Floodland

Floodland certainly isn't sugarcoating their opinions on climate change. After all, the entire game is based on the world as it is post-disaster caused by said issue. The planet is flooded, urban centers are gone, and only a handful of people are left entrusted to carry the torch for human civilization. I wonder what does if that doesn't set a precedent for a decent survival strategy game.

Floodland will be the environmentalist's dream, who could easily use the title to showcase what happens next to the Earth if nothing is done. However, games with a message tend to get wrapped up in getting it across rather than developing a decent offering many players can enjoy. That's going to be the sticking point of Floodland, and I'd like to see if there's a good game here.

Keep Your Head Above Water

So here we are with Planet Earth completely ransacked by climate change. Floodland is a game that dawns on a new world. Players will have to lead their cluster of humans to survive against the poising challenges of post-apocalyptic life. The theme is already a stark contrast against the generally more relaxed nature of a casual colony sim.

As you can imagine, the world is now separated into small islands with floods ravaging the planet. Your job is to oversee your colony's survival, managing every intricate detail from laws and technology development to farming. Floodland brings the realism of post-apocalyptic survival into the fray from the moment you hit start, giving players plenty of challenges to keep them occupied.

The level of meticulousness may be daunting for colony sim players, but Floodland does get quickly immersive. The intense management mechanics paired with the gorgeous post-climate change visuals certainly can spark many unique stories for players to tell. Not only will you be looking after your people, but you'll also have to manage conflict and peace between other tribes. Essentially, you'll be a world leader of a new age.

So does Floodland work as a game? Absolutely. It's one of the more refreshingly challenging colony sims I've played. Despite the actual in-your-face theme of climate change, the game environment immerses players even if they don't want to be pestered by real-world problems.

Transition Incarnate

Floodland is more challenging to explain how it mechanically operates. It hasn't got the competitive intensity of strategy games, but it's not quite the casual, relaxed gameplay of colony sims. The title sits somewhere in between. But it teeters on a unique edge where it's not trying to be either this or that. In other words, Floodland is a game that is surprisingly enjoyable to play.

Round-Up - Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Challenging management mechanics that build an experience
• The level of detail in the environment and gameplay is excellent
• Every playthrough feels unique

Cons:

• Required man management can get frustrating
• The erratic challenges leave players unsure of what to do