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The Flame in the Flood

Review · Action · macOS · Xbox One · Nintendo Switch

The Flame in the Flood

Reviewed: 02 May 2026

macOS · Xbox One · Nintendo Switch · PC · PlayStation 4

The Molasses Flood · 2016

Ludograph rating

B

Good

62 /100

Automated review

The Flame in the Flood is a challenging survival game that demands strategic thinking, problem-solving, and adaptability in a roguelike format.

06010030Benefit →Low risk →B 47 · R 8
The Ludograph reading, plotted from the published benefit and risk sub-scores.

Growth (BDS)

47

Risk (RIS)

8

Daily limit

120min

Age guidance

10+

Developmental benefits

B1Cognitive
0.64
B2Social-emotional
0.20
B3Motor
0.45

The Flame in the Flood is a challenging roguelike survival game that demands strategic thinking, problem-solving, and adaptability. Players must manage resources, craft items, and understand a complex wound treatment system to survive. The procedural generation ensures a fresh experience with each playthrough, constantly testing the player's ability to learn and adapt.

Design risks

R1Compulsion-loop pressure
0.17
R2Monetization
0.00
R3Social risk
0.00

The game's roguelike nature, with permanent death and a time limit, can create a strong sense of loss aversion and pressure to continue playing, potentially making it difficult for players to take breaks. The survival aspects, including fear and aggression from NPCs, contribute to a moderate level of fear and horror.

Content (not in risk score)

R4.1Violence Level
0.33
R4.2Sexual Content
0.00
R4.3Language
0.00
R4.4Substance References
0.00
R4.5Fear / Horror
0.67

Content risk is displayed separately and does not affect the time recommendation.

Regulatory design checks · DSA — Assessed: meets criteria·GDPR-K — Assessed: meets criteria·ODDS — Assessed: meets criteria

  • DSA:What Ludograph checks: whether the game's design gives minors the transparency the EU Digital Services Act expects: plain terms, honest defaults, and clear reporting routes.: Estimated from review data. No dark pattern or child-targeting concerns found.
  • GDPR-K:What Ludograph checks: whether age assurance and consent flows are designed for under-16s, in the spirit of GDPR Article 8.: Estimated from review data. No privacy or child-targeting concerns found.
  • ODDS:What Ludograph checks: whether paid random-reward drop rates are disclosed, as required in China, Japan and South Korea.: Estimated from review data. No paid random-reward mechanics found, so drop-rate disclosure requirements do not apply.

These reflect Ludograph's assessment of the game's design practices against each framework's criteria, not a legal compliance determination.

Avg playtime~2 hReviewedMay 2026Report a data error →How scores are calculated →

Parents ask…

Is The Flame in the Flood safe for kids?

Ludograph gives The Flame in the Flood a rating of 62/100, recommended for ages 10 and up. It offers solid benefits but needs parental guidance on the risks.

What age is The Flame in the Flood appropriate for?

Ludograph's rubric recommends a minimum age of 10+ for The Flame in the Flood, based on benefits, risks, and content review. That is more lenient than ESRB T: industry ratings reflect content intensity, while ours also weighs how the game is designed to be played.

How long should kids play The Flame in the Flood?

Our session recommendation for The Flame in the Flood is up to 120 minutes per day. It is derived from the game's own structure (natural stopping points, compulsion-loop design, monetization pressure, and social dynamics), not from a universal screen-time dose.

Session recommendations are design-based heuristics. Evidence linking specific daily durations to child outcomes is limited, and context matters as much as time; treat this as a starting point for household rules, not a clinical threshold.

What are the main risks of The Flame in the Flood?

The game's roguelike nature, with permanent death and a time limit, can create a strong sense of loss aversion and pressure to continue playing, potentially making it difficult for players to take breaks. The survival aspects, including fear and aggression from NPCs, contribute to a moderate level of fear and horror.