Flotsam

About

Flotsam is a single player survival city builder game with fantasy and mystery themes. It was developed by mark wonnacott and was released on December 4, 2025. It received positive reviews from players.

"Flotsam" is a survival simulation game set in a post-apocalyptic world where players manage a floating village made of debris. Scavenge for resources, adapt to the changing environment, and discover remnants of the old world while ensuring the survival of your community. The game offers a unique and immersive experience, challenging players to create sustainable habitats on the unforgiving sea.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

+11

Skip User Reviews

83%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,400 reviews

graphics129 positive mentions

stability44 negative mentions

Charming art style and engaging gameplay that combines city building with resource management.
Frequent updates from developers show commitment to improving the game and adding new content.
Relaxing atmosphere makes it a great game to unwind with, allowing players to enjoy the process of building and managing their floating town.

Limited content currently available, with many players completing the game in just a few hours.
Numerous bugs and glitches can disrupt gameplay, including issues with drifters getting stuck and problems with resource management.
Lack of clear objectives or endgame content can lead to repetitive gameplay and a feeling of aimlessness after initial progress.

graphics
243 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
46%
1%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming, colorful, and whimsical art style, which enhances the overall relaxing and engaging gameplay experience. Many players appreciate the unique aesthetic that combines a cozy atmosphere with vibrant visuals, making even mundane tasks enjoyable to watch. However, some users noted that while the graphics are appealing, they can be rudimentary at times and may not be optimized for all systems, leading to performance issues.
- “Flotsam wraps its watery apocalypse in a vibrant and uplifting art style, turning catastrophe into a canvas for creativity.”
- “The whimsical visuals and joyful animations help elevate the entire experience, making even mundane tasks feel pleasant to watch unfold.”
- “The art style is unique and very friendly, the gameplay is calm and feels very balanced.”
- “The graphics are charming, if a little rudimentary.”
- “I can't stand a simple graphical game like this can run so badly on mid-end PC.”
- “Overpriced, there isn't much to do... limited number of islands, lots of graphical bugs.”
gameplay
234 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
66%
6%
The gameplay in "Flotsam" is characterized by a repetitive loop of gathering resources, building, and managing a floating city, which can become tedious over time. While the mechanics are generally clean and the art style is appealing, many players find the current content limited, with only a few hours of engaging gameplay before it feels stale. Despite its potential and ongoing updates, the game still requires significant improvements in depth and variety to maintain long-term interest.
- “The gameplay loop is satisfying and addicting: starting with a small vessel, expanding into a floating town, keeping survivors fed and happy while continuing to expand and explore is a great way to while away hours.”
- “Flotsam keeps a relaxing gameplay during all city stages: initially water and food will be short, but there’s never really the need to do everything very fast to survive.”
- “The game is very pretty, gameplay is very relaxing.”
- “The entire gameplay loop feels repetitive: you need plastic, you sail to plastic; you need metal, you sail to metal; you wait for electricity, then you go gather wood — and the cycle repeats with little variation.”
- “The gameplay often becomes frustrating — I lost around 2 hours just trying to fix various issues, and some of them still remained in my city, forcing me to ignore them as I continued playing.”
- “The game offers only a few hours of gameplay before it becomes repetitive and boring.”
story
71 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
81%
6%
The game's story is generally perceived as underdeveloped, with many players noting a lack of a cohesive narrative or engaging quests. While some appreciate the environmental storytelling and humorous dialogue, others criticize the unfinished quest system and the absence of a main storyline, leading to a sense of aimlessness after completing initial objectives. Overall, players express a desire for more substantial narrative content and quests to enhance the gameplay experience.
- “The story is fun and the characters are cute; it's the perfect amount of grind and strategy.”
- “Salvaging these areas provides not just materials but also glimpses of the world that once was, subtly enriching the narrative through environmental storytelling.”
- “If you enjoy slow-burn management, environmental themes, and emergent storytelling on the open sea, this game offers a satisfying and distinctive experience.”
- “Saying this game is version 1.0 while the quest log has a quest that says it's for UI testing is just ridiculous.”
- “Actually, there's no main story or any narrative features in the world.”
- “If you're looking for a complete game with fleshed out mechanics and a story, this game isn't yet for you.”
music
60 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
47%
5%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its relaxing and charming qualities that complement the cozy graphics and gameplay. However, some users note that the music can be sparse or repetitive, leading to moments of silence that detract from the overall experience. Overall, while the soundtrack is generally seen as pleasant and fitting, there are calls for more variety and content to enhance the auditory experience.
- “The music is chill and relaxing.”
- “The animations are fantastic, the music is on point, and most importantly the game is fun!”
- “The theme, the gameplay, the art, the music, the bouncy animations... all delightful.”
- “Music is mostly non-existent, which often leaves you with not only nothing to do after you've clicked to produce/gather stuff, but nothing to listen to.”
- “But it is not like that really... a lot of time I feel like there's no music at all, the world just feels so silent.”
- “The background music does get repetitive after a while.”
stability
48 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
8%
92%
The game's stability is a significant concern, with many users reporting a variety of bugs and glitches that hinder gameplay, including performance issues, crashes, and unresponsive elements. While some players find it enjoyable despite these problems, the consensus is that the game feels unfinished and is not yet ready for a full release. Frequent updates are noted, but the overall experience remains frustratingly unstable for many.
- “Fortunately, it's pretty much bug-free for an early access title, but there isn't much in terms of end-game goals.”
- “Surprisingly bug-free for an early access game, with frequent updates, and it doesn't take up much space on your drive.”
- “Right now in early access, the game runs great and is fun to play, but it's missing some objectives and reasons to keep exploring beyond the current tech tree.”
- “The game has potential and can be really enjoyable, but in its current state it's too buggy to recommend.”
- “A buggy mess with a lot of potential.”
- “You are clearly going to get an incomplete and buggy game.”
optimization
37 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
59%
27%
Overall, the game's optimization has seen significant improvements, with many players noting stable performance and reduced bugs following recent updates. However, issues such as stuttering, lag, and occasional pathfinding quirks persist, particularly on lower-end hardware and as gameplay progresses. While the developers are actively addressing these concerns, further optimization is still needed for a smoother experience, especially in early access.
- “Technical performance and interface quality have improved significantly over the game’s development, though occasional bugs or minor pathfinding quirks may still surface.”
- “Most early bugs have been gracefully fixed and the game runs smoothly and enjoyably as of the last patch.”
- “They've fleshed out the gameplay a lot since my review below and the performance issues have largely been resolved.”
- “I never ran into any issues with bugs, but the optimization is not that great.”
- “Performance is truly my main technical complaint, since the game runs poorly and it seems to get even worse the longer you play.”
- “Interesting idea, fun to play but definitely early access with lots of glitches, heavy performance issues, frame drops and items getting lost or stuck or characters glitching out and standing around until they die.”
replayability
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
69%
9%
The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with some players enjoying the potential for different character builds and strategies, while others find it lacking due to limited content and repetitive gameplay after initial playthroughs. Many reviews suggest that, despite its engaging mechanics and updates, the current state offers only a few hours of gameplay without significant replay value. Overall, while there are hints of potential for future improvements, many players recommend waiting for updates or purchasing at a discount.
- “The overall replayability of the game is excellent, with different characters and skill sets to explore, creating an engrossing and unique experience each playthrough.”
- “Great game, with decent replayability to build things better and more efficiently each time you start fresh.”
- “Tons of replayability also, make a new save and try some different things.”
- “That said, the game doesn't have a whole ton of replayability right now.”
- “Due to the lack of end game, I would say the game has a solid 5 hours of gameplay right now but not much replayability as you will always end up in the same place.”
- “There really is only about 6-8 hours of gameplay with no replayability value.”
grinding
31 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, particularly in the mid to late game where resource gathering and crafting can feel like a chore. While some appreciate the automated systems that alleviate certain tasks, many express frustration with the lack of content and the need for constant scavenging, which detracts from the overall enjoyment. Despite these issues, some players still find moments of fun in short play sessions, though the game’s pacing and design choices often lead to a grindy experience.
- “Lack of content becomes obvious very quickly, and the game turns tedious fast.”
- “It still feels clunky, grindy, and tedious at best; no fun at all.”
- “Instead of building more endgame content, it seems like they just stuffed as much filler in, to keep you grinding to the same outcome that was much easier to achieve early on in development.”
humor
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised for its charm and creativity, with players enjoying the quirky characters, funny dialogue, and amusing scenarios that arise during gameplay. The lighthearted tone and whimsical interactions contribute to a cozy atmosphere, making the city-building experience both entertaining and memorable. Overall, the game's humor enhances its appeal, providing a delightful escape in a post-apocalyptic setting.
- “I love the art, characters, humor, and overall vibe - it’s a fun world to spend some time in.”
- “The humor and personality in both the drifters and the world are delightful.”
- “✅ Hilariously, your post-apocalypse villagers are as fussy about food as I am; an endless diet of seaweed and fish bits will tank morale, especially on a raft full of foodies.”
atmosphere
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
70%
15%
15%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its masterful design, blending elements of apocalypse and hope, complemented by strong sound design and charming art style. Players appreciate the relaxing and immersive experience it offers, with many noting the attention to detail and the engaging mood created by the visuals and audio. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered a significant draw, enhancing the enjoyment of gameplay and exploration.
- “The sound design is quite good, and overall the atmosphere has been masterfully designed to juxtapose apocalypse and hope.”
- “A perfect game to just relax and imagine that strangely appealing dystopian atmosphere some of us so very much crave for.”
- “The atmosphere is well executed, a pleasantly cheery and bright world yet still thoroughly apocalyptic.”
- “The music is not that good; I was pleased by the trailer music, which felt jovial and rhythmic, full of hope but also had percussion and bass.”
- “I agree it needs more content; in about 40 in-game days, I basically had unlocked everything, but it's still worth your time in my opinion for the art, atmosphere, soundtrack, and general feel of the game.”
- “The atmosphere, art style, and animations really add so much flavor to the town you're building.”
emotional
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the game emotionally engaging, highlighting its heartwarming character designs and wholesome atmosphere. While acknowledging that it requires further development, they appreciate the attention to detail and the emotional depth it offers, particularly for fans of city-building management games. Overall, the game is seen as a promising and heartfelt experience that encourages patience and appreciation for its nuances.
- “Taking things slow allows you to appreciate what’s happening, notice the little quirks, and enjoy the heartwarming character designs.”
- “The details are absolutely heartwarming.”
- “Not perfect yet, but I really appreciate the dev working on it, very wholesome and I hope they keep working on it as their passion project.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy of the game is widely criticized as a blatant cash grab, with players feeling that it prioritizes profit over quality or player experience.
- “This game is a cash grab and everyone involved knows it.”
- “The monetization system feels exploitative and takes away from the overall experience.”
- “I feel pressured to spend money just to keep up with other players.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers appreciate the slow-paced character development, which enhances their enjoyment of the charming character designs and animations. This approach allows players to notice subtle details and quirks, contributing to a heartwarming experience.
- “Taking things slow allows you to appreciate what’s happening, notice the little quirks, and enjoy the heartwarming character designs.”
- “The animations, character designs, and building styles are so adorable.”