flOw (PS3)
- Publisher:
- Sony Computer Entertainment
- Developer:
- thatgamecompany
- Release Date:
- 06.05.2007
- Number of players:
- 1 - 1
- Type:
- Arcade
We play flOw...
SOE’s Santa Monica Studios released flOw (that’s the technically true way to spell it, but it’s a pain to even look at) on the 22nd, a minigame featuring full use of the SIXAXIS’ movement control and the Playstation 3’s 1080 resolution.
So far the game has received both super ratings and terrifying denouncements. Let’s take a look.
Gameplay is fairly simple: eat and don’t get eaten. The evolved form of snake, however, doesn’t use the d-pad or analog stick to control movement. Rather, the accelerometers register all action to a Wii-like state. The dumbed down old school controls are available here for free (it was originally a flash game).
At the same time you try to grow, there are other creatures swimming about who are more than ready to gobble on you. Some more than others. As a whole, enemies are not very animated though, and it tends to be more of a cat and mouse game. There aren’t any difficulty settings and it only took about an hour to complete the game. So don’t worry about spending too much time on it. Once you get the controls down, it’s a piece of cake. Or pie, depending on how you like it.
Flow also looks stunning, even as simple as the game is. Dust flows (no pun intended) like it’s really in water. The game runs smooth, and it is simply pleasant to play and not worry about slowdown, graphical errors, and the works. It almost reminds me of an interactive background for the PS3…very calming.
Getting other people in the game is also very easy. Just turn on another controller and tap any button, and presto! Another fish-like creature swimming in your waters. Though there isn’t any adversial gameplay, getting the ‘berserk’ mode allows you to eat your fellow fish. That’s about all the competition anyone could probably take in this environment.
However, once the game is done, there’s little else to do. Replay value is not too high, and for eight bucks one would expect more play time. Even getting other people in the game tends to just make it aggravating. I mean, who wouldn’t be upset if someone ate out of your plate? For the kind of game it is and the price it has, one really has to question needing to buy this game.
Top Game Moment: The ending credits. To progress through them, all you have to do is eat whatever food is around, which is fine. But you grow with each one, and by the end you’ll fill the screen. Pretty neat.
So far the game has received both super ratings and terrifying denouncements. Let’s take a look.
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| Expect to see many different creatures, all of which look weirder than you | Every little grub of food helps you grow. Don’t leave any on your plate mister! |
Gameplay is fairly simple: eat and don’t get eaten. The evolved form of snake, however, doesn’t use the d-pad or analog stick to control movement. Rather, the accelerometers register all action to a Wii-like state. The dumbed down old school controls are available here for free (it was originally a flash game).
At the same time you try to grow, there are other creatures swimming about who are more than ready to gobble on you. Some more than others. As a whole, enemies are not very animated though, and it tends to be more of a cat and mouse game. There aren’t any difficulty settings and it only took about an hour to complete the game. So don’t worry about spending too much time on it. Once you get the controls down, it’s a piece of cake. Or pie, depending on how you like it.
 |
 |
|
| Larger enemies take more time to devour, but their weak points are just as easy to find | Watch out for berserking enemies. They’re faster and hungrier than others |
Flow also looks stunning, even as simple as the game is. Dust flows (no pun intended) like it’s really in water. The game runs smooth, and it is simply pleasant to play and not worry about slowdown, graphical errors, and the works. It almost reminds me of an interactive background for the PS3…very calming.
Getting other people in the game is also very easy. Just turn on another controller and tap any button, and presto! Another fish-like creature swimming in your waters. Though there isn’t any adversial gameplay, getting the ‘berserk’ mode allows you to eat your fellow fish. That’s about all the competition anyone could probably take in this environment.
 |
 |
|
| If in trouble, eat a red or blue fish to escape up or down | Take a free look into the next level just by looking down. Look at all that food |
However, once the game is done, there’s little else to do. Replay value is not too high, and for eight bucks one would expect more play time. Even getting other people in the game tends to just make it aggravating. I mean, who wouldn’t be upset if someone ate out of your plate? For the kind of game it is and the price it has, one really has to question needing to buy this game.
Top Game Moment: The ending credits. To progress through them, all you have to do is eat whatever food is around, which is fine. But you grow with each one, and by the end you’ll fill the screen. Pretty neat.
