'BioShock' remnant pitches 'The Flame in the Flood'

Hot on the heels of "The Black Glove" comes another project from a second batch of ex-"Bioshock Infinite" developers, semi-random backwater survival game "The Flame in the Flood."

Hot on the heels of 'The Black Glove' comes another project from a second batch of ex-'Bioshock Infinite' developers, semi-random backwater survival game 'The Flame in the Flood.'

'BioShock Infinite' was one of 2013's hottest games, a celebration of bold art direction, extravagant soundtrack choices, and tense action, set in a world that's only slightly -- but crucially -- different from ours.

Those are traits that touch PC and Mac game 'The Flame in the Flood' but to very different effect. It's a title that sees main character Scout and her faithful hound Aesop travel the bursting rivers of a backwater America that could be post-apocalyptic, post-societal, or somehow a bit of both.

With a soundtrack supplied by alt-country songwriter Chuck Ragan and a distinct art style, 'The Flame in the Flood' sends players down a procedurally generated waterway, scavenging for essentials on a multitude of islands, fending off wild animals, and looking for a way to survive long enough until a mystery destination is reached.

For like 'Spelunky' or 'Rust,' there's a procedurally generated aspect to 'The Flame in the Flood,' one that ensures that no two playthroughs will be the same, yet all conform to the same loose template, guiding survivors towards a safe haven ending. Like 'Spelunky' or 'Rust,' once you're dead, you're dead: it's back to the beginning to start again, save for the equipment that loyal Aesop kept hold of.

Despite its heritage, this doesn't look like a 'BioShock' game in the same way that Lynchian, time-traveling, theater management affair 'The Black Glove' does -- first person perspective is swapped for an elevate birds' eye view, historical design flair excluded in favor of exploring a setting less immediately.

But a relatively low fundraising target of $150,000 is well on its way to being met; an Early Bird tier allowed 1,000 visitors to back the project at $15 instead of the current asking price of $20.