup - I wish I knew who saw that crisis.

Even without this, the game is still extremely solid, and relatable. And maybe it’s just my feelings talking for my academic side. But I wish I knew the answer.

Even with this, Florence brings a beautiful end to the main character’s relationship. And it shows something significant, something that we can bring away into our own lives, and be better for it.

The best part of Florence is that it doesn’t end after Krish breaks up with our titular main character. Because after a breakup, life must go on - time stops for no one, after all, not even for grief. And I appreciate that the game was willing to show how life feels after it all falls apart.

I relate most strongly to the longing that’s depicted after Krish leaves. Looking to your side to see nobody there, nothing but space - there’s a certain emptiness in that. After my breakup, I longed to fill that emptiness with someone, but I resisted the pull because I was wise enough to know it was temporary. Eventually, you do learn to let go and move forward with your life, something Florence shows excellently in its Let Go chapter. You must let go of the idea of your former relationship, and embrace your new singleness, in order to move forward.

And you may find something valuable in the time you spent with your ex.

That’s exactly what happens in the game. During the relationship, Krish exudes artistic passion for his cello, a passion that rubs off on Florence. She had already been thinking about her old love of art, and when Krish enters her life, she begins drawing again. It’s shown that she draws so much, that Krish even buys her a sketchbook and watercolors. Though eventually that passion fades away, after the breakup Florence is able to bring it back. She becomes a successful independent artist, and that’s the note the game ends on.

Life goes on and the experiences you have in a relationship (and a breakup) can bring value to other aspects of your life.

You can bloom even after such hurt. When everything looks over, joy can still come through.

And I’m grateful that the game showed me that, when I needed it most.

NAOMI “BEZ” NORBEZ

is a interactive fiction developer and writer. You can find his work at https://norbez.itch.io/, and talk to them on Twitter @NaomiNorbez.