flOw

By Kristan Reed Published 24 September, 2006

TGS: Demo whets the appetite.

Being the home of completely unhinged game concepts, Tokyo Games Show is perhaps the ideal venue to debut a game as completely contrary as flOw. At first glance, the uncluttered abstract outline form of the cell-like visuals and sky blue background palette make it look like some sort of Electroplankton rip-off. Some casually ill-informed remarks might sneer about Sony's attempt to ape Nintendo's recent innovative streak, but actually getting your hands on it proves to be a strangely calming, almost serene experience. Quite some feat over the manic bass throb that pulsates across the cavernous hall.

Apparently devised by the winner of last year's GDC indie games competition, flOw offers no explanation to the player - not that the non-English speaking Sony rep manning the lone demo pod could either - but luckily that doesn't matter in the slightest thanks to its delightfully intuitive design. In simple terms, it plays a bit like Snake. You control what appears to be a cell-based life form, swimming around the inky blue looking for things to eat. As you come across strange-looking single-cell organisms, you line up your pincer like jaws and attempt to grow your form. As you weave your way around, the more you consume, the longer and more complex your segments become, and so it goes on.

Deep deep down

'flOw' Screenshot 1

Eating the red blobs takes you deeper into the water, while heading for the blue blobs brings you closer to the surface (where the 'flOw' logo resides). Swimming towards the edges of what appears to be a fairly small circular play area (think of it as a fish bowl) makes the colour grow darker, so you eventually start to suss out that the idea is to keep swimming down, down, down and down and continually gobbling up everything you come across.

There are several different types of organism in flOw, and each quickly become familiar. Although it's hard to discern without the benefit of any explanation, some seem to bulk out existing cells, others add more segments. Others swim around in the depth and look a bit like you, but the idea appear to be to gobble them up too by simply swimming up to their body segments and then clearing up all the segments they leave behind when they've fallen apart. On this evidently 'safe' demo level, none of them appear to want to attack you, although perhaps as the game progresses you'll come across those that also want a piece of you.

The only piece of Engrish we got out of our smiley Japanese host was 'boss' as she pointed to the first angry looking red cell monster, composed a little like a fishy bicycle wheel, if you can imagine that. As expected, we managed to suss out their weak spots by chomping off the segments away from the central 'head'. Sure enough, the whole structure began to collapse and we were left to feast on the remains of our prize, and grew longer and longer- again, like Snake, but without the penalty for tripping over your own tail or bashing the edges.

Sleeping with the fishes

'flOw' Screenshot 2

Within a matter of five, ten minutes, we we'd grown from a wee dot to a stringy fan-finned organism that spanned almost the height of the glorious 42" Bravia 1080p screen. Evidently, this is hardly a game that requires high def, but you certainly won't complain when all the little touches float by your eyes. It's clearly a left field experiment, a high concept idea that may turn out to be rather, er, shallow. But, assuming it builds on the Feeding Frenzy idea of growing into something bigger and more powerful, then it definitely has the potential to be the sort of serene and original idea that will attract the kind of cult audience Sony evidently has in mind for this Santa Monica Studio-developed title.

As far as the audio goes, sadly, with no way of hearing what kind of otherworldly underwater noises accompany the game, we can't tell as yet how much the soundtrack or audio effects enhance the experience, but you can bet they'll be suitably spooky and watery. All whale noises and watery bloops.

flOw is certainly not going to dominate any headlines in the aftermath of TGS (this one aside), but it's these kinds of games that make coming halfway across the world all the more worthwhile. Released at the right price and targeted at the right audience, it's the sort of game that makes the PS3 a far more interesting console for its surprise inclusion. It's calming, interesting, entertaining and utterly different in so many ways that would scare most publishers witless. Let's hope Sony Computer Entertainment Europe believes in it as much as we do. Go with it, Sony.

FlOw is coming to the PS3 sometime in 2007 from Sony Computer Entertainment, and will be distributed via the console's online component. A European release has yet to be confirmed.

Picture of Kristan.

About Kristan Reed

Kristan is a former editor of Eurogamer, dad, Stone Roses bore and Norwich City supporter who sometimes mutters optimistically about Team Silent getting back together.

Read more articles from Kristan by visiting the Kristan Reed archive page.

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Comments (39) Latest comment 5 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Fubdub #1 5 years ago

    The guy who designed the game (apparently) did it as a thesis, he made a flash version which seems to be exactly what will be on PS3:

    http://www.jen ovachen.com/flowingames/
    Edited by 1 at 24/09/06 @ 12:06

  • Hypercube #2 5 years ago

    Darn, I was hoping to be first with that information! But yes, as Fubdub says, you can get your mitts on the Flash version for free. It's ace.

  • Steroyd #3 5 years ago

    But it's in HD it's worth the price.

    lol.

  • nickthegun #4 5 years ago

    Its ace in the way that it can kill a lunch time and looks very nice, but I very much doubt there is any legs in it as a paid for product.

    Once you get your worm a reasonable size, it does get quite boring.

  • Steroyd #5 5 years ago

    Be pretty neat if you can transfer it to the PSP though.

  • Tomo #6 5 years ago

    Terrible title. Why not go all the way and call it F|_O\/\/ ?

  • ecureuil #7 5 years ago

    I played this a long time ago.. didn't have a damn clue what I was doing though.

  • SeesThroughAll #8 5 years ago

    They should just keep it as a downloadable game. Could become the PS3's answer to Geometry Wars.

  • paul_haine #9 5 years ago

    It is quite like Electroplankton, in that it's entertaining for about 20 or 30 minutes before you start wondering why you're bothering, and then never play it again.

  • chupachups #10 5 years ago

    It's a lovely, charming game but I can't see anyone paying £20 for it let alone £50.

    Definitely a candidate for any kind of cheap Live Arcade-style download sales though.

    One thing that would give it more depth is if they added multiplayer online.
    Edited by 1 at 24/09/06 @ 13:11

  • Shinji #11 5 years ago

    As the article does point out, this IS designed to be sold online - it's not a full boxed product, and it won't be sold at full price. We don't have prices for PS3 downloadable games yet, but I'd be amazed if this is more than a tenner, and it'll probably be a good chunk less.

  • Cyhwuhx #12 5 years ago

    .::: What I don't get about this game, is that its designer is part of the Spore team at Maxis. I wonder how Sony got their hands on it. Did they just buy the game from him or did he develop it for them? It doesn't really make sense.

    The game itself is not really worth it based on the Flash-game though. It's not exactly posing a challenge. I think the entire game is 'safe'. Which might explain why it didn't hold my attention very long. This being the next Geometry Wars seems a bit overenthusiastic if it is released without any major overhauls to the gamemechanics.

  • Steroyd #13 5 years ago

    /checks he read the first impressions right.

    who said anything about it being a fully fledged game...or on a disc even.

    Flow is going to be one of the first downloadable titles for the PS3's online/Live Arcade/Virtual Console/Sony Connect shop thing.

  • gamingdave #14 5 years ago

    Its a lovely little toy, and a nice way to pass the time, but its hardly got the legs of say Geometry Wars. If either MS or Sony would just license the Flash player these sort of games could be free, or very cheap.

    Still its a nice addition.

  • JediMasterMalik #15 5 years ago

    I'd buy it, wanna try it out with the motion sensing. Hopefully it won't be the only arcade type game there.

  • chupachups #16 5 years ago

    If they had this as a free (or close to free) download, and made it multiplayer with players' names floating next to their creatures, it could be great fun.


    "who said anything about it being a fully fledged game...or on a disc even"

    Well, if the article says "this is a PS3 game" you sort of assume it'll be on the disc.

    The article itself doesn't make it clear that this is sold online, you have to read the postscript (in a different font!) to find that out.

  • Twinfalls #17 5 years ago

    Haha! Flash screen-saver flogged off as brand new next-gen content! Teh INNOVASHUN, Sony!

  • JediMasterMalik #18 5 years ago

    @TwinFlls - No one said innovative from Sony, and no one said it was "next-gen". Stop making shit up to mke Sony look bad, it's pathetic. And it's a good game, which I'm sure will be very cheap to play, and if so will be worth every penny.

  • Razz #19 5 years ago

    This is a decent little flash game, I've killed loads of time messing about with it. Never been able to beat the final boss on the 2nd lifeform you get. :/

  • rez606 #20 5 years ago

    Yeah played the flash version a while back, brilliant! So can you play the flash version on a psp, that would be its ideal home methinks..

  • kcorb #21 5 years ago

    That second boss is ridiculously hard. But I did it.

  • JHuxley #22 5 years ago

    "Haha! Flash screen-saver flogged off as brand new next-gen content! Teh INNOVASHUN, Sony!"

    I think it should be pretty obvious that Sony aren't trying to flog this as a showcase for the PS3's capabilities.

    "Yes, this does show a lack of the type of innovation one would reasonably expect..."

    Huh? So you'd rather see Tekken 6 or Ridge Racer 7 than a original concept just because it originates from a flash game? That's kinda narrow minded.

    Personally I think it's great that Sony have given the chance to bring this to the attention of a wider audience, and perhaps even make a few quid for the clever guy who came up with the idea.

    EDIT: I see you deleted your post, Twinfalls. Must have realised it's only distributed online, eh? Too late! ;)
    Edited by 1 at 24/09/06 @ 15:54

  • stoopidgreg #23 5 years ago

    why is a little flash game i played months ago worthy of an article on EG? and why is it coming to PS3? i'll have spore any day thankyouverymuch

  • brainbird #24 5 years ago

    Isn't it from the same chap who did "Cloud"? He likes to push the boundaries, it seems. New approaches are always welcome.

  • haowan #25 5 years ago

    This is good. I hope he tightens up the gameplay a bit for the PS3 version. The flash version was a little bit wishy-washy, while still remaining fun and interesting to watch and play.

  • valli #26 5 years ago

    It would work great on the Wii... too bad it can't handle the gfx power of the next gen. :)

  • Nikanoru #27 5 years ago

    Does the flash version slow down horribly for anybody else once you get further with the second lifeform?

  • JSD124 #28 5 years ago

    ^ Yeah, its all the whirly-twirly-ness when you get big.

  • spongebob #29 5 years ago

    If PS3 gets as many innovative games as PS2 (Okami, Rez, ICO, etc), it'll be more than worth it's price. It's the only way Sony can beat MS. They have to able to provide wide variety of exclusive content, just like on PS2. MS never got this right on Xbox.

  • Les #30 5 years ago

    "Yeah played the flash version a while back, brilliant!"

    Agree. Very tranquil. I'm a bit against all this "rip a free flash game and charge MS points for it" bullshit though. If they seriously improve upon it, I might be tempted to download it, otherwise I'll stick with the free flash version.

  • tonynibbles #31 5 years ago

    This is a beautiful game and I can't wait to see what they do with it on PS3 - The screens look great, and seem to be quite a bit more developed than the existing game.

    Should be great.

  • T4RG4 #32 5 years ago

    Just played the Flash version - WTF!? Are some of you people on drugs? Snake... on PS3? If someone buys this on PS3 I'd love them to invest in my new game idea - Space Invaders. Now, if you controlled a bastard shark and the objective was to snap up as many divers/swimmers etc before sunset, that'd be far more entertaining.

    Shocked.

  • Stormflood #33 5 years ago

    Add a leaderboard and achievements and I'm sold (if it's cheap)

  • Carrybagma #34 5 years ago

    Ta for the link, Fubdub.

    What a nice little game.

  • Dr Strangelove #35 5 years ago

    The game is nice and lovely but you do get to a point and think "What am I doing?".

    If they could expand the gameplay a bit more it might get interesting.

  • Les #36 5 years ago

    "Now, if you controlled a bastard shark and the objective was to snap up as many divers/swimmers etc before sunset, that'd be far more entertaining."

    Looks like you might be the single person that will enjoy the Jaws game... ;)

    I like the tetris-like simplicity of it all. Dipped in and spent way more time than I planned. Don't know whether it will have long term appeal though.

  • symmetry #37 5 years ago

    Anybody know if there's a third lifeform?

    I managed to (finally) kill the end boss but that was it, no progression.

  • T4RG4 #38 5 years ago

    "Looks like you might be the single person that will enjoy the Jaws game... ;)"

    Hah, one might think so from my comment but I bet it'd be awful ;)

    How anyone can consider paying for this kinda thing (unless it was a fiver) I've no idea... Beyond me completely. Yes, I can spend 15mins floating around doing very little but it's available for FREE on the inet :-/

  • AOFanboi #39 5 years ago

    I think a few XBox fanboys pounce on these threads about the PS3 and its downloadable games because they want to shift attention away from the painful fact that the best-selling game for Billybox 2 is fricking UNO...