FLO review - A simple, elegant endless runner that will keep you coming back

Endless runners are particularly tricky beasts to write about, mainly because they tend not to have a whole lot going on in them.

FLO is no different – it's very simply designed, revolves around one button, and doesn't try to do anything too flashy – yet it's very easy to lose an entire hour to in one sitting.

It's a combination of its elegant graphics and clever mechanics which will keep you coming back, but you will quickly find yourself wishing there was more going on.

Roll on

FLO sees you controlling a ball rolling along an endless track while trying to avoid mines and a black wall of death which is constantly getting closer to you.

Its unique mechanic is that you can switch gravity with the tap of the screen – so if you're facing a hill, you need to switch to the other side of the central path to gain speed rather than lose it.

The game eases you in initially by pausing at the right time and instructing you when to switch, but it doesn't stick around for long and you'll quickly get the hang of it.

Your first instinct will likely be to fly through the stages, taking great jumps and launching yourself into space, which feels and looks fantastic the first few times – right up until you die.

And you will die. A lot. FLO is not an easy game by any means, and you'll curse the wall of death numerous times a minute as it catches up and eventually swallows you whole.

Pick it up

But there's a few neat mechanics to help you out. Landing on the path with enough force can destroy nearby mines, which would otherwise cause you to lose all your speed.

You can also tap and hold the screen while in the air to prolong your flight, which you can then use to gently land back on the track rather than crash into it and lose momentum.

Slowly, you build up a collection of useful tools to help you boost your scores, and you'll be literally smashing through the leaderboards in no time.

But once you get good, there's not really anywhere else to go. There's nothing to unlock, and only one game mode available, with little incentive to return.

There's also some annoying UI design to contend with – it's an incredibly small detail, but it is irritating to have a single screen appear at the end of each run asking if you want to share your score on Facebook, and not just let you keep playing.

Slow down

Overall, FLO is a fairly basic package, but it is capable of keeping you around for long enough once you find your, well, flow.

Its simple controls are backed up by some neat mechanics which elevate it above the typical endless runner, and it is a gorgeous game in motion.

You'll see all it has to offer in a matter of minutes, but stick around and you'll find yourself hooked regardless.