flOw Review
A simplistic, attractive diversion.
Posted by Chris Buffa on Monday, February 26, 2007
Many video games feature ear rattling explosions and plenty of grotesque images, whereas Sony's flOw, provides entertaining therapy for $7.99. A soothing and hypnotic experience, this imaginative PlayStation 3 download only takes two or more hours to beat; yet it begs multiple plays, thanks to its beautiful imagery and calming soundtrack.
In the game, players control one of six creatures that consume animals in order to evolve. To maneuver through the ocean (or Petri dish) environments, they tilt the SIXAXIS controller, then press any button to perform the selected beastie's signature attack. These include a deadly spin, the release of poison and a quick, darting motion, among other maneuvers. The motion sensitive controls take some getting used to, especially since tilting forward and back controls up and down respectively.
Although the environments contain a host of tiny, harmless creatures, people need to concentrate on the big boys, primarily because they release tasty morsels that allow their creatures to evolve faster. At the same time, these behemoths can go on the offensive, munching on gamers' pets. However, people needn't worry about dying. When in danger, the game automatically carries them to a safe haven, the goal to stock up on health by eating smaller animals before returning to fight.
Because of this, flOw packs little to no challenge. While players re-energize their creature, their opponents remain damaged, thus eliminating caution. Furthermore, it only takes a few hours for everything to evolve.
With that being said, the game feels more like a tech demo or interactive art than a full-fledged video game, especially when compared to more famous downloads, such as the Xbox 360's critically acclaimed blast fest, Geometry Wars. Even its co-op mode, where two gamers get their feeding frenzy on, fails to offer much fun. Though it does manage to trump all of Sony's PS3 downloads, thanks to its simple and superb presentation. Sure, the game packs plenty of violence, but the oddly shaped creatures resemble sea plankton and other microscopic organisms, ones that change hue and swim through multicolored waters. In addition, the soundtrack, a collection of dreamy tunes, relaxes and massages the player, so much so that they'll sink further into the couch.
It lacks content, but flOw's visual and aural experience makes it a must play. Some will immediately discard it, while others will always return, not to challenge their skills but to escape more intense, virtual worlds.
Final Score: 8 (out of 10)
Final Score: 8/10
