Initial release date: July 16, 2024
Developers: Hollow Ponds, Richard Hogg, Richard Hogg Limited
Genres: Adventure game, Indie game, Casual game, Adventure
Platforms: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, Xbox Series X and Series S
Publisher: Annapurna Interactive
Engine: Unreal Engine 4
I think I’m becoming addicted to comfortable games. My gaming hours are no longer spent blasting through the latest Call of Duty campaign, climbing the ranks in Rocket League, or investing too much time in EA Sports FC Ultimate Team; instead, I play social sims and other similar games. Already this year, I’ve visited the wonderful Botany Manor, explored the vast globe of My Time at Sandrock, and can’t wait to play the just launched Dungeons of Hinterberg when I get the chance. Flock is the most recent cozy game to arrive at my doorstep, and I could not be happier that it did.
Who thought soaring around on a gigantic bird, catching bean-like mutant animals, and adding them to a compendium could be so enjoyable?
Fly with Flock.
Before even downloading Flock on one’s Xbox hard disk, you can be confident that the next four or so hours will be enjoyable, thanks to one simple truth. Annapurna Interactive, the publisher of Flock, rarely misses the mark. Seriously, when films like Stray, Outer Wilds, Neon White, and What Remains of Edith Finch have received the Annapurna seal of approval, it’s not a reach to expect Flock to be similarly polished.
And wow, is Flock polished. From the immensely rewarding way that your character swoops and swooshes across the game world to the dopamine-inducing addition of a new critter to your collection, the Pokemon x Viva Pinata collectathon delivers buckets of fun.
But perhaps I am getting ahead of myself. What precisely is Flock? After creating your own small human avatar and selecting from a variety of bird pals to sit upon, you are transported to a vibrant open-world region to explore. Your quest is bestowed upon you by your Aunt Jane, a botanist from whom you will quickly learn about the fauna that inhabits the globe. Then you set out to examine as many creatures as possible before collecting them to add to your ever-growing flock.
Along the way, you’ll come across a number of Whistles, which may be used to lure various animals, as well as the opportunity to grow your flock and unlock new cosmetic items. You’ll also acquire access to a friendly flock of sheep who will do your bidding by chewing on hills scattered over the area, granting you such unlocks.
Surprisingly, the actual flock element is the most repetitive in a game that is otherwise quite deliberate in its design decisions. As you enlist animals (I believe they are birds, although they could be mutant courgettes with distinguishing traits), they will accompany you throughout the game, adding another aesthetic element. The flock performs nothing meaningful and often gets in the way of attracting new species. Flock is at its best when environmental cues guide you in the direction of a new discovery, but these are extremely rare; it would be nice if more was done in this aspect, possibly by providing an actual gameplay incentive for your crew to follow along.
Gather your flock.
As the unstructured tale of Flock progresses, the gaming world will gradually expand up, enabling access to previously impenetrable clouds. After a brief tutorial portion in the initial area, the landscape begins to expand, and the elegant flight mechanics created by Hollow Ponds and Richard Hogg truly shine. The game manages your character’s height automatically, so all you have to worry about is driving yourself in the appropriate direction.
Flying through boost pads, sweeping across the ground, and launching yourself high into the sky is done with great panache, all while ensuring you have the precision required to manage yourself through the smallest of gaps in order to grab a new catch. In fact, as fast as you travel, it would have been even great to see you increase your flight speed, especially near the finish of the game, when the area is at its widest. Congratulations to the developers; they’ve created a highly fluid and exciting flight system with little teething problems.
The flight technology pales in comparison to the breathtaking sights of Flock. Very few games have captured me enough to spend hours roaming the world, looking for the best sights and vistas money can buy. With a day/night cycle in place, the genuine creative amazement of Flock emerges when the sun rises in the morning and sets in the evening. Whether you are on the moorlands in the center of the map, hunting for water-based critters, or darting under the branches of the forest, looking for the most hidden of species to examine, your eyes will not be bored.
The method of catching your animals is slightly more difficult to understand. It is done by approaching the animal in question and playing a mini-game in which you time your song-calls to the subject. To put it mildly, this is fiddly, and I frequently found myself wondering how I had failed the minigame when I was certain I had done everything correctly. The hitboxes for observing animals and adding them to the compendium, which must be completed before capture can occur, are likewise somewhat hit and miss.
Best played with buddies.
Flock can be played solo or with up to three other players. Explore the gorgeously designed environment with family and friends using seamless drop-in, drop-out internet multiplayer. Many people, like myself, will find it weird that progression is not shared between players in the same game, implying that one player may have access to parts of the world that the other does not. When playing with a co-op partner, I made sure that both players got to the same area for major story beats to create the most contemporaneous experience possible. It would be really welcomed if this could be integrated in the game itself, so all players develop in the same way and may work toward a common objective.
Finally, I wouldn’t describe Flock’s multiplayer as such. It’s more like numerous single-player adventures playing out simultaneously, each at their own speed. At best, it’s just fun to hang out with friends in a virtual rural area, but at worst, it’s unsettling when all I want to do is keep going with the story but feel like I’d be better off waiting for my friend. But, alas, this is a cozy game, and taking things gently and gradually is undoubtedly the best way to enjoy Flock.
Consider Flock to be the finest of fine wines: best sipped with a group of friends chatting, at your own speed, and not rushed! Aside from a few minor flaws, particularly the unreliable catching mini-game, what has been built here is among the best cosy games available. And with approximately four hours to finish the story, plus another few hours for completionists, what better way to spend a few evenings than catching flying courgettes?
Review Overview
Gameplay: 79%
Controls: 81%
Aesthetics: 87%
Content: 77%
Accessibility: 82%
Value: 80%
Overall: 81%
DELIGHTFULLY QUIRKY!
Summary:
“Flock” is a unique and pleasant experience in which players manage beautiful flocks through fanciful surroundings. The gameplay is playful and focuses on exploration and collection, with controls that are simple to learn but occasionally lacking precision. Aesthetically, the game excels with finely designed sceneries and a whimsical, vivid graphic style that creates a dreamlike atmosphere. While the material may appear easy to some, “Flock” delivers a happy escape with many adorable moments, making it ideal for casual gaming sessions.