At first glance, The Flame in the Flood depicts a beautifully crafted world with its use of stylized art and charming audio. What isn't quickly apparent about The Molasses Flood’s debut title is that it actually details the harsh reality of survival. Hunger, thirst, sleep, broken legs and bear attacks, it's all part of a world that is constantly trying to knock the player down. This sense of realism is spot on and is The Flame in the Flood’s greatest strength, and conversely its biggest weakness.
Set in a world where the water has risen and flooded the land, Scout and her companion dog Daisy set off to find a radio tower after discovering a radio transmission needing a stronger signal. Using a raft to sail through the raging river, players stop by different procedurally generated areas that provide supplies, shelter, and the imminent threat of death. From here the story goes through a few more updates but nothing too consistent. While the story updates feel more like mere checkpoints, the environmental storytelling at play helps give glimpses into what happened to this world. An old tire swing gives details on how long it’s been since the world changed, while random characters like the gravedigger show that there are still survivors. Unfortunately, because the areas are not the same each time they’re visited, most of these characters do not get the luxury of progressing the main story.
The overall concept is simple. Collect supplies to ensure survival long enough to make it to the next day, and keep moving down the river. And that’s about it; it’s a very repetitious cycle that won’t see any major mix ups before the credits roll. There will be upgrades to the raft that make sailing easier and different enemies that allow new items to be created, but the loop of find an area, get supplies and start sailing rarely changes. It's realistic and the atmosphere calls for it, but that doesn’t mean that it’ll be enjoyable for everyone the entire way through. Towards the end, in our case, it was becoming a routine and the sense of discovery was starting to wear off.
Every detail matters. Hunger and thirst are important factors but you will soon be dealing with the need for sleep, weapons, medicine, and a variety of other smaller supplies that would truly be needed to survive in this kind of harsh environment. Crafting is simple and there is always that sense of relief when the right item is found in order to survive. The game doesn’t joke around. Getting attacked by a boar can result in a broken leg, staying out in the rain can start a sickness, running through poison ivy can create lacerations and poisoning. The list goes on. The Flame in the Flood nails the sense of desperation and resourcefulness, and its atmosphere is its biggest strong point.
For a game as beautiful as The Flame in the Flood, a lot of time is spent staring at menus. Inventory space, while realistic, is an immediate concern from the start of the game. Being out of room and deciding what to remove or transfer will be a constant requirement that usually ends in frustration. Moving items from the backpack to the dog or to the raft plays out rather like a chore. Not being able to stack items automatically within the different inventories is another headscratcher that makes the process needlessly more complicated. A more intuitive UI would have been appreciated, especially considering how vital it is for the entire experience.
A lot of talk has gone into praising the visuals, but an equal amount has to go to the vibrant and fitting soundtrack. The classic Americana vibes put a fitting tone to the setting and the environment compliments it with its southern looks. Music plays appropriately and even gives the much needed sense of hope when the right tune plays.
Since this is the Complete Edition players can also expect an option to play with developer commentary, along with an endless mode that lets you play for as long as possible. If the repetitious nature of the game is not a hindrance, this mode will be an excellent addition to anyone that picks it up. Being able to play on the Switch is another plus; although some of the icons and text are small to read while playing in portable mode, nothing important is left out.
Conclusion
The Flame in the Flood is a gorgeous title that tries to find a good balance between realism and difficulty. The ideas and concepts are smart and make sense, but don’t expect them to delve too much deeper that what is presented at the start. A few nitpicks with the menu system and cumbersome inventory management take a bit away from the experience, but the core mechanics work well. The Flame in the Flood is a good addition to the survival genre, and another satisfying inclusion to the ever growing eShop library.
Comments 34
If you're on the fence and also don't mind a little menu management, go for it. My girlfriend lost a week straight to this game - it's great!
Might give it a paddle....
Bought this on Xbox when it came out and I have rarely ever felt the urge to buy a game twice. Absolutely loved it the first time round and now being able to play it on the go should be sick!
Meh. I've got too many games that I want that I'll enjoy way more.
I'll get round to this eventually for sure. I can look past these minor issues for an experience as unique as this. It's a shame though that the devs didn't spend a bit a bit of time fixing these issues for the Switch release as I'm sure it would have paid off for them in the end. The difference between their game scoring a 7/10 instead of 9/10 could be a deciding factor for many, especially with so many other options to choose from.
Looks great but have too many games I would like to finish before buying more
Getting this one as soon as I finish Secret of Mana. I think I should be able to get both done right before Odyssey launches.
I was gonna say I don't buy sevens anymore since there is currently so much to choose from, but I literally was just waiting for my download of Sparkle 2 to finish as I was about to comment. I guess there are exceptions
I just picked Wulverblade... I can't get all of them!
Played it for a couple hours last night. The inventory management is a pain at first, but I've played No Man's Sky so I got used to it quickly. 😅
I like how you learn new things with each playthrough, allowing you to progress further with subsequent "campaigns".
Like when I first ran through and died, I didn't realize the raft had its own storage, so I started keeping stuff related to raft upgrades in there, and would constantly eat dandelions to get me by since they're everywhere, in the process opening up a slot.
I will say the wolves suck! lol
Overall though, a pretty intriguing game, and it'll hold me over well enough between spurts of Splatoon2 (and Jackbox 4 this week! ) until Odyssey. 😃
Looks boring. Good review, though.
This game deserves more than a seven . And all it asks is 15 euros... It is worth it
I am so on the fence with this one. I'll probably end up getting it at some point.
Still on the fence but like many here, have other stuff to play first.
What is the frame rate? It looks like it jumps around from 30 to 50 or so on the videos. Does it run at 60 on other machines?
@60frames-please Don't know exactly, bit it appears to run at 30 or slightly higher. It's not quite fast paced, so 30 works well. That was my main concern going in, too. No worries there!
I was going to get it originally but then picked it up for 1$ for my mac on a Humble Bundle. Same thing happened with Oxenfree
"What isn't quickly apparent about The Molasses Flood’s debut title is that it actually details the harsh reality of survival. Hunger, thirst, sleep, broken legs and bear attacks, it's all part of a world that is constantly trying to knock the player down. This sense of realism is spot on and is The Flame in the Flood’s greatest strength, and conversely its biggest weakness."
Do you even hike bro?
QUICK SUMMARY: Commenters think that the reviewer should give more than 7 to the game.
@Fake-E-Lee I think NL mostly have 'contributors' writing reviews and articles for them, so only the core staff actually get paid.
No better so than on other platforms. I've pointed out before that the game's averaged 75% on Steam and 70% on PS4.
My friend got this one and I got to watch his first run. Game looks gorgeous, but the constant movement bugs me about it. What I love about survival games is getting to build a small base and turn that into a fortress, like I was able to in Don't Starve. I'm not sure the additions to the raft will quite scratch that particular itch for me.
Does the game auto save?
Its just wrong to give this game a 7 this is easily a 9-10 in every single way. Its SO addictive and one of those games that you lose yourself in getting further each time you play. If you're on the fence about this game you'd be a pure fool to pass this one up. This was the best download this week and sits right up there with stardew and golf story in terms of its quality and lasting appeal. To give wulverblade a 9 and this a 7 just further proves the ultra amateureness of this sites ability to accurately review titles. Flame in the flood is the 9 here and wulverblade is the 7... Says ME!!!!!!!
Doesn't seem like my thing, but at least it's an option if I want Survival on the Go...and I didn't bring my Vita. IDK, I think I've just got more of these kinds of games than I need as it is...
I didn't think I was going to love this as much as I do. Freakin awesome. Love all of it... And especially the crafting. Its not complicated at all. I hate games that are crazy complicated. This has the perfect balance.
I'm a big fan of survival games and I'm interested in this, but I read on another site that the Switch version "runs the worst of all versions*, which is pretty concerning if it's true.
@onex I watched the wonderful Digital Foundry video comparing the Switch and PS4 versions. Ps4 runs at 60 almost all the time. Switch runs at 40 to 50 fps almost all the time. I wish I could turn on or off in the options a 30 fps lock because my smart TV boosts framerate from 30 to 60. It makes games like Breathe of the Wild and Wind Waker(the HD Wii U version) look absolutely magical! The only problem is the input delay-- it can ruin racing games or anything requiring quick reaction times.
@60frames-please That's pretty cool. I was just curious of the build's stability. I have no issue with 30 fps. I bought the game though, no hiccups or anything, so I'm pleased.
@onex Yeah I just bought it and really love it! It actually seems to run at 60 fps for stretches of time. Looks beautiful on TV and handheld. It is entrancing and fun floating down the flooded river listening to that great music! Between this, Cuphead, Battle Garegga, Slime-san, Kingdom New Lands, and Conga Master Party I'm swimming in amazing game music!!
@Onion Yes, all other versions run at 60 frames per second, but I'm a huge fan of 60 fps and I love the Switch version. The update looks like it might have made it a bit smoother. Regardless, it runs at 40 to 50 fps, so many people wouldn't notice the hitches in the framerate. I recommend the Switch version! I hope they patch it to 60 fps soon. That'd be sweet!
After seeing DF video they really should have went capped 30fps. People would have bitched and moaned before release but screw them. Capped 30fps is better then inconsistent 60fps
Just got this game not too long ago and the difficulty was way higher than I expected. I've played the game 3 times and died each time, not getting more than a few days. I still have not been able to find enough materials to build a bow and arrow or traps or anything to deal with boars (just have to run away). The areas and items given to you are random and therefore it feels more like I'm dying and being punished because I am unlucky rather than unskilled (although I am that too). I'm a bit disappointed with it.
Playing on Nintendo Switch: Gotta say I do love, love, love this game. It took awhile but I've repeatedly won basic and survival mode numerous times.....BUT I have played Endless Mode several times and was all set to keep going. I had tons of food, medical supplies, everything needed to keep on going. That is, until the game apparently just runs out of well, game. Around mile 211.6, after leaving an area, I ended up nowhere. The screen went yellowish then blue and then it looked like I was under water at night with one color water around me, then I'd be on top of blue water during the day. There were no other items around. No waves, no rocks, no vehicles, no docking areas. Nothing. But my food, water and gas kept going down. Tried to endure to see if the world would return but no luck. I ended the game and restarted from the last checkpoint. Same thing. I shut the console off after hard quitting/closing the game and restarting. Same thing. Am I just DONE at mile 211.6?
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