We've documented 25 accessibility features for Flock, including Low Pressure, No Quick Reactions, Select Difficulty, No Repeated Pressing and Remap Buttons. Its accessibility is strongest in Controls and Getting Started but it also has features in Reading, Navigation, Audio, Difficulty and Visual to reduce unintended barriers.
This report is created with input from accessibility experts and the player community to help people find games that have the accessibility features they require. Once you have found potential games on the database, there are excellent specialist accessibility sites that offer in-depth reviews to guide your purchasing decisions.
Our accessibility examiner, Ben Kendall, first checked Flock accessibility 2 weeks ago.
Accessibility Notes
While you can adjust the size of user interface text, even on the larger size it is still less than 1/20th of screen height. Text is, however, high in contrast. In addition to the speaker name, captions also tell you the speaker's background, for example "Uncle Reg, a Shepherd".
You can view the location of your objective on the map, although not during play, and as a result navigating the world can sometimes be tricky. You need to be able to spot and identify the different creatures, which can be small and somewhat low in contrast. To categorise the species, you need to be able to identify their colours, and there are no colourblind options available.
Although you use sound to charm the creatures, there are clear visual indicators for this so sound is not necessary to play.
Game Details
Release Date: 16/07/2024
Out Now: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox X|S
Skill Rating: 7+ year-olds
Players: 1 (4 online)
Genres: Collecting, Simulation, Traversal (Adventure and Communication)
Accessibility: 25 features
Components: 3D Third-Person, Cartoon, Open World and Weather
Developer: Hllw Pnds (@HllwPnds)
Costs: Purchase cost
Controls
We've documented 8 accessibility features for Controls in Flock which deal with how you control the game, different options for alternative inputs and whether you can remap these settings to suit your needs.
Gamepad
Can play with the following:
Multiple Buttons & Two Sticks: Can play with multiple buttons and two sticks.
Mouse And Keyboard
Can play with the following:
Mouse and Keys: Can play with mouse and multiple keys.
Remap Controls
Can customise the controls for the game as follows:
Remap Buttons: Can re-map all buttons so that you can use alternatives that better suit your play.
Remap Mouse and Keyboard: Can remap mouse and keyboard key bindings, on systems that support these controls.
Invert X/Y Axis: Can invert the direction required to control looking and aiming. This enables you to match your instinctive orientation when looking.
Button Combinations
Specific button operation required to play
Rapid Repeated Pressing Optional: Quick, repeated button pressing (more than 2 times a second) is not required, can be skipped or switched to holding a button to trigger a repeated action.
Controller Vibration
Vibration Optional: Controller vibration not used in the game or you can disable it.
Informative Vibration: Controller vibration indicates events or interactions in the game, echoing visual and audio cues. This can provide additional information about progress, approaching enemies or hitting a target.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Controls
If you want to play Flock, but it doesn't offer the Controls accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Controls accessibility:
- Sail Forth (16 Controls Features)
- Of Salt & Solace (10 Controls Features)
- Ynglet (10 Controls Features)
- Shelter (9 Controls Features)
Difficulty
We've documented 2 accessibility features for Difficulty in Flock which deal with how you can adjust the challenge of play, and whether this is locked once chosen or can be adjusted as you play.
Difficulty Options
Select Difficulty: Select the level of difficulty from a range of presets. This not only offers a way to adjust the challenge of a game but enables you to do so without dealing with individual criteria.
Adjust After Setting
Adjustable Anytime: You can adjust the difficulty while playing, without having to restart the level you are on. This enables you to quickly adjust the game to suit your needs and see the difference immediately.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Difficulty
If you want to play Flock, but it doesn't offer the Difficulty accessibility features you require, this similar game extends the Difficulty accessibility:
- Ynglet (3 Difficulty Features)
Getting Started
We've documented 4 accessibility features for Getting Started in Flock which deal with what support is offered to get started with the game. This includes customising the experience when you first open the game via any onboarding processes it provides as well as tutorials and other assistance when you first start playing.
Assistance Getting Starting
These features aid your play of the game in terms of cognitive load on learning controls, dealing with pressure and coping with the environment and challenges.
View Control Mapping: You can view a map of controls during play. This clearly displays the mappings of actions to buttons/keys/mouse/keyboard without having to leave the game. This includes games that always display buttons to press during play.
Reaction-Time Not Critical: Individual game actions don’t need quick reactions, or there are settings to lower the requirement for quick reactions. This means you don't need to quickly press a button in response to an on-screen prompt, target a fast-moving target or skillfully complete a scenario against the clock.
Low Pressure: Game tasks aren't time-limited or there's a low-pressure mode. This avoids the pressure of being put on the clock for overarching missions, or failing tasks because you didn't reach a destination in time.
Assistance For Progressing
These features aid your progress through the game offering different ways of maintaining your progression.
Assisted Recall for Characters: The game provides reminders about character identity during play. This includes pop-up images and bios for character who is speaking.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Getting Started
If you want to play Flock, but it doesn't offer the Getting Started accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Getting Started accessibility:
- Wilderless (10 Getting Started Features)
- Feather (8 Getting Started Features)
- Sail Forth (6 Getting Started Features)
- Bonito Days (6 Getting Started Features)
Reading
We've documented 3 accessibility features for Reading in Flock which deal with how much reading or listening comprehension is required, how well the game provides visual and audible access to the text and whether subtitles and captions are a good fit for purpose.
Text Visibility
High Contrast Text: Text colour contrasts to the background or can be adjusted to be. The text in menus, instructions and other information is presented in high contrast with a solid background.
Subtitles
All Speech Subtitled (Or No Speech In Game): All spoken content has subtitles, or there is no speech in the game. This means there is no requirement to hear spoken dialogue or narrative to play the game.
Captions
Speaker Indicator: Textual captions indicate who is speaking (or there is only ever one person speaking). This can also be indicated visually in the game with character icons or placing text in speech bubbles next to the person speaking.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Reading
If you want to play Flock, but it doesn't offer the Reading accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Reading accessibility:
- Paradise Marsh (5 Reading Features)
- Periphery Synthetic (4 Reading Features)
- Of Salt & Solace (4 Reading Features)
- Smushi Come Home (4 Reading Features)
Navigation
We've documented 3 accessibility features for Navigation in Flock which deal with how the game provides guidance and assistance to navigate its worlds. These are only for games that have traversal and exploration in 2D and 3D spaces.
Clarity
Clear Mission Objectives: The game provides clear, structured missions with directional guidance and advice on which can be attempted next. This also indicates (ideally on maps where they are provided) which missions can't be attempted because you do not have the appropriate items yet.
Head-Up Display
Game Map: View a map of the game world during play, with the landscape, points of interest and missions highlighted throughout the entire game. This enables the orientation of the player and the world, confirming a direction of movement and the location of destinations or points of exploration.
Menu Navigation
Digital Menu Navigation: Menu choices with Gamepad can be made without using an analogue stick to guide a cursor to a selection. For example, using D-Pad, buttons or the Stick to change menu selection in a single action.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Navigation
If you want to play Flock, but it doesn't offer the Navigation accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Navigation accessibility:
- Of Salt & Solace (7 Navigation Features)
- Sable (7 Navigation Features)
- Sail Forth (6 Navigation Features)
- Paradise Marsh (5 Navigation Features)
Visual
We've documented 2 accessibility features for Visual in Flock which deal with how you can adjust the visuals to suit your needs, and offer additional information if you can't hear the game.
Audio Cues for Visual Events
Audio Cues for Visual Events: Audio is provided to indicate visual events. Game events or progress highlighted by visual icons, effects or animations are also accompanied by audio to signify that progress. This is useful for blind players.
Motion Sickness Friendly
Motion Sickness Friendly: Doesn't have 3D movement elements that may trigger motion sickness, like motion blur, depth of field and field-of-vision. Or includes the ability to disable motion blur, depth of field and field-of-vision effects.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Visual
If you want to play Flock, but it doesn't offer the Visual accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Visual accessibility:
- Periphery Synthetic (9 Visual Features)
- Bonito Days (8 Visual Features)
- Sable (7 Visual Features)
- Paradise Marsh (5 Visual Features)
Audio
We've documented 3 accessibility features for Audio in Flock which deal with how you can adjust the audio of the game and whether audio cues compensate for aspects of the game that are hard to see.
Adjustable Audio
Balance Audio Levels: Set music and game sound effects separately. This enables you to select your preference as well as ensure critical game sounds aren't obscured by other audio.
Audio Events
Visual Cues for Audio Events: Text or other visual indicators of audio events. This mirrors audio indicators of progress in the game with a corresponding visual indication.
Play Without Hearing
Play Without Hearing: No audio cues are necessary to play the game well.
Communication
We haven’t documented any accessibility features for Communication in Flock which deal with how you can communicate with other players in the game and what options are available to customise and control this interaction. The following games are similar to Flock, and offer accessibility features for Communication:
System Accessibility Settings
In addition to the accessibility features provided in the game, you can also use system-wide accessibility settings:
PC
Windows has extensive accessibility features. Some, like colour correction, work with games. Lots of accessibility software can be used with PC games, from voice recognition to input device emulators.
PlayStation 4
PlayStation 4 has a range of accessibility settings. Some are system only, some work in games (invert colours and button mapping).
PlayStation 5
PlayStation 5 has a range of system-wide accessibility settings.
Xbox One
Xbox One has a system features, the excellent co-pilot share controls mode and adaptive controller support for all games.
Xbox Series X|S
Xbox One has a system features, the excellent co-pilot share controls mode and adaptive controller support for all games.
Read more about system accessibility settings.
Accessibility Report supported by VSC Rating Board, PlayabilityInitiative and accessibility contributors Ben Kendall