Pajama Llama Games’ Flotsam is closing in on a full release after a number of years in early access. With no previous efforts to their name, many would wonder how this one turned out after so much time to work on it. In this Flotsam review I will be discussing how good the final version is on the Steam Deck.
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Flotsam Review for PC/Steam Deck
- Title: Flotsam
- Developer: Pajama Llama Games
- Publisher: Stray Fawn Publishing
- Primary Genre: Colony Sim, City Builder
Gameplay
Flotsam is a mobile city builder, the aim to build your boat city outward and collect materials to continue building and generating new resources. It is a fairly difficult juggling act between the collection of each different resource, turning it into another item that can be useful, and doing all that without letting anything else suffer or starving your population.
Any additional complexity is your own to take on, which is good, as I’d have been completely swamped before long without the ability to take it at my own pace. Sometimes these kinds of games almost feel like you can’t lose but with Flotsam there was almost always something urgent on my mind.
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This was probably one of the better gameplay loops I’ve played for a city builder in a while. There’s just a degree of challenge that makes it more interesting and makes each new step forward feel like a real risk.
Visuals
Without having much to work with, Flotsam has a pretty strong art style that makes such a standard setting come across better than it should. When you get deeper into the game the things you build on the boat become more distinguished, almost like a real little village with lush crops, rustic metals and multicoloured recycling scrap.
The character models are all drawn to be slightly over the top and each one stands out from the other. By leaning into the style and not just trying to emulate realistic looks, Flotsam managed to separate itself from the pack.
Flotsam Review – Last Word on Gaming Viewpoint
Flotsam is a clever city builder that will keep you occupied as you juggle everything needed to keep your mini-civilisation afloat. Advancements and risks must be calculated to keep your people safe as you grow and manage your people. It has a striking visual style that fits with the game’s premise and is a should-buy for any colon-sim fan.
Flotsam Review – The Verdict
7/10
*review code provided*
