Floe Review
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Floe Review

Our Review by Chris Hall on December 22nd, 2010
Rating: starstarstarstarblankstar ::
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Floe has a solid grasp on a pretty good puzzle game, but the bubblegum graphics and storyline are nauseating.


Developer: Clickgamer.com
Price: $0.99
Version Reviewed: 1.1.0

Graphics / Sound Rating: starstarstarhalfstarblankstar
Game Controls Rating: starstarstarhalfstarblankstar
Gameplay Rating: starstarstarstarblankstar
Re-use / Replay Value Rating: starstarstarstarblankstar

Overall Rating: starstarstarstarblankstar

I'll preface this by saying that Floe is a challenging game that will shake even the most grizzled puzzle veteran. Floe's issues doen't lie in the challenge, they lie in the design.

As stated, the puzzle aspect of Floe is pretty nice. You are presented with a block filled with moveable Tetris pieces and a few unmovable white blocks. The goal is to move your Tetris pieces around in such a way that you can move your character (in this case a polar bear) from the entrance of the block to the exit. Unlike a typical piece movement game though, the entire movement system is done with the accelerometer and a subtle use of the block freeze feature. Many levels require you to move your polar bear in bits and pieces to get to the end, and use of the block freeze feature is the only way to prevent your bear from getting squished.

Challenge-wise, the game is top notch, but the issue for sales is that the cute factor is turned up to 11. Floe utilizes calming blue hues and mostly pastel Tetris piece colors for the levels, and then saps it up big time with the polar bear character. His few cut scenes (in which he is trying to find his mother) and the way he walks around the levels are so overly cutesy that it's a turn off. I don't need bold colors and explosions to make me happy, but when the game is so sappy that it would be embarrassing to show off, I have a problem. I'm just baffled as to who the game is targeted towards. It's way too sappy for me to play now, but the little kid version of myself would've been lulled to sleep by the puzzle game challenge. All I can think of is that Floe is an attempt to tap into the coveted female market, but even then it's a stretch.

If you can get past the warm-and-fuzzies, I think you'll find Floe to be a pretty solid puzzle game. The accelerometer based control system makes it a no-go on most morning commutes, but Floe would work fairly well in the comfy confines of your favorite couch.

iPhone Screenshots

(click to enlarge)

Floe — a little bear needs your help screenshot 1 Floe — a little bear needs your help screenshot 2 Floe — a little bear needs your help screenshot 3 Floe — a little bear needs your help screenshot 4 Floe — a little bear needs your help screenshot 5

iPad Screenshots

(click to enlarge)

Floe — a little bear needs your help screenshot 6 Floe — a little bear needs your help screenshot 7 Floe — a little bear needs your help screenshot 8 Floe — a little bear needs your help screenshot 9 Floe — a little bear needs your help screenshot 10
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