Review: flOw (PS3)

It would be safe to say Gamestyle has not experienced a release such as flOw in all of our years of playing video games. The Sony press release categories the genre as Zen and this is apt as the game is not about scores, winning or following a storyline. Simply it is about the basic fundamentals of life, otherwise known as organisms.

Your onscreen focus is an unnamed aquatic creature at the bottom of the evolutionary chain. You start off as an organism comprising of only a few cells and through swimming around each area, you have the opportunity to eat other cells structures, allowing you to slowly evolve as you see fit. Initially, the other cells lack intelligence or aggressive thoughts, but as you progress more complex organisms show themselves. They arrive in all shapes and sizes; some displaying aggressive properties that seek you out while others are content to swim in the ocean of life.

There are then two ways to actually experience flOw. You can attempt to become the biggest and meanest organism known to organisms, destroying everything in your path, or allow yourself to be swept away by the tranquil, soothing atmosphere. To reach the next area (or a previous one) you simply eat the appropriate highlighted cell, or pressing the start button will take you to a realm of safety. Gamestyle finds it difficult to transmit in words just how mesmerising and calming flOw actually is to experience. Sega’s classic Rez managed to override the need for scores and immersed the player in the music and rhythm of shooting. It becomes something other than a game, and this is how flOw can feel.

The more knowledgeable readers will know that the game originally started off as a Master of Fine Arts thesis, and is the first game to every be released by a first-party publisher from a university on a major console. The roots of the game clearly demonstrate the basic building blocks of life, but somehow manage to be more than just an elaborate screensaver or an educational tool. Rather than just eating every cell, you can ignore certain types to experiment in your own evolution thesis. Experience shows that simply eating everything is not the way to go, as your organism becomes huge, with vital weak points and sluggish in manoeuvrability. This, however, is not carried on throughout the game as you will at various stages unlock new organisms that you will adopt the form of. In retrospect Gamestyle would have preferred an option to go all the way with your original creation.

All organisms have a core cell and this is what you need to aim for, as its destruction will free up the remaining cells in the chain, allowing to you eat everything or stick to a specific diet. Other types have more than a single core cell, and often these are agile enough to seek out your own cores in a race to see who can consume whom first. There is no identifiable end or beginning to speak of, as flOw constantly adjusts the skill level so you can enjoy it at your leisure and seek out new life forms when it suits you. The enchanting feeling is helped by the 1080p and THX support that provides a crystal clear representation of the environment and is awash with vibrant colours. It also allows for a transparent layer, which allows you to see what waits in the next level before you jump in. And the accompanying audio is simply wonderful and creates an unforgettable experience.

An issue with flOw is the lack of documentation and assistance, as you are simply left to your own devices with no menus or instructions evident. Even simple tasks such as quitting must be done by the PS button, frankly this is lazy and taking the artistic feel too far. You are never told when the game has saved or is saving; in fact it doesn't really save at all, except those creatures you unlock. You simply come out and return in the knowledge that you will have to start your journey of exploration from the beginning. However flOw is not a huge game, allowing us to overlook this flaw. At least the control system needs no explanation, or in fact buttons. Motion is controlled through tilting the SixAxis controller at various angles. It is an extremely efficient and fluid system. The only time a button comes into play is when you wish to unleash the special ability, and that's it.

flOw is easily the most distinctive and unusual title exclusively available via the PS Store. For £3.49 you receive 128MB of something rather unique and eye opening but others will thoroughly hate the lack of structure and goals, as many play to win or obtain the highest score. Gamestyle is firmly the former, however think about which you fall into before downloading.

Rating: 7 / 10

Words by Jason Julier