Fl0w is out now on PSN Europe

[Rainbow Man]

I had played the flash version on the internet so I immediately bought the full version.

Cool game IMO and the input method is very precise. The pad tilting works very well technically and in-game.

The gameplay is calm and interesting but not really that varied. Playing with one animal is much the same as another so that interest won't last forever unfortunately.

Still.. The game is quite cheap which of course helps. The sound design and music also gives life to this petri dish-type game. The largely monochrome graphics are highly artistic and brings realism but the monochromatic look of everything will also limit longevity I suspect.

All things considered, I think this is roughly an 8/10 game. At least if one enjoys this type of paced gameplay.

I am a bit curious with regards to how you actually "win" each level/creature type though. Every time I'm fighting what appears to be the end-level boss(es) I get punted back to the creature selection screen before I've had a chance to eat all of the boss! I've now unlocked 4 types of creatures and it's happened each time the past 3 boss battles..

Peace.

 

[xmu]

I unlocked all creatures on the first go.. then there was a rather silly bonus stage. At least I haven't manage to get anything else out of the game since. I really hoped the game would've had more procedurally generated creatures that evolve over time. Like start with a little worm, gradually evolve into a fishy thing etc.

But nevertheless, I really like the game - it's just so very, very utterly relaxing

 

[patsu]

I am a bit curious with regards to how you actually "win" each level/creature type though. Every time I'm fighting what appears to be the end-level boss(es) I get punted back to the creature selection screen before I've had a chance to eat all of the boss! I've now unlocked 4 types of creatures and it's happened each time the past 3 boss battles..

Hmm... the last stage usually has no end boss (Or did I miss them every time ? ). I think it's for me to eat enough to generate a beautiful worm before going to the next species. The fully grown worms and background are very pretty ! ...but I can't seem to fill-in the empty parts after the fact (which goes back to my previous post in this thread -- What is the "eating strategy" ?)

Like start with a little worm, gradually evolve into a fishy thing etc.

That would be great ! I will buy a follow up for this.

But nevertheless, I really like the game - it's just so very, very utterly relaxing

Me too... I play short games to relax, and this works really well. I was hoping for some sort of screen saver.

 

[Rainbow Man]

Is there a guide that explains "eating strategy" ?

Not sure if there can be such a thing!

I think the "poodle gaps" come from getting bitten by other creatures.

The only strategy I've sort of been abel to determine is that eating the plankton things that look like a little dot with three squiggly arms coming out of it grows your body slightly bigger and all the other kinds of plankton fleshes out the body you have.


Is it possible to die at all? All that seems to happen is you get booted baxck up one level when all segments are eaten. Then you generally get one or two bonus plankton to eat to get a little health back and then you can go down again and take a nip of the enemy that beat you and then you get a lot more flesh back..
Peace.

 

[patsu]

Not sure if there can be such a thing!

I haven't figured it out.

I think the "poodle gaps" come from getting bitten by other creatures.

As far as I can see, biting only takes off the "balls"
If the worm loses all its balls, it would run away ...rightly so.
My fight is usually fast and blurry (because I boost a lot when attacking), so I can't tell for sure.

The only strategy I've sort of been abel to determine is that eating the plankton things that look like a little dot with three squiggly arms coming out of it grows your body slightly bigger and all the other kinds of plankton fleshes out the body you have.

Depending on which creature you're talking about. Say if it's the last one...

Eating the squiggly arm organism grows a ball.

Eating other organisms with a circle outline grows a new segment, so your worm becomes longer.

Eating other spiky things grow a fin (up to 2 or 3 layers I think)

Sometimes a fin doesn't grow on a particular segment. This is the gap I'm refering to. Instead the fin grow on subsequent segments. It seems that I need to eat something to make a segment "pluggable" with fins. I can't fix this hole after the fact by eating more stuff.

And then there is also an embedded ring in each segment (some red rings, some white rings). I don't know what's the significance yet.

Is it possible to die at all? All that seems to happen is you get booted baxck up one level when all segments are eaten. Then you generally get one or two bonus plankton to eat to get a little health back and then you can go down again and take a nip of the enemy that beat you and then you get a lot more flesh back..
Peace.

Yeah... won't die, but the growing seems to be selective.