flOw
By Chad Sansing,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Beautiful, unique game about microorganism survival.
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flOw
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What’s It About?
The player begins as a small worm-like microorganism in an aquactic environment. The microorganism and swim and eat other creatures. As it eats others, the microorganism grows, gaining body segments and flagella that let it swim more quickly. Moving between levels, the microorganism can attack and eat the cells of increasingly complex \"enemies\" until it reaches the bottom level. The organism never dies, but if its cells are all eaten by enemies, it gets kicked up a level to regain its health by preying on smaller creatures. On this last level, the organism fights a highly-evolved version of itself. If the organism defeats its counterpart, a yellow cell or egg appears and floats back to the top level of the game, hatching into a new kind of creature for the player to use in a second playthrough.
The game is available to play for free online (http://www.jenovachen.com/flowingames/flowing.htm) or as for $5.59 on the PlayStation Network. The PlayStation versions have extra creatures to play that they online version does not have.
Is It Any Good?
FLOW is a beautiful example of game design and draws the player into guiding, protecting, and growing the microorganism. flOw looks and sounds beautiful and the game uses a minimalist, abstract graphic style and subtle audio effects to give the player feedback about her performance in the game. As the organism grows, it gains body segments and flagella -- or wings -- that allow it move more quickly. Some creatures fight back by eating the organism's cells. Larger creatures can have multiple cells and take strategy to defeat.
While its gameplay is not deep or varied, the game's visuals, sounds, and scaling difficulty make it fun to play. Because the game was designed to keep players playing it, not only is it useful for talking about creatures and their needs, but it's also helpful for talking to kids about how to manage their time around playing games and become self-aware of the feelings and behaviors they have while playing.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can discuss organisms' needs and compare and contrast the needs of different creatures and people.
Families can discuss how flow states can help and hinder people and how to manage time and behavior to avoid addiction.
Families can talk about games that teach. Did you learn anything about science from this game?
Game Details
- Platforms: Mac , PSP , PlayStation 3 , Windows
- Subjects: Science : animals, ecosystems and the environment, life cycle
- Skills: Self-Direction : achieving goals, goal-setting, work to achieve goals, Thinking & Reasoning : decision-making, making conclusions, prediction
- Pricing structure: Paid, Free
- Available online?: Available online
- Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
- Release date: April 14, 2006
- Genre: Puzzle
- Topics: Science and Nature
- ESRB rating: E for No Descriptors
- Last updated: August 26, 2016
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