flOw (Re)view
From the outset, the original version of flOw left me feeling a bit torn. It was beautiful, spare, and seemed a perfect illustration of the absolute minimum of what you need to make a game: the fundamental elements of game-ness. Taken in conjunction with the rest of designer Jenova Chen's thesis, it's a brilliant example of spartan design that reveals some underlying truths about gaming and flow theory.
But out of context, just sitting there on my desktop looking gorgeous, it didn't feel like much of a game. I'm certainly not the first person to mention that the original flOw felt mostly like a screen saver that you click. It's fun for a few minutes, but I couldn't see myself getting totally absorbed in it without some kind of intoxicant, heavy metal poisoning, concussive head trauma, etc.
So I waited with a raised eyebrow while my PS3 downloaded the new, Sony-approved version of the game. Would they ruin it by making too mainstream, or by leaving it alone? Imagine my surprise when the answer was: "Neither, jackass, it's better."
I was shocked to pick up the SIXAXIS and discover that the controller's motion-sensing technology was the only way to guide my flOw critter. At first I was horrified, because I'd never experienced anything remotely fun from that bedeviled piece of garbage; but after five minutes, I found myself squealing with delight as that piece of garbage turned to gold in my hands - controlling flOw with the SIXAXIS is not only easy, it quickly becomes intuitive and nearly instinctual. Honestly, I can't believe flOw would work as well on the Wii - you control flOw much like you'd control a flight simulator: tilt down to go forward, tit up to rear back to a stop, and bank left and right with a controller that has left and right sides, and which feels familiar besides...it becomes second nature within moments, and you're not restricted to any "zone" of physical space as you would be with the Wiimote and its occasionally fussy sensor bar fills one with happy brand-neutral enjoyment. I can't stress strongly enough how much more fun the game is to play with a magic flying PlayStation controller than with a mouse, nor how unlikely it is that I'd ever say such a thing!
Make the jump for more.
Visually, flOw gives you exactly what you'd expect: 1080p gorgeousness, crisp as can be, and of course...it still looks like a very pretty screensaver. I'm a big fan of therapeutic or zen gaming, but let's not kid ourselves: most of the attraction of flOw is its hypnotic visuals, music, and uber-simplistic play.
And the music is definitely part of the attraction. Austin Wintory's score fits the spartan beauty of the graphic environment, and responds in subtle ways as you play the game - triggering notes of music when you eat or are eaten (which are really the only choices in the game, aside from "up" and "down" and one form-dependent special move). Tangerine Dream, eat your heart out.
While the surprisingly adroit SIXAXIS controls are the real highlight of the PS3 version (which should give some hope to those of us who can't wait to play Lair), the gameplay itself has been tweaked and enhanced. As you dive down through the worlds of flOw, you'll encounter various multicellular organisms, and as you pass through the game you'll take on five forms, each with its own special move: such as the eel-like critter we're all familiar with from the first stage of the game; an abstracted round jellyfish thing that spins, glows, attracts food, and then gets dizzy; and a manta ray/dolphinish thing with a wicked speed burst. You eat food or take bites out of other critters until they disintegrate, as before, but the much-hyped Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment (DDA) seems to have been improved...or at least tweaked in my favor. It was challenging but not frustrating to grow, descend, and change.
Another big improvement/addition that I did not have a chance to test is multiplayer - not online, thank god, but if a friend picks up a second, third, or fourth SIXAXIS you can sit down and space out together swimming two funky critters around the pretty, pretty backdrop.
Ultimately, flOw remains unchanged at its core: it's still a beautiful but shallow interactive screen saver. There's nothing wrong with that - it's an entrancing example of workable and enjoyable simplicity. But beyond the two hours or so it takes to come to a peaceful conclusion of the gaming experience (or "beat," if you don't speak Pretentious Jackassanese), don't expect flOw on the PS3 to change your world. Expect to pick it up every so often, when you've pensive or stressed or stoned out of your gourd, and absolutely love it until your brain starts wanting something with a little more substance.
flOw [Sony Site]
tiny dancer
Posted to Hot Stuff, Video Games on 25 February 2007
· Comments (23)
Other stuff like this: flow, jenova chen, ps3, that game company
Oh my god, i cant believe what I'm seeing. Someone has actually said they LIKE something on the PS3. And on top of that you LIKED THE SIXAXIS CONTROLLS, ACTUALLY SAYING THEY WORK BETTER THAN THE WIIMOTE WOULD!? I think you created a rip in the fabric of space time. I hope you dont get any death threats.
it wouldn't work nearly as well on the wii? the wii remote has the exact same motion sensors in it.
lol tonedef beat me to it
Haha...just for this game, guys. The SIXAXIS has still sucked at everything else...and believe me, I was just as surprised - but I ain't making it up.
I NEVER said the SIXAXIS is better than the Wiimote, don't be a reactionary doofus! :) The SIXAXIS surprised me by being a truly great control mechanism for this game, that's it. I'm sure the blessed sacred Wiimote would be fine, I just wouldn't want to have to deal with the sensor bar and the Wiimote "zone," because if anything, this is a game you want to stretch out on the couch and relax while you play.
Relax. Unclench. Breathe.
Speaking of doofus, the sensor bar (which senses nothing) is only used for pointing at the screen, NOT for motion sensing. And, while one can certainly be mistaken while writing an article, you might have wanted to check into that before responding to the comment and calling your readers names :)
(By the way, I just watched the 1UP Show, and it looks like the wiimote's shape would probably be much less comfortable / practical than the good old PS controller, seeing how Kathleen pretty much spins the controller by its, uh, wings.)
That's not my point: I'm sure there are all kinds of technical things to mention about the Wiimote and the sensor bar; and maybe there's some hypothetical way to avoid the sensor bar issues, but that's not the reason behind my very minor mention of why I don't think I'd enjoy playing flOw as much on the Wii:
Regardless of where the motion sensing tech is, you'd still have to sit or stand in a limited physical space to play, and for flOw, I appreciate being able to do it from the floor, the corner of the room, either side of the couch, etc, without moving the sensor bar or holding my arm at the right angle.
That's all!
If you wouldn't have to point the Wiimote at the screen to play, that might be a different story.
Jesus, that IS the point: the sensor bar has nothing to do whatsoever with it, and you don't have to point the wiimote in any direction, or hold your arm at any particular angle, or be right in front of your TV, to use motion sensing. It works exactly like the sixaxis (or vice versa).
(Answer typed and sent before you added the last sentence to your comment :))
Haha, okay, fair enough! I concede defeat. :)
seriously. a reactionary doofus?
Yeah...meant that for the first fellow screaming about what's better than what, not you guys. Sorry. Wish I could take it back, but since it was itself so reactionary I deserve it. I'm the only doofus here.
But I do not have cooties!
I'm glad the comments about the Wii motion sensing were corrected, I was wondering what was going on there. Once more for the record, the motion sensing is COMPLETELY independant of the sensor bar.
One other comment as well:
"Another big improvement that I did not have a chance to test is multiplayer ..."
If you didn't get a chance to test it, how do you know it's a big improvement?
Jeezus you wii queens are vicious when it comes the the wiimote. I wont go there but i can say i have enjoyed Flow on the PS3 far more than i thought i would have. I downloaded on a whim and actually am quite mesmerized with the little diversion. I wouldnt really call it a game more of a relaxing way to pass the time. More than anything i think FLOW is exactly what its tag line says a simple way of life and a very simple game, pretty to look at and fun to play...also I just want to emphasis that if you all have the ps3 you ought to get it it makes the rage of owning one die down considerably.
Hey, at least there is something good going for PS3 - how could we really complain about that ?
Wii users should wait for Nintendo to really launch their Independant Devs Programm - we may then expect FlOw to come as gracefully.
Why would online multiplayer be a bad thing? I remember when I first tried flow I was delighted out of my tiny mind to find other worms floating about and thought I had met other people do meet and eat. I imagine if instances were created for up to 4 players or so, we'd be having a great time competing for food with running into each other all that often.
Tiny, I don't care if you have cooties... I'd still make out with you at whatever the next New York Gaygamer party is, anyway.
I think I'd make out with Tiny too O:) but I digress...
In fairness, I've heard that people enjoy flOw and I'm glad that PS3 owners have an enjoyable title. There's also no real need to go into the Wii comments; the PS3 and Wii simply share the motion sensing function, is all, though I am glad someone pointed that out.
I really hope I see a lot more cool titles from the PS3. I don't want Sony to fail... I really did like my PS2 and I think the PS3 will have good chances if Sony gets all their wrinkles ironed out...
Gimme: I don't mean to defend Tiny, seeing as how he still hasn't fixed the article :) but multiplayer is definitely a big change, and it can hardly be for the worse, so it could arguably be called "a big improvement" even if you don't try it :)
Pyram ( o.O ): well, Flow is a Sony-published game :) But seeing the kind of Wii channels Nintendo makes, I wonder what equivalents they'll have. (From the reviews I've read, isn't the News channel already a Flow-like experience? :))
Tek Guy: I could be wrong, but I don't think Flow does online multiplayer.
Also, for the record, I don't own a Wii, nor do I want one :)
Garoo : Oops, true, I forgot that, my mind stayed focused only on the initial developper, Jenova Chen .
Garoo: Ta-da. Strikeouts to the rescue. Now we can all enjoy our disharmony in peace. ;-)
I'm still gonna nitpick you, Tiny, over your comment about no left/right on the Wii remote. ;)
Your left/right comment isn't quite correct either and gives me the impression you haven't really used one before. Imagine holding it sideways, and magically it has exactly the same motion sensing as the SIXAXIS, complete with the feeling of having distinct left/right roll and forward/back pitch. It seems maybe you were still imagining holding it like a remote?
Yeah, there are some games that have annoying "steer by twisting the remote" mechanics, like some minigames in Rayman and Monkey Ball. Combine it with having to point at the screen and you have a recipe for carpal tunnel.
But if you hold it horizontally and tilt it to steer, like in Wii Play and Excite Truck, it's pretty good. I've never played fl0w or whatever it's called so I don't know how the Sixaxis works, but apart from shape the Wiimote should be able to do anything it can.