System Requirements: 233MHz PowerPC, Mac OS 8.6, 64MB RAM, 100MB hard disk space, QuickTime 4.0
Network Feature: No
3D Support: No
Mac OS X Compatible: No
Retail Price: $34.95
Availability: Out Now
Rating: E for Everyone
There once was a movie called Babe which, despite the fact that it was about a talking pig who wants to be a sheep dog, people seemed to like. I was not among them. As firmly as I believe every movie with sword fighting skeletons is great, I also believe every live action movie with talking animals is horrible.
The only redeeming quality about Babe was the real sheep dog, I think his character's name was Rex, which is short for "Get Me Out of This Movie and Salvage My Dignity," who's main character flaw, the writer would have us believe, was his prejudiced notion that sheep are stupid. The inherent error here, of course, being that sheep are stupid. Cute and friendly, but stupid.
Apparently, they're also aliens.
This is the premise of Sheep. I kid you not, Sheep are aliens, from Ovis Aries even. Their mission on Earth was simply to pose as passive creatures, taking the details of their habitat into their group consciousness.
Simple enough, right? Well, not for sheep, even if they are highly intelligent alien sheep. The simple lifestyle went to their head, it would seem, and they soon forgot their mission and became domesticated by man, happy to while their days in the grassy meadows. Actually, I think I understand their motivation.
Now, their ancestors have returned to round up their lost flocks. They abduct various Earth creatures to complete the task of leading them to Mount Mouflon for the journey back home (and some nice references to Close Encounters of the Third Kind.
Of course, it won't be easy. Aside from dealing with sheep, the shepherds also have to deal with the evil Mr. Pear who, from his space laboratory, plots to control the world by implanting sheep genes into all life on Earth so they will become submissive.
Okay, there. Feel free to read all that again, if you must, but I swear it's all true. Ludicrously, refreshingly, joyfully true.
Oh, and before I get any further, let's get one thing clear; I will make no sheep puns throughout the course of this review. I believe you're all above that.
Now, to the sheep. Or actually, to the shepherds. There are four from which you can chose; the legendary Bo Peep (although now more a fit for the Spice Girls than for a nursery rhyme), the punky Adam Halfpint, the lovable Motley, and the determined Shep. Each has his/her own strengths and weaknesses that effect the sheep in different ways. Choosing which character to control on the various levels can greatly determine how easy it is to complete them.
Okay, now to the sheep. Or actually, to the levels. Sheep has seven worlds, each of which comprise four levels. The levels have a set number of sheep that must be saved within the allotted time in order to progress. You can decide which breed of sheep you'll use on each level, but you can only each breed once per world.
And what worlds they are. Jurassic Playground, Lost in Space, Temple of Loom...I haven't seen worlds this bizarre and colorful since Lode Runner 2 or Mighty Mike. Of course, they're also full of danger. As if controlling the sheep wasn't already hard enough, you also have to deal with jet engines, hench-cows, trap doors, sharks (you'd be amazed where sharks can live), and countless other hazards. I tell you, Thomas Firbank never had it so rough.
Okay, I promise, now to the sheep. There are four breeds that must be guided through each world; the pastoral sheep who run in fear from everything, the factoral sheep who are too stupid to recognize danger, the long wools who are a little braver but not much brighter, and the neo genetics who tend to be the smartest of the bunch. Controlling the breeds is an exercise in frustration. If they weren't so cute, I'd probably purposely run them into dragon fire or electric wiring or whatever was the nearest death-trap. Trying to coerce a flock of these animals through mountainous caverns or medieval castles is a test of patience and control that simply cannot be passed. If you can get through one level of this game without yelling at your monitor, you're either dead or the mother of fifteen.
Of course, it's not always just a matter of herding the sheep in the proper direction. There are trap doors to be opened, targets to be hit, levers to be flipped...some of which you do directly, others which the sheep must be guided to do (my personal favorite; to exit the computer themed first level of the Lost In Space world, you have to guide the sheep onto three buttons--Control, Alt and Delete). And you're not without help. There are random characters scattered about who can offer assistance, and some goodies along the way can be used to be control the flock for a short period of time. Also, at any point in a level, you can call up a map to plan your route and make sure you're not leaving any sheep behind.
Each level also contains a golden sheep. Find one on each level in a given world and you're presented with a bonus game upon completion of that world. You can't spend too much time finding them, however. The clock is ticking.
Figuring out what to do and where to go is pretty much a matter of trial and error. There are signposts to help, but they don't always tell you the best route to take or whether you should work with the whole flock or just a few at a time. Certain breeds of sheep work better on certain levels, and certain shepherds will work better with your individual playing style. Learning how the sheep react to the commands and movements of your shepherd is the key to survival.
Sheep ran perfectly under Mac OS 9.2.1 and was easily set-up to work with my Macally iShock. In fact, I highly recommend a game pad for this game. Attempting to play it with the keyboard is exercise in futility.
With all the A-List games coming out this season, I fear that Sheep will get buried at the bottom. That'd be a shame, because this is one of the most unique games to come our way in quite some time. It's light-hearted, entertaining, and wildly addictive. Going through it for screen captures took me a couple hours because I kept forgetting to take them; I was having that much fun.
What a fresh approach to gaming Sheep takes; rather than kill, the purpose of the game is to preserve. If this doesn't sound interesting, trust me; there's plenty in this game to keep you challenged. The action may grow redundant, but so does running around space stations with bio-sludge rifles picking up armor thigh pads. And hey, classics like Pac Man, Space Invaders and Asuka & Asuka were monotonous, and look how addictive they were.
So, do yourself a favor and don't miss this game. Fans of Pangea Software games especially--and those who lament the loss of Lemmings--owe it to themselves to give Sheep a go. It's colorful, spritely, and very addictive...and it has no talking pigs.
Review: Sheep
This is the premise of Sheep. I kid you not, Sheep are aliens, from Ovis Aries even. Their mission on Earth was simply to pose as passive creatures, taking the details of their habitat into their group consciousness.
Now, to the sheep. Or actually, to the shepherds. There are four from which you can chose; the legendary Bo Peep (although now more a fit for the Spice Girls than for a nursery rhyme), the punky Adam Halfpint, the lovable Motley, and the determined Shep. Each has his/her own strengths and weaknesses that effect the sheep in different ways. Choosing which character to control on the various levels can greatly determine how easy it is to complete them.
Okay, I promise, now to the sheep. There are four breeds that must be guided through each world; the pastoral sheep who run in fear from everything, the factoral sheep who are too stupid to recognize danger, the long wools who are a little braver but not much brighter, and the neo genetics who tend to be the smartest of the bunch. Controlling the breeds is an exercise in frustration. If they weren't so cute, I'd probably purposely run them into dragon fire or electric wiring or whatever was the nearest death-trap. Trying to coerce a flock of these animals through mountainous caverns or medieval castles is a test of patience and control that simply cannot be passed. If you can get through one level of this game without yelling at your monitor, you're either dead or the mother of fifteen.
Figuring out what to do and where to go is pretty much a matter of trial and error. There are signposts to help, but they don't always tell you the best route to take or whether you should work with the whole flock or just a few at a time. Certain breeds of sheep work better on certain levels, and certain shepherds will work better with your individual playing style. Learning how the sheep react to the commands and movements of your shepherd is the key to survival.