FluOrama Review

Conceptually, FluOrama really isn't all that original as it takes parts of a few games to create its entertaining whole. Above all else, FluOrama seems like a new age JezzBall, the game where you had to trap more and more balls into little squares. It certainly has enough twists and turns to fully sit in its own casual/puzzle gaming throne, but I liked to think that I was playing a retro game redux.

The difference between FluOrama and JezzBall is apparent right when you start playing. The object of FluOrama is to contain the 'disease' units into a smallish square on the map. Instead of creating whole lines with a click, each tap equates to one block on the screen. If you need to, you can slowly close off the disease units by filling in all the spaces that the unit shouldn't go, but the goal of the game is to wrangle all of them into the square using the fewest blocks possible.

The challenge comes with the different disease unit behaviors. While most of the diseases simply perform variations of going fast, there are a few units that break the blocks that you set after a few hits, meaning that containing them requires extra care and attention. Accidentally wall one into a tight space and you will quickly find yourself with a broken down perimeter. Even on the hard stages though, nothing in FluOrama is entirely difficult (there are one time weapons that you can buy, though I never had to use one) and you can probably finish the game in a couple of hours.

Where the game drops the ball is in the scoring system. Once I finished the game I found that I had the #2 all time high score, and like any persistant gamer, I wanted to go back and beat all of my high scores so I could be number one. The problem is that there is no good way to go back and replay levels that I think I could do better on. What I would love to see is an Angry Birds style level layout, complete with the score that I got so that I know what I have to beat. Say I want to try to better my score on level 3-1, I'd love to just be able to click on 3-1 and replay it in a snap.

Even with the current level layout, FluOrama really is a fun game that kept me entertained for quite some time. If you like JezzBall, or are just looking for the next casual game to help you forget that you are in a meeting at work, be sure to pick this one up. Just don't gloat when you beat my high score.