The well-treaded strategy and management simulation genre has been kicking for a long time. Due to that, it’s often hard to ascertain what’s worth checking out. While I’m more of a casual goer in the scene, it’s often whether or not the setting stands out that draws me in. Floodland did just that for me. Set in a post-apocalyptic world following society’s collapse after climate change, a group of survivors must work together to rebuild. It’s up to you to unite humanity.
We’ve had similar experiences before, such as the frozen-over horrific landscape of Frostpunk. Here, however, you’re situated in flooded North American lands. It is up to players to gradually chart what limited land they have, creating structures using the limited resources one can gather from around them. Eventually, you’ll grow in civilisation size and expanse, mastering exploring flooded islets, abandoned half-sunken buildings and more.
I got a bit of an early hands-on with Floodland at a recent Spring Showcase event from publisher Plaion. What particularly excited me about the game was just how hauntingly picturesque it was. Environments included a tiny isle that had low visibility from the early morning fog. Stepping out into it gradually revealed small abandoned houses, small parts of forestry and garbage washed up ashore.
Floodland also demos quite well. Something that isn’t particularly commonplace for the genre. While remaining immensely detailed in its environment, HUD, menus and my surroundings were very readable. Before long I was collecting away food and water resources, turning rubbish into plastic. As the day went on, that fog trickled away, giving way to sights of more devastation and post-apocalyptic goodness. A melancholic but reflective experience.
Developer Vile Monarch, with team members whose credits include This War of Mine, Dying Light 2, Frostpunk (there’s that link again) and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, is already proving they’re more than capable of creating a detailed and deep management simulation experience. It ditches the typical tile or grid-based movement and instead offers radial cursors that you can choose to move groups of nomads to explore with. I’ve hardly scratched the surface, with many Craft recipes, societal growth and other mechanics to experience. I can’t wait to see what’s to come.
Floodland isn’t that far off, slated to release November 15 on PC. Management and city-sim game nuts will want to keep their eye on this one.
About the Author
Charlie Kelly
She/Her, They/Them
Charlie loves her video games as much as she loves dumb, charming JRPG protagonists: probably way too much. You can often catch her spending too much time being emotional over LGBT stories in games. She also thinks Yakuza 6 is the best one.
