In the field of psychology, the word flow has its own definition: "Flow is the mental state of operation in which the person is fully immersed in what he or she is doing, characterized by a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and success in the process of the activity." For gamers, feeling focused and energised isn't something you'd come to expect while blasting countless baddies level after level, but that's as close a definition as you'll get in coming to grips with this strange, yet compelling title.

The philosophy behind the game is incredibly simple: navigate one of the half-dozen plankton-like creatures via the SixAxis PS3 controller through a bunch of levels, growing in size and shape by consuming other assorted denizens of the deep, until you reach the final level ...which magically transports you back to the beginning. It all sounds rather too simple an idea to justify all the fuss surrounding this title. But throw in something that resembles travelling through bright sparkling waters right down to the dark and mysterious depths, and you'll find yourself drenched in peace and tranquillity while almost drowning within an ocean teeming with originality.


The more you eat, the bigger you get, and the more fantastic in shape you eventually reach. The first few levels, or in this case, layers, are teeming with similar sized creatures that you chase down and eat. Depending on the creature chosen, each one has its own special move that can act as both a defensive or offensive move (faster movement/invisibility etc). Once each layer is entirely depleted of its food source, you consume a special coloured creature that transports you either up or down a layer – red to progress down into the dangerous deep or blue to climb back a layer.

Shattering the illusion of peace, you'll eventually be attacked by larger, more aggressive creatures. Help to minimise such attacks come in two ways; the special move previously mentioned, as well as being able to spy into the next deeper layer. Cleverly designed to mimic the expansiveness of the ocean, players can access, however indistinct and blurred, the dangers beyond. Larger creatures usually spell trouble, so when sufficient gelatinous chunks have been removed from your creature, you'll be magically transported back up a layer into relative safety where you can again bulk up, then submerge once again to wreck abyssal terror on foes below. It's all very organic, with single and multi-celled organisms represented in a myriad of almost crystalline forms, swimming about as if observed through a microscope, yet maintaining the mystery and tranquillity found within an ocean. And don't expect it to be all one shade of blue either, as environmental differences can be found within each of the six playable creatures on offer.

Progression in the game is quite noticeable. Not only do you become bigger and more capable at fending off larger attackers, but suggestive of the lack of sunlight, the deeper you go, the darker the environment becomes, perhaps even more chaotic. Control of the creature is achieved via the motion sensor built within the SixAxis controller. It's a bit fishy at first, but some form of accuracy is possible within a short time. Particularly enjoyable were the sound effects and the levels in which they were used. Most actions would trigger a sound effect which, together with the soothing ambience of the music track, became a pleasurable, almost hypnotic experience.


Even though flOw is a short game with the end in sight in just over the 2 hour mark, you won't be disappointed as the replay value is quite high. It's almost a case of impulsive gaming as you'll find yourself playing for short bursts once, sometimes even twice a week. With the game played via a top-down perspective, it was hard not to imagine impossible depths and strange creatures lurking the darkness below. However - it's hard to call this one a game, feeling more like experiment in minimalist game design than anything else. Certainly, one could say most of the more popular games being played right now follow a principle set of rules. In this respect, flOw is remarkable. Tradition is completely abandoned for, dare I say it, a more fluid approach. Even the (usually skipped) end-credits is a joy to behold as now it's part of the game, rather than a series of endless lines slowly scrawling up the page.

Nevertheless, a few criticisms can be levelled at flOw, namely the asking price of $10. Like previously stated, this feels and plays more an experiment than a game, perhaps even a demonstration of what could be a new gaming genre (PALFS – Play and Likely Fall Asleep). The experience is over just as it begins and customers fresh from being slugged the exorbitant high price of the PS3 would have certainly appreciated this being made available free on the PS3 network - but of course not. It's money before sense these days. This could easily have scored much higher if it had more substance. That said, the key concepts are present for a full-blown game - I'm just hoping the developers have the willingness to do it.

As it stands, flOw amounts to a surreal journey that won't raise the pulse rate. Its innovative approach will hopefully push open the doors to other, similar titles in the near future. Until then, enjoy the trip down into the depths.