If you find survival games' fixation on the first-person perspective a little tiresome, then this crowdfunded gem from devs who worked on BioShock and Halo 2 should be a refreshing change of scenery. The Flame in the Flood casts you as a girl called Scout, who along with her dog companion Aesop must take care of her hunger, energy and warmth levels to survive the wilderness. The game has a big focus on travel, as you use a raft to swim down a procedurally-generated river, where you'll encounter unpredictable weather and water conditions. Along your endless journey, you'll stop on the shores to set up camp, gather resources, and fend off wild creatures, while stumbling upon vestiges of US society, which has long since collapsed. FitF has a gorgeous, hand-drawn-looking aesthetic that makes it stand out from its often severe-looking peers. The sense of journey in the game makes it feel like a distant relative of the wagon-adventure classic, Oregon Trail, and it's likely to get a story mode with a definite ending some time time soon. Despite still being in early access, Flame in the Flood is already one of the best-presented, most spirited survival games around.
Gamer, Researcher of strange things.
I'm a writer-editor hybrid whose writings on video games, technology and movies can be found across the internet. I've even ventured into the realm of current affairs on occasion but, unable to face reality, have retreated into expatiating on things on screens instead.
