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“The Flame in the Flood” is the first game coming from the indie game developer The Molasses Flood (named after the Great Boston Molasses Flood, occurred on January 15, 1919), and this talented group of developers have worked on games like Halo, Bioshock and Rock Band in the past. Even so, Flame in the Flood is quite different from anything else that this game development group has worked with before. As “Flame in the Flood” is a rogue-lite river journey through the backwaters of a forgotten post-societal America. You forage for food, hunt and most of all survive, which has had great success on Steam and has now arrived on PlayStation and Xbox.

Bears, they’re big, angry and beary…

“Don’t idle” are the first two words you see just before starting “The Flame in the Flood” and no truer words have been spoken, because any time you stand still you become a beacon to predators. You get hungry, cold and tired, and if you stand around long enough you’ll eventually die. In other words, dying is something that is bound to happen. So after 15 minutes I died of starvation because I didn’t know how to make a trap and could only find dandelions to eat, much like reality if I ever ended up in such a situation. After a few retries, I got further and further, crafted a few items and then got eaten by a wolf. The Flood doesn’t pull any punches.

The survivor’s face looks a bit odd though…

However, the survival mechanics are quite clever. As ravens alert, and Wolves are scared of fire but fire also attracts snakes. Boars will chase you but bears eat boars, sadly you’re then left with a bear which is never a good situation to be in. There’s variety of things to loot and craft and many ailments that can affect you, such as the weather, poison ivy, rotten food and more. However, the core mechanic is transportation. You will get from A to B using your trusty raft, which can be upgraded with a variety of additions. There are various settlements that you can stop at, and it’s best to prioritize what you need. So stop at an angler for hooks and wire, head to a camp to cook food and seek shelter. There are two modes available to play, campaign and endless, the latter all about how far you travel, and how long you’ll survive!

This is how you travel, but these waters can get rapid!

There are a few things that are a little disappointing, the art style is cool but the survivor’s face just looks a bit odd, as if she had been hit with a spade and then covered in paper-mâché. The item management is a little frustrating early in the game, within minutes your pockets are full and there’s a lot of fiddling around needed, while doing this the game doesn’t pause, and you’re still vulnerable to attack. Of course, it gets easier once you crafted some pouches but the early game can be pretty hard going. Those who have played games like “Don’t Starve” might feel at home here. Sure, while “A flame in the flood” may not be as in-depth as “Don’t Starve”, it does enough to remain compelling for the few hours it takes to beat. I just wish there were more weapons other than traps to fight off enemies, while you can craft a knife or a hammer, you can’t fight off a Boar with one. However, a bow is available when you find the right resources.

the-flame-in-the-flood-deadly art direction

The art direction is truly beautiful in “The Flame in the Flood”.

The Flame in the Flood is a nice little game, while it can be tough to get to grips with when first playing, once you learn the little qwerks it can be pretty fun, after a few hours and trial and error, you will get further, snare a few pesky wolves and ultimately reach your goal. Of course, you’re never alone throughout the game as you’re accompanied by man’s best friend, a trusty K9 that will keep you company on your endearing quest.

So, all in all. “The Flame in the Flood” is not by any means a perfect game, but it´s most definitely a rather entertaining rogue-like survival game (I would also recommend you to check out “The Wild Eight”, as it´s another really good survival game).

Pros:
+ Great soundtrack
+ Nice art design
+ great replay value

Cons:
– Limited crafting and weapons
– Sometimes feels a little too unfair
– Frustrating Item Management

Gameplay: 3/5
Graphics: 3/5
Sound/music: 4/5
Controls: 4/5
Replay value: 4/5

tgg grade 3.5 out of 5

Verdict: 3.5/5
Even though The Molasses Flood´s “The Flame in the Flood” is far from a flawless game, it´s still worthy of your time. As it offers quite a lot of entertaining moments. So if you games such as “Don’t Starve”, then you´re going to love “The Flame in the Flood” with no doubt.

Title: Flame in the Flood
Developer: The Molasses Flood & Curve Digital
Format: PS4
Genre: Rogue like survival
Resolution: 1080p
Release date: 18/01/17
Difficulty: HARD
Spent time: 4 hours
Average grade internationally: 75.81% Gamerankings.com
PEGI age rating: E
Price: £9.49