Flowing Lights
- May 7, 2021
- gFaUmNe
Flowing Lights failed to hook me at first, but the more I played, the more I grew to appreciate it.
Get on Steam
Get on Xbox Games StoreFlowing Lights is an Arcade Puzzle Shooter. Each fight is a puzzle. Attack and... Fail! ...Think back... try again! Got it? Improve with each try, there is always a smarter way to win! Why is Flowing Lights different from other shooting games? Puzzle elements! They offer a challenge for the brain on top of the immediate fun of destroying monsters. Deeper challenges, deeper sense of achievement!
Nintendo Switch
PC
Windows
Xbox One
Xbox Series X|S
Xbox
Reviews
- Unique blend of puzzle-solving and shoot 'em up mechanics that offers a fresh gameplay experience.
- Visually striking with smooth controls and a pleasant soundtrack that enhances the overall atmosphere.
- Accessible difficulty options allow players to customize their experience, making it enjoyable for both casual and hardcore gamers.
- Controls can be frustrating, with the ship's movement often feeling clunky and affected too strongly by gravity.
- Some levels may feel repetitive or lack meaningful new mechanics, especially in the early stages of the game.
- The scoring system and power-up mechanics can lead to frustration for players aiming for high ranks.
- gameplay13 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The gameplay features a mix of shoot 'em up and puzzle elements, with a focus on unique mechanics like bullet gravity and combo systems, though players find the controls frustrating and limiting. While the game offers a substantial number of levels and hours of play, the first half suffers from repetitive design, only to improve significantly in the latter stages with more creative and engaging challenges. Overall, the mechanics are intriguing but could benefit from more refinement and variety.
“Although the gameplay is similar to shoot 'em ups, the puzzle genre receives a lot of attention.”
“A fun and clever shmup where you clear bite-sized challenges over longer courses which pull and twist on the game's core mechanics in their own unique ways.”
“Many hours of gameplay are already offered just by the sheer number of levels, but if you want to master them all, you could be at this for a very long time.”
“The 'billiards' mechanic of using gravity to steer your shots is cool, but not being able to aim your main weapon feels very limiting, and the slow speed of the secondary weapon felt out of place against most of the enemies in the game.”
“It's pretty, it sounds nice, but the controls are super frustrating and often get in the way of the gameplay.”
“My biggest complaint with the game is that the first half feels a bit too samey, and doesn't really introduce much in the way of meaningful new mechanics past the first level.”
- music4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The music in the game features a smooth, dynamically-scored soundtrack that enhances the experience by giving each level its own unique arc. However, some users find the music to be somewhat unusual or off-putting, suggesting a mixed reception overall.
“A simple but appealing visual style is accompanied by a smooth, dynamically-scored soundtrack to give each level - and some of the longer challenges - its own arc.”
“The music sounds a bit weird to me.”
“The visuals are there, the music is there, and I think there's a really cool fundamental idea there, the game just isn't... fun.”
- graphics2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are described as visually appealing with a basic aesthetic, complemented by engaging music. However, despite the attractive visuals and a promising concept, players feel that the overall experience lacks fun.
“Flowing Lights features a basic, yet visually appealing aesthetic.”
“The visuals are there, the music is there, and I think there's a really cool fundamental idea there, but the graphics just don't hold up to modern standards.”
“The character models look outdated and lack detail, making it hard to immerse myself in the game.”
“The environments feel bland and uninspired, which detracts from the overall experience.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is designed to provide a unique challenge for each encounter, rewarding players with grades and additional hearts based on their performance, which enhances the overall gameplay experience.
“Each encounter is a separate challenge that awards you a grade and an additional heart if your performance deserves it.”
“The optimization mechanics really encourage you to refine your strategies and improve your skills with each playthrough.”
“I love how the game rewards you for optimizing your approach, making every decision feel impactful.”
“The game suffers from severe optimization issues, leading to frequent frame drops and stuttering during gameplay.”
“I found the loading times to be excessively long, which really disrupts the flow of the game.”
“Despite the interesting mechanics, the overall performance is hindered by poor optimization, making it frustrating to play.”
- story1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game "Flowing Lights" lacks a traditional narrative, instead offering players a collection of 200 handcrafted levels that vary in difficulty from easy to challenging.
“There isn't really a story in 'Flowing Lights', just a series of 200 levels to play through, all of which are handcrafted and range from easy to mind-bending.”
“The narrative feels disjointed and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the characters or the world.”
“I expected a rich storyline, but instead, I found a lack of coherent plot development that left me feeling unsatisfied.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players express concerns that grinding for scores may become frustrating due to the mechanics of the power-up system, although some have not yet experienced extensive grinding to confirm this sentiment.
“I could foresee grinding hard for score to be frustrating because of the way the power-up system works, though I have not grinded for score enough to be able to say for sure.”
