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+ | :''This article is about the original version. For the enhanced version, see [[Flower, Sun, and Rain: Murder and Mystery in Paradise]].'' |
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{{Video game |
{{Video game |
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|title = Flower, Sun, and Rain |
|title = Flower, Sun, and Rain |
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| − | |image = [[ |
+ | |image = [[flower-sun-and-rain-front-cover.jpg|250px]] |
|caption = |
|caption = |
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|developer = [[Grasshopper Manufacture]] |
|developer = [[Grasshopper Manufacture]] |
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|publisher = <small><sup>JP</sup></small> Victor Interactive |
|publisher = <small><sup>JP</sup></small> Victor Interactive |
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|distributor = |
|distributor = |
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| + | |designer = [[SUDA51]] |
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| − | |designer = [[Staff of Flower, Sun, and Rain: Murder and Mystery in Paradise|Staff of ''Flower, Sun, and Rain: Murder and Mystery in Paradise'']] |
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|series = |
|series = |
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|engine = |
|engine = |
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|input = DualShock 2 |
|input = DualShock 2 |
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}} |
}} |
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| ⚫ | '''''Flower, Sun, and Rain''''' is an adventure video game developed by [[Grasshopper Manufacture]] for the PlayStation 2 console. It has only been published in Japan, where it was released on May 2, 2001. [[Flower, Sun, and Rain: Murder and Mystery in Paradise|Another version of the game]], modified for the handheld Nintendo DS, was redeveloped by h.a.n.d. Inc. with minimal involvement from Grasshopper and released in 2008. ''Flower, Sun, and Rain'' was reissued twice before being ported to Nintendo DS for international release. These occurred on September 5, 2002 and January 13, 2005, when the game was released under a best-seller marketing label by Victor Interactive. ''Flower, Sun, and Rain'' was the first Grasshopper title to premier at Tokyo Game Show, when it appeared at the 2001 event.<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20010424023241/http://www.grasshopper.co.jp/flower/news.html News]. [[Grasshopper Manufacture]]. March 30, 2001. "Tokyo Game Show will be held tomorrow at the SCE, and ''Flower, Sun, and Rain'' will be exhibited at the booth."</ref> |
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| − | |||
| ⚫ | '''''Flower, Sun, and Rain''''' |
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==Gameplay== |
==Gameplay== |
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The majority of gameplay consists of traversing the resort on foot and locating the right people and items to interact with. Mondo uses his suitcase-shaped computer, [[Catherine]], to solve the mysteries he runs up against. Mondo is able to crack secret codes by using Catherine's dial for inputting numbers and her universally compatible serial bus to connect with various electronic systems and other jack-in points. The player uncovers various hints by speaking with people Mondo encounters, combined with a guidebook of [[Lospass Island]] to determine the correct numbers to input into Catherine and crack the codes. |
The majority of gameplay consists of traversing the resort on foot and locating the right people and items to interact with. Mondo uses his suitcase-shaped computer, [[Catherine]], to solve the mysteries he runs up against. Mondo is able to crack secret codes by using Catherine's dial for inputting numbers and her universally compatible serial bus to connect with various electronic systems and other jack-in points. The player uncovers various hints by speaking with people Mondo encounters, combined with a guidebook of [[Lospass Island]] to determine the correct numbers to input into Catherine and crack the codes. |
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| + | |||
| + | All of the chapters in the game are highly linear, and often the player will simply not be allowed to go to places that are not relevant to the current line of events. There are also certain instances in the game in which you do not play as Sumio Mondo, or when Mondo does not have access to Catherine; at these times, there are no numeric puzzles to solve as Catherine is not present. |
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==Plot== |
==Plot== |
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| + | ===Requests=== |
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| − | ===Arrival on Lospass Island=== |
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| + | * [[Request 00: Welcome to the "Flower,Sun,and Rain"]] |
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| − | Searcher [[Sumio Mondo]] has been called to [[Lospass Island]] in order to deter a potential terrorist attack at [[Lospass Airport|its airport]]. After introducing himself, as well as his Toyota Celica, [[Giggs]], to the player, Mondo proceeds to the [[Cunningham Bluesky Parking|Cunningham Bluesky]] parking lot, where he meets [[The Commission|Commission]] agent [[Tetsuguro Kusabi#Peter Bocchwinkur|Peter Bocchwinkur]], a broker who takes him to his destination, the [[Flower, Sun, and Rain (hotel)|Flower, Sun, and Rain]] hotel. Mondo meets the hotel's manager [[Edo Macalister]], who has hired him to locate the bomb planted at Lospass Airport. Mondo is shown to his room, where he rests for his job the next morning. |
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| + | * [[Request 01: Gymnopédie#1]] |
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| + | * [[Request 02: Air in G]] |
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| + | * [[Request 03: "From the New World" Symphony No.9 in E minor,Op.95]] |
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| + | * [[Request 04: 'S Wonderful]] |
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| + | * [[Request 05: The Entertainer]] |
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| + | * [[Request 06: Air in G]] |
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| + | * [[Request 07: Children's corner]] |
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| + | * [[Request 08: Ave Maria]] |
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| + | * [[Request 09: Rhapsody in Blue]] |
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| + | * [[Request 10: I Love You, Porgy]] |
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| + | * [[Request 11: Clair de Lune]] |
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| + | * [[Request 12: I Got Rhythm]] |
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| + | * [[Request 13: La fille aux cheveux de lin]] |
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| + | * [[Request 14: Träumerei]] |
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| + | * [[Request 15: L'Après-Midi d'un Faune]] |
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| + | * [[Request 16: Pavane pour une infante défunte]] |
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| + | * [[Request 17: Kill the Past]] |
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| + | * [[Request 18: An American in Paris]] |
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| + | ===Premise=== |
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| − | Mondo is woken the following morning by a call from the front desk, however as he leaves the room to start his day, he finds he has been locked inside and his room has miraculously transformed. After hearing a strange voice, he investigates the contents of the room, finding a peephole in the wall where two women have gathered on the other side. One woman introduces herself as [[Sue Sding]], a hotel employee, while the other, a spiritual medium dubbed [[Sister Phantom]], informs Mondo that she can see an evil spirit swirling with him, as Room 402 is apparently [[Sealed Space|cursed]]. She goes on to explain that the trio must work fast to prevent Mondo from being possessed. As Sister focuses, Mondo continues rummaging around the room, his only significant find being a rare German camera pointed at a Bellini chair. However when he peers through the hole to report on his findings, he learns that Sister Phantom has panicked and fled. Sue attests that she has her own powers, and attempts to help Mondo in Sister's place, however in the process she falls asleep for a few moments. |
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| + | The game opens with its protagonist, [[Sumio Mondo]], having arrived on [[Lospass Island]]. Mondo explains to [[the player]] that he is a "searcher" who has the ability to find almost anything with the help of his computer-briefcase, [[Catherine]]. His mission on Lospass Island is only his next in a long line, but at the onset, he is not aware of the details of his assignment. Over the course of the opening chapter of the game, Mondo makes his way to the Hotel [[Flower, Sun, and Rain (hotel)|Flower, Sun, and Rain]], where he will be staying over the course of his time on the island, and meets his client, the hotel manager [[Edo Macalister]]. |
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| + | Edo explains Mondo's mission to him: a terrorist is targeting the island, and has placed their bomb on a plane leaving from [[Lospass Airport]]. Sumio's job is to find the bomb before the plane takes off so it can be removed. However, he is also warned that Lospass Island is home to a "crazy magnetic field" that causes a "certain instance of time" to repeat eternally. Mondo finds himself confused by this idea, but agrees to do his best to find the bomb. |
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| − | When she wakes up, Sue recalls Edo Macalister once telling her about a harmless ghost residing at the hotel, which she realizes might have to do with strange phenomena at the Flower, Sun, and Rain such as toilet water overflowing, a drawing on a flower vase and her skirt being flipped up. She also claims the camera and the chair in Mondo's room may have to do with a page in [[The Lospass: Official Guide Book|the island's guidebook]], which becomes an integral part of Mondo's days to come on Lospass. Referring to the guidebook, Mondo resolves the puzzle, allowing him to leave the room, which has spontaneously returned to normal. Outside, Mondo meets Sue Sding face-to-face, and Sister Phantom returns to confront them as well, contesting that she never actually fled. After explaining how evil spirits form and why Mondo was targeted by the ghost, Sister Phantom sets out to leave the island when an airplane explodes over Lospass. |
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| + | However, on his first day of searching, he finds himself sidetracked by a mischievous spirit that has trapped him in a room called the [[Sealed Space]]. By the time he manages to deal with the issue, he sees the plane fly through the sky and explode; he was too late. Soon after, though, Mondo wakes up on his first day once again and is instructed to reach the airport to find the bomb as soon as he can. Mondo finds himself seemingly repeating the same day over and over, each day making it a little bit closer to the airport, but always having to deal with other problems that prevent him from ever reaching it in time. |
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| − | ==="La vita continua"=== |
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| − | The next morning Mondo is woke by another call from Macalister informing him that breakfast is being served, and urging him to hurry off to the airport as if the explosion the day before has yet to occur. During his morning coffee, Mondo deduces that after Sister Phantom left the hotel he fell asleep, the airplane incident being something he only dreamed he saw. Before departing for the main lobby, Mondo receives another call from the front desk telling him another guest is calling for him. Mondo is connected to [[Stephan Charbonie]], a system engineering specialist who lectures him on the importance of inspiration, which he likens to a spiritual power and sixth sense. Charbonie goes on to request Mondo use his searching skills to find his suitcase and return it to him at the [[Roof Pool|pool on top of the building]]. In the stairwell Mondo encounters [[Mati Sding]], Sue's foster mother and a maid at the hotel, who tripped over Charbonie's suitcase and dropped a service cart down the stairs. She refuses Mondo's offer to help and vouches to personally return the suitcase while Mondo carries on with his business. Unable to descend any further down the stairs with the cart blocking the way, Mondo heads to the roof to speak with Macalister at the [[Bar - Chiba-Chiba]]. Once he ascends to the top of the building however, Mondo pauses to answer a public telephone which has begun to ring. |
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| + | Parallel to this are small vignettes starring a young girl who is also staying in the hotel, [[Toriko Kusabi]], attempting to catch up to her runaway pet alligator, [[Christina]]. |
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| − | On the other end, Charbonie berates Mondo for failing to recover his suitcase, although he forgives him so that he can move on to another matter, a cryptic explanation of his passion for soccer. Charbonie asks Mondo to identify who his favorite athlete is, directing him to start by speaking with [[Yayoi Hanayama]], a woman sunbathing at the nearby pool. At first Hanayama is unhelpful, however using Charbonie's hints of Romanista, trequartista and "La vita continua," Mondo begins to make some connections. The conversation is interrupted when Hanayama's cellphone begins to ring, which she passes to Mondo. It is Charbonie, asking if he has learned the name of the player yet. Mondo has not, so Charbonie gives him another clue and directs him to speak with Macalister. Back to their conversation, both Mondo and Hanayama agree that Mondo's Catherine briefcase does not match his outfit or his personality. Mondo digresses that Catherine is "a fine woman. Certainly too good for me," and far above even Hanayama; Hanayama becomes attracted to Mondo for his honesty. |
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| + | ===Connection to ''[[Shirubā Jiken]]''=== |
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| − | At the bar, Macalister provides Mondo with a wealth of answers to Charbonie's puzzle. Macalister explains to Mondo that "La vita continua" is Italian for "Life goes on," and more importantly that it was a phrase spoken by the soccer player [[Alberto Ferrente]] after missing a kick which cost his team the 1994 World Cup. After being informed about a page on soccer in ''The Lospass'', Mondo has most of the answers he needs to report back to Charbonie at his hotel room. While the room is empty, Mondo uses Catherine to [[Jack-In]] to the soccer fanatic's suitcase and solve the puzzle. The suitcase opens to a cellphone ringing inside – Charbonie once again. The man likens what he put Mondo through to a soccer game, by "laying traps," setting up passes and eventually allowing Mondo to score the goal. The conversation returns to the topic of inspiration. When Charbonie asks Mondo how it felt the moment he realized the solution, he is startled by Mondo's quip to "Try taking the shot yourself." Mondo then kicks Charbonie's suitcase out the veranda, sending it careening into an oncoming airplane, exploding it. |
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| + | Although not advertised as such, ''Flower, Sun, and Rain'' actually takes place in the same world as ''Shirubā Jiken''. While signs of this can be spotted from the very beginning - familiar names like "Sumio", "Kusabi", etc. - attention is not called to these connections, leaving players who have not played ''Shirubā Jiken'' unlikely to notice. |
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| + | More concrete connections can be found in [[The Lospass]], a guidebook provided to Mondo and the player by Edo Macalister. The Lospass explicitly mentions [[Ward 24]] and [[Sayaka Baian]], in contexts that match up with their appearances in ''Shirubā Jiken''. |
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| − | ===The psychology of wrestlers=== |
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| − | It is a new day, but Sumio Mondo is woken by the same call from the front desk. Reclining with a morning coffee before he sets out for the lobby, Mondo ponders Stephan Charbonie's eccentric behavior. It also occurs to him that since arriving on Lospass, he has begun to suddenly fall asleep, as well as have trouble remembering events of the day before. Mondo is still under the impression that the plane he has seen explode twice was dreamed, deducing that because "dreams predict the worst possible outcome," the plane incidents are just reminders of what will happen should Mondo fail his objective of locating the bomb. Mondo sets out for the lobby but he encounters another obstruction in the stairwell, a wrestler too focused on his drills to let Mondo pass. Edo Macalister has also taken notice to the problem, but contends there is nothing he can do, as the man, [[El Crasher]], is too focused on his routine to listen. Mondo is cautious not to distract Crasher, fearing "a kick in the face or something," and takes Macalister's suggestion to search for the wrestler's travel companion at his room. |
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| + | The connections become more and more apparent the longer one goes into the game. By the halfway point and onwards, there are several explicit references in the main story, and knowledge of the events of ''Shirubā Jiken'' becomes necessary to follow the plot. The conclusion of the game directly ties into ''Shirubā Jiken'' and establishes ''Flower, Sun, and Rain'' as a sequel. |
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| − | Mondo finds El Crasher's guest room empty but not quiet, as the sound of a wrestling match playing on a television fills the room. Noticing this, in addition to a Japanese wrestling magazine with Crasher on the cover page laying on the coffee table, Mondo utters that the wrestler takes his training too seriously. Having failed to find El Crasher's partner, Mondo retraces back to the bar to speak with Macalister, who provides him with some background information about the man he is looking for, [[Mr. Pirate]]. Pirate is the manager and trainer of El Crasher, as well as the alter ego of El Soulfight, a wrestler whose status is worshiped on Lospass Island. Macalister tells Mondo where to find the man, however to his dismay Mr. Pirate's guest room door is locked. Nevertheless, the dead end gives Mondo the feeling of a powerful presence. The searcher returns to the bar hoping for more of Macalister's cooperation. Fortunately, the manager suggests Mondo use the hotel's phone service to contact Pirate's guest room, but contends that Mondo use El Crasher's phone instead of his own – the call is a success. Mondo tells Mr. Pirate that he needs his help, and after a brief conversation, Pirate arranges to meet the searcher on the roof. |
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| − | |||
| − | Mr. Pirate allows Mondo to explain the situation, but he declines to help the searcher with breaking El Crasher's focus, assuring him that nothing he says or does would be enough to gain Crasher's attention. Pirate laments that because Crasher failed to understand some of his teachings, "El's last few matches have been painful to me eyes." As a result, Pirate has allowed Crasher to redeem himself by offering to train him on Lospass. Mondo again pleas Pirate to help with the situation, to which he reiterates that there is nothing he can do. He does however suggest Mondo use his searching skills to find a way for Crasher to recognize that he must treat his every fight like a death match. |
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| − | Studying ''The Lospass'', Mondo discovers an article where Mr. Pirate mentions the "fight of 2-10," where El Crasher fought his most serious bout against [[Dragon]]. Jacking-In to Crasher, Mondo is able to rekindle the wrestler's fighting spirit. However in a comical twist of fate as Mondo had earlier predicted, Mondo is kicked into submission by Crasher's adrenaline rush. He wakes up in pain by the hotel pool with El Crasher by his side, thanking him for his help regardless of the fact that Mondo's intervention was for personal reasons. Crasher also praises Mr. Pirate for helping Mondo solve the dilemma and declares that "[He] shall cast off [his] old ways and take on battles with a new mentality," before inviting Mondo to train with him – an offer the searcher happily passes on. El Crasher and Mr. Pirate then begin their training bout on top of the hotel, during which Pirate expresses to Mondo how the psychology of wrestlers is "a strange thing," in that Crasher fought against the good within himself, without realizing that this was detrimental to his training. Finally, as Mr. Pirate throws a punch, an airplane explodes overhead. |
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| − | |||
| − | ===An angel on Lospass=== |
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| − | Another morning begins and Sumio Mondo receives his morning wake-up call from the front desk, after which he again reflects on events the day prior, observing that wrestlers live by a unique sense of logic which ordinary people aren't meant to understand. He then departs for the hotel lobby, but on the second floor stairwell Mondo's path is again halted when he encounters an inebriated woman demanding he find a weapon capable of killing a vampire. Unable to progress any further downstairs, Mondo plays along with the woman's request and visits the floor's [[Power Dinner]] restaurant, which is also being frequented by the bartender [[Stuart Locke]], as well as Stephan Charbonie. |
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| − | |||
| − | Mondo once again attempts to head to the airport to prevent the explosion, and once again ends up being thwarted; he repeatedly encounters other hotel guests and island residents people requesting his help with various problems, largely including searching for missing items. Day after day, this distracts him long enough to lead to a repeat of the previous day's explosion, and over and over again Mondo awakens in his hotel room before any of the day's events have taken place. |
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| − | |||
| − | Halfway through the game, Mondo experiences his first and last ''night'' on the island. [[Sue Sding]] the maid sends Mondo to the lighthouse, because her powers as a medium have informed her that Mondo will save the island on a night with a crescent moon. Per her instructions, Mondo solves the secret of the island (though he doesn't understand what he's uncovered), and after following her to the roof, he is killed by a terrorist named Sandance Shot. The next morning, two federal agents, [[Yoshimitsu Koshimizu]] and [[Remy Fawzil]] (recurring characters from ''[[The Silver]]'') arrive to investigate investigate Mondo's murder. Yoshimitsu encounters [[Step Sding]], a local thief, making off with Catherine, and finds that the culprit is actually a clone transformed into a living bomb; Remy, for her part, finds a hidden cloning facility underneath the island. Later, a third-year high school student named [[Toriko Kusabi]], up til now seen in snatches of Mondo's dreams, makes a pact with her enemy Sandance Shot to somehow resurrect Mondo and let him continue his quest. Their bet is that if Mondo is able to find Sandance, the terrorist will cease to exist, but Mondo in turn is unknowingly staking his own life as well. |
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| − | In the game's penultimate chapter, Mondo meets [[Tokio Morishima]] (another character from ''The Silver''), who is responsible for the time loop. He explains that it is caused by the [[Silver Eye]], which grants its bearer immortality, something that both he and Sandance possess; when two Silver Eyes come within a certain range of each other, the will of God is invoked and time begins to spiral. Tokio agrees to stop the time loop with Catherine's help, allowing Mondo to finally reach the airport on time. |
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| − | |||
| − | As the final chapter opens, Edo reveals that Lospass Island is an artificial island which was colonized to cultivate a particular type of indigenous hyena for their silver eyes. This eventually lead to the birth of the "Shot Tribe," aborigines on Lospass. Because of this, he was planning to blow it up with a time bomb, but that time bomb was stolen by Sandance and taken to the plane to stop the island from blowing up. Mondo heads to the airport and defuses numerous android bombs. After defusing all of the android bombs, he meets Yoshimitsu and Remy blocking access to the plane he's supposed to be on. They stop his progress, but Toriko shows up presently, assuring him that the saviour is about to arrive. In fact, the genuine Sumio Mondo then arrives on the scene as well, to the deep confusion of everyone but Toriko, and finally Sandance appears on the scene. |
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| − | |||
| − | Sandance reveals that Sumio Mondo is actually the 16th genome clone of Sumio Kodai (the main character of ''The Silver'') and that Sandance is one of the other 15 clones. He explains that each of the clones lived through one day on Lospass Island, and now their memories are in Sumio's possession, because the others will remain on Lospass when Sandance's body explodes, destroying the island. Sumio then catches the plane with agent Bocchwinkur, who also transported him there to begin with, and escapes the island. |
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| − | |||
| − | The game ends with a cliffhanger, in which Peter reveals himself as [[Tetsuguro Kusabi]] (another character from ''The Silver''), Toriko's father and Sumio's former partner from the Felonious 2nd Division. |
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==Music== |
==Music== |
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| − | The music of ''Flower, Sun, and Rain'' was composed by [[Masafumi Takada]] and Shingo Yasumoto, credited as "Torn." ''Flower, Sun, and Rain'' also features a number of arrangements of classical songs by composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach, Claude Debussy, George Gershwin and Erik Satie. The lyrics heard in the game's theme song, "[[F.S.R. (Anata no Tameni)]]", were written by director [[ |
+ | The music of ''Flower, Sun, and Rain'' was composed by [[Masafumi Takada]] and Shingo Yasumoto, credited as "Torn." ''Flower, Sun, and Rain'' also features a number of arrangements of classical songs by composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach, Claude Debussy, George Gershwin and Erik Satie. The lyrics heard in the game's theme song, "[[F.S.R. (Anata no Tameni)]]", were written by director [[SUDA51]]. |
==Cover art== |
==Cover art== |
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<gallery> |
<gallery> |
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| − | Image: |
+ | Image:flower-sun-and-rain-front-cover.jpg|Japanese PlayStation 2 front |
Image:FlowerSunRainPS2Back.jpg|Japanese PlayStation 2 back |
Image:FlowerSunRainPS2Back.jpg|Japanese PlayStation 2 back |
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| + | fsrmanual.jpg|Software Manual |
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| + | fsrmap.jpg|Lospass Map |
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</gallery> |
</gallery> |
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==Trivia== |
==Trivia== |
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| − | * An actual replica of |
+ | * An actual replica of The Lospass, used to solve most of the puzzles in ''Flower, Sun, and Rain'', was published in limited numbers by Sony Magazines Inc. as ''[[The Lospass: Official Guide Book]]''. |
| + | |||
| + | ==Release history== |
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| + | ; Original |
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| + | * Japan disc – May 2, 2001 (Victor Interactive, SLPS-25034) |
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| + | * Japan Victor the Best disc – September 5, 2002 (Victor Interactive, SLPS-25154) |
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| + | * Japan Super Best Collection disc – January 13, 2005 (Victor Interactive, SLPS-25451) |
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| + | |||
| + | ;DS port |
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| + | * Japan cartridge – March 6, 2008 (Marvelous Entertainment, NTR-YHNJ-JPN) |
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| + | * Europe cartridge – November 14, 2008 (Rising Star Games, NTR-YHNP-EUR) |
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| + | * Australia cartridge – January 15, 2009 (Rising Star Games, NTR-YHNP-AUS) |
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| + | * North America cartridge – June 16, 2009 (XSEED Games, NTR-YHNE-USA) |
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| + | |||
| + | ==Other names== |
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| ⚫ | |||
| + | * Japanese – 花と太陽と雨と (''Hana to Taiyō to Ame to''), literally "Flower, Sun, and Rain." The PlayStation 2 version went by this name. On Nintendo DS, the subtitle 終わらない楽園, "Unending Paradise," was added. |
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==References== |
==References== |
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{{Grasshopper Manufacture}} |
{{Grasshopper Manufacture}} |
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| + | [[Category:Flower, Sun, and Rain]] |
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| − | |||
| ⚫ | |||
[[Category:Video games]] |
[[Category:Video games]] |
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Latest revision as of 03:12, 7 August 2020
- This article is about the original version. For the enhanced version, see Flower, Sun, and Rain: Murder and Mystery in Paradise.
Flower, Sun, and Rain is an adventure video game developed by Grasshopper Manufacture for the PlayStation 2 console. It has only been published in Japan, where it was released on May 2, 2001. Another version of the game, modified for the handheld Nintendo DS, was redeveloped by h.a.n.d. Inc. with minimal involvement from Grasshopper and released in 2008. Flower, Sun, and Rain was reissued twice before being ported to Nintendo DS for international release. These occurred on September 5, 2002 and January 13, 2005, when the game was released under a best-seller marketing label by Victor Interactive. Flower, Sun, and Rain was the first Grasshopper title to premier at Tokyo Game Show, when it appeared at the 2001 event.[1]
Gameplay[]
Players control protagonist Sumio Mondo, a "searcher" contracted to seek out people's misplaced possessions and other items. Unfortunately, Mondo quickly finds himself locked in a seemingly endless time loop, as he is forced to live out the same day over and over again: At the end of every day, a jumbo jet explodes as it takes off, resetting the loop. Every day, he must work to try and learn about the catastrophe, growing nearer and nearer to preventing the explosion and, he hopes, allowing him to escape.
The majority of gameplay consists of traversing the resort on foot and locating the right people and items to interact with. Mondo uses his suitcase-shaped computer, Catherine, to solve the mysteries he runs up against. Mondo is able to crack secret codes by using Catherine's dial for inputting numbers and her universally compatible serial bus to connect with various electronic systems and other jack-in points. The player uncovers various hints by speaking with people Mondo encounters, combined with a guidebook of Lospass Island to determine the correct numbers to input into Catherine and crack the codes.
All of the chapters in the game are highly linear, and often the player will simply not be allowed to go to places that are not relevant to the current line of events. There are also certain instances in the game in which you do not play as Sumio Mondo, or when Mondo does not have access to Catherine; at these times, there are no numeric puzzles to solve as Catherine is not present.
Plot[]
Requests[]
- Request 00: Welcome to the "Flower,Sun,and Rain"
- Request 01: Gymnopédie#1
- Request 02: Air in G
- Request 03: "From the New World" Symphony No.9 in E minor,Op.95
- Request 04: 'S Wonderful
- Request 05: The Entertainer
- Request 06: Air in G
- Request 07: Children's corner
- Request 08: Ave Maria
- Request 09: Rhapsody in Blue
- Request 10: I Love You, Porgy
- Request 11: Clair de Lune
- Request 12: I Got Rhythm
- Request 13: La fille aux cheveux de lin
- Request 14: Träumerei
- Request 15: L'Après-Midi d'un Faune
- Request 16: Pavane pour une infante défunte
- Request 17: Kill the Past
- Request 18: An American in Paris
Premise[]
The game opens with its protagonist, Sumio Mondo, having arrived on Lospass Island. Mondo explains to the player that he is a "searcher" who has the ability to find almost anything with the help of his computer-briefcase, Catherine. His mission on Lospass Island is only his next in a long line, but at the onset, he is not aware of the details of his assignment. Over the course of the opening chapter of the game, Mondo makes his way to the Hotel Flower, Sun, and Rain, where he will be staying over the course of his time on the island, and meets his client, the hotel manager Edo Macalister.
Edo explains Mondo's mission to him: a terrorist is targeting the island, and has placed their bomb on a plane leaving from Lospass Airport. Sumio's job is to find the bomb before the plane takes off so it can be removed. However, he is also warned that Lospass Island is home to a "crazy magnetic field" that causes a "certain instance of time" to repeat eternally. Mondo finds himself confused by this idea, but agrees to do his best to find the bomb.
However, on his first day of searching, he finds himself sidetracked by a mischievous spirit that has trapped him in a room called the Sealed Space. By the time he manages to deal with the issue, he sees the plane fly through the sky and explode; he was too late. Soon after, though, Mondo wakes up on his first day once again and is instructed to reach the airport to find the bomb as soon as he can. Mondo finds himself seemingly repeating the same day over and over, each day making it a little bit closer to the airport, but always having to deal with other problems that prevent him from ever reaching it in time.
Parallel to this are small vignettes starring a young girl who is also staying in the hotel, Toriko Kusabi, attempting to catch up to her runaway pet alligator, Christina.
Connection to Shirubā Jiken[]
Although not advertised as such, Flower, Sun, and Rain actually takes place in the same world as Shirubā Jiken. While signs of this can be spotted from the very beginning - familiar names like "Sumio", "Kusabi", etc. - attention is not called to these connections, leaving players who have not played Shirubā Jiken unlikely to notice.
More concrete connections can be found in The Lospass, a guidebook provided to Mondo and the player by Edo Macalister. The Lospass explicitly mentions Ward 24 and Sayaka Baian, in contexts that match up with their appearances in Shirubā Jiken.
The connections become more and more apparent the longer one goes into the game. By the halfway point and onwards, there are several explicit references in the main story, and knowledge of the events of Shirubā Jiken becomes necessary to follow the plot. The conclusion of the game directly ties into Shirubā Jiken and establishes Flower, Sun, and Rain as a sequel.
Music[]
The music of Flower, Sun, and Rain was composed by Masafumi Takada and Shingo Yasumoto, credited as "Torn." Flower, Sun, and Rain also features a number of arrangements of classical songs by composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach, Claude Debussy, George Gershwin and Erik Satie. The lyrics heard in the game's theme song, "F.S.R. (Anata no Tameni)", were written by director SUDA51.
Cover art[]
Japanese PlayStation 2 front
Japanese PlayStation 2 back
Software Manual
Lospass Map
Trivia[]
- An actual replica of The Lospass, used to solve most of the puzzles in Flower, Sun, and Rain, was published in limited numbers by Sony Magazines Inc. as The Lospass: Official Guide Book.
Release history[]
- Original
- Japan disc – May 2, 2001 (Victor Interactive, SLPS-25034)
- Japan Victor the Best disc – September 5, 2002 (Victor Interactive, SLPS-25154)
- Japan Super Best Collection disc – January 13, 2005 (Victor Interactive, SLPS-25451)
- DS port
- Japan cartridge – March 6, 2008 (Marvelous Entertainment, NTR-YHNJ-JPN)
- Europe cartridge – November 14, 2008 (Rising Star Games, NTR-YHNP-EUR)
- Australia cartridge – January 15, 2009 (Rising Star Games, NTR-YHNP-AUS)
- North America cartridge – June 16, 2009 (XSEED Games, NTR-YHNE-USA)
Other names[]
- English – Flower Sun and Rain: Murder and Mystery in Paradise is the full title given in English-speaking countries.
- Japanese – 花と太陽と雨と (Hana to Taiyō to Ame to), literally "Flower, Sun, and Rain." The PlayStation 2 version went by this name. On Nintendo DS, the subtitle 終わらない楽園, "Unending Paradise," was added.
References[]
- ↑ News. Grasshopper Manufacture. March 30, 2001. "Tokyo Game Show will be held tomorrow at the SCE, and Flower, Sun, and Rain will be exhibited at the booth."
External links[]
- Official
- Unofficial
- News