The Flame in the Flood Reviews
Overall, the experience of playing The Flame in The Flood is more frustrating than nerve-wracking. I get that survival games won't be easy, but their systems should feel balanced, not bullshit. And the nodal method of traveling down river can feel futile in its own way. There's a big, bad wolf between me and any desire to play this further.
The Flame in the Flood is a beautiful rogue-lite that leans heavily on its charm and original concept. However, monotonous gameplay, simple crafting, very little world-building and a number of technical issues make it a taxing experience that I am in no hurry to revisit.
I love difficult games, but The Flame in the Flood didn't test my resolve—it tested my patience. A stellar look and an awesome soundtrack made me want to love The Molasses Flood's first release, but with so many technical setbacks, I could hardly even stomach my time with it. I won't be returning to the flood.
The Flame in the Flood has amazing moments that stick with you and far outweigh all the annoying bits. It is beautiful at times, but also melancholy and grim in other moments. If you are looking for a difficult survival game, you will certainly get that, unless you find great deal of supplies early on.
If you can handle the wild river - and the odd bug - there's plenty to love in this heartfelt survival game.
Beautiful but clumsy, with a very helpful wet dog.
Where I'm at with the game now is that I do enjoy playing and it's because it offers a beautiful and non-overwhelming survival option. I also find that the repetition of crafting and of landscape and of encounters combined with changes in biome end up feeling like verses in a song – familiar but with some of the beats changed up. But I also find that I feel I'm spinning my wheels a lot, that the systems aren't creating interesting or varied stories.
Simply put, The Flame in the Flood is a stunning river journey with highly satisfying survival elements that casual fans of the genre will undoubtedly enjoy. Hardcore fans might find it a little on the easy side, but it’s an enjoyable experience nonetheless, with rewarding game mechanics that almost negate the lack of story and monotony of the environment. It’s the kind of game that sucks you in immediately and is completely addictive for a short while but then grows old fairly quickly. However, it’s also the type of game you’ll probably get the urge to pick up from time to time to see if you can surpass your previous survival record, so that alone makes it worthwhile.
It's neither the biggest nor the boldest survival game, and it's hamstrung somewhat by a clunky menu system, but it's still one of the more absorbing and habit-forming survival simulators out there.
