Snow Flow is a little slice of life (ice of life?) experience that puts you in the floppy feet of a penguin as you explore a densely-populated ice shelf.
Have you ever taken a moment out of your day to wonder what your life would be like if you could be a penguin floating on an ice shelf? An ice shelf that is home to a lot of other penguins? If so, this game (Created by Jon Topielski and After Wes) is worth some of your precious time.
It’s all set entirely in stark black and white, but despite the limited colour-palette it’s quite a memorable, striking experience. When not sliding around like a goofball you’ll be toddling about leaving footprint trails in the snow, passing from screen to screen all while parting and shoving penguins as you pass them by. There’s a lot of fun to be had in pushing around the other penguins, nudging them into the water or carving patterns through the larger group – all to some fantastic music which changes ever-so-slightly as you move from screen to screen around Snow Flow‘s world.
Once you’re done exploring there’s more to be found and done, too. You’re alone initially, and you can head off and find a mate. After that, you can explore with them, find a place to nest, and even hatch a child who you can explore with, too.
It’s beautiful and soothing, and left me hoping for more, but ultimately very happy with the time that I’d spent with it. The lack of direction made every single advancement through the experience feel like I’d solved a puzzle, and going from a solo penguin in a lonely screen to a small family on an ice sheet teeming with penguins young and old felt like an amazing journey.
Snow Flow is playable for free on itch.io.