Sheep Review by: Singelli - 9/10

OVERALL RATING: 9/10

I've finally stumbled across a game for the GBA which makes me smile from ear to ear!  A simply strategy game with adorable graphics and consistent attention- getters, "Sheep" is a game I'd recommend to anyone looking for a good time in the gaming world!  Not only do you play the part of an adorable sheepdog of your choice, but you can also choose what type of sheep you want to herd, how difficult you want the game to be, and what kind of a game you are playing.

Your job during the game is fairly straightforward: herd sheep into a van so they can be moved to the next stage, or 'farm'.  This sounds like a pretty simple task until you consider electrical fences, giant rambling tractors, or sharp chomping machines looking for a fresh bit of lamb chop!  Each obstacle course is unique, and most introduce new traps or concerns for the player, so progressing through this game always brings fresh enjoyment.

GRAPHICS: 10/10
This game has some of the most adorable graphics I've come across for the Gameboy Advance.  The menus are slick; the backdrops are colorful, various, and interesting; the sprites are clear; and the characters themselves cause a desire for snuggling something soft. 

This game also has several cut scenes, which is the last thing I'd expect from a game like Sheep.  To add to all the wonderful aspects of this game, the cut scenes are humorous!  The cut scenes usually consist of a conversation held between two sheep, and during the conversation the sheep are usually the knowledgeable characters.  They might be curious about their next location, but no matter which way the van is travelling, they plot and scheme about ways to pull the wool over the sheepdog's eyes.  What they think and have to say is certainly deserving of an elicited giggle, but the game's plot isn't the only impressive aspect.

The artists and developers of this game made sure they paid attention to every detail. Even the font of the text fits the game perfectly and is visually appealing.  The characters have their own sense of individuality, ranging in color, size, and shape.  At first, you start off with the choice of a boy or girl dog (brown and black, respectively).  As you move along in the game though, more dogs become available for play, including humorously, a 'sheep dog'. There are four different types of sheep with various personalities, and they each have their own unique color as well (white, yellow, pink, and blue).  If googly eyes aren't enough to make you coo over these adorable characters, I don't know what will.

The visual attractiveness doesn't stop there. Each stage is -riddled- with attention grabbers.  Sheep might be electrocuted, turned into a ball of cotton, flattened by tractors, or painted another color by dye baths.  They might run through chicken coops and send feathers flying, or they might stray too close to a mechanical horse and be sent flying.  Conveyor belts might school your precious cargo up and send them soaring through a rocket-like silo.  Sheep can run through wheat fields, meaning you only spy them through use of moving grains.  The amusement -never- ends.

Platforms help the sheep cross rivers, ramps allow access to otherwise inaccessible areas, and hidden sheep beg to be saved.  Stages themselves vary from simple farms to castles.  Everywhere you go in this game, your eyes are assaulted with bright colors and the finer details that make gaming fun.

SOUND: 8/10
The sound effects in this game aren't impressive per se, but they -are- very fitting to the game.  You'll hear lots of 'baaaa's!, plenty of barking, and lots of cute and catchy music.  I found the dog's bark to be insanely cute and often made him bark even if the bark's function wasn't needed.

The only reason I didn't rate the sound higher is because there was little variety in the music that plays throughout the game. Luckily, this downside is hardly noticeable thanks to cut scenes, sound effects, and outright adorableness in all other aspects of the game.

ADDICTIVENESS: 9/10
If I'm honest, this game had me hooked from the title screen. The game started off with rather simple levels to help the player adjust to the idea of the game, and then the difficulty and map sizes gradually increase.  The more I played, the more I discovered and the more I wanted to play.  Every time I discovered something new, I wanted to go back and re-play the level.

To make this game even more addictive, once you complete the game in normal mode, special aspects of the game are opened up, encouraging you to go through it all over again.  If you're the kind that likes to attempt a high score.... you can play for that reason as well!  Different types of sheep offer more points, and the game allows you to choose a mode of difficulty so that you can double the challenge.

Also, the game has two different gaming choices and story-lines.  You can play the game as a straight puzzle in which you simply herd the sheep, or you can play a game style in which your sheepdog and the sheep both level up.  This causes more strategizing to be necessary because if your sheep's level exceeds your own, the sheep are less likely to do as you want them to do.  Accomplishing various goals can cause your dog to improve in levels of speed, strength, or happiness.

There's so much to do, that I would play the game again without hesitation.

STORY: 8/10
The story isn't complex or too terribly creative, but it's darn cute, just like everything else. Every four or five levels, a cut scene takes place in which the sheep scheme against your poor sheep dog.  When the sheep aren't talking, the game narrates you through the happenings outside the van, such as the van taking a wrong turn and going to the wrong farm.  With so many mayhaps, it's hard not to feel pity for the poor unsuspecting sheepherder.

The lack of depth is only slightly disappointing, but it does allow the player to come up with their own explanations for the nefarious traps and contraptions placed around the stages.

DEPTH: 8/10
There are many levels to this game and furthermore, plenty of ways to change the focus of your game play.  Playing in the first mode allows you to only worry about solving the puzzle presented, while playing in the 'arrange mode' adds a whole new aspect and challenge: namely in watching the levels of both your sheep and your dog.  There's so much to do in this game that you could easily play it for hours the first time through.  Try all the other ways of playing, add difficulty through sheep or modes, or try to achieve a higher score... and there's no reason to lack even more hours of play.

DIFFICULTY: 7/10
This game isn't the most challenging in existence, of course.  Basically, if you've ever taken a course in vectors, each sheep moves in an opposing vector direction from yours.  Certain sheep stray more than others while some sheep move at slower speeds.  Therefore, trying to find a healthy balance of shepherding gets more difficult with each type of sheep you find hidden on the farm.  In addition to this, straying sheep can become frustrating because each level must be passed by a certain amount of time. If you lose too many sheep, you also cannot continue.

Sheep might either like you or dislike you, so part of the game also entails how to increase your sheep's happiness so that they are more willing to be guided.

Different sheep dogs have varying strengths and speeds as well.  At certain points, you will want to 'bite' a sheep and pick it up to carry it out of danger or keep it from wandering off.  Depending on what dog you are using however, you can pick up 1, 2, or 4 sheep.  This being said, there are certain aspects of the game that relieve some of the frustrations.  For example, finding a candy and then laying it down causes the sheep to flock to the location of the sweet treat.  Since a piece of candy usually comes in sets of 3 or 5, you can use a carefully devised trail of 'bread crumbs' to lead the way.  Also, a boom box changes the music of the game and causes the sheep to hypnotically follow your dog.

Part of what makes the game so hard is the unpredictability of the sheep.  Luckily, you can find lost sheep by using the game map, but unless you remember to check, you might not be aware that any have disappeared.  Also, since some sheep go where they may, they might  end up flying to a completely different part of the stage and you can only see their shadow as they fly right over your head.  Then, you have the task of locating them through the menu map and finding a way back to herd the ball of wool in the right direction.

Once the sheep separate, the game only gets harder.  The time limit makes going after 'groups' of sheep very inconvenient, so much of the time is spent in trying to keep all the sheep close together.  Then, if one sheep levels above all the other sheep, that sheep will be considered the leader, and its influence on the others about it will be far stronger.  This means if your sheep leader is of the rebellious sort, you really have your work cut out for you!

Also, some parts of the maps are inaccessible.  This means you must leave your sheep unattended and wander around the map to find a switch or open a gate so that your sheep have safe passage. In the meantime, your sheep have free reign to do what they will and go where they want. By the time you are finished and you hurry your way back, some sheep have found their ways onto castles walls, across rivers, or into death traps.

Here's another thing for the player to balance:  the sheep -like- to jump over things and onto things.  The more they find themselves airborne, the happier they become, and the more they level.  You don't want their levels to be too high, but you also want them to be happy so that they will obey.  (Consequently, if you cause the sheep to be happy enough, they will follow you like a second shadow.  It's very rare though, and difficult to accomplish.)  Jumping pole hurdles is simple, but once sheep get around launching ramps, things can get messy.  You must encourage all the sheep to get on the same ramp and quickly follow them to the 'other side' before they start feeling too free.  Then, some ramps are placed -right- next to each other, so if you can't herd the sheep exactly onto the ramp you want, your sheep end up in different locations and you end up with more than one group to guide to the finish.  Some ramps also follow a 'chain of ramps', meaning that your sheep jump from ramp to ramp and end up in a very unpredictable location.  This is frustrating when sheep are stubborn and won't go where you want them to go.

So is the game difficult as a whole?  Not at all.  However, little nuances certainly add to the challenge (and interest!) of reaching your goal.  For a game so simple in premise, it's not as easy as it looks once you delve into it.


Overall, I would recommend this game to anyone, and of any age.  It's simple enough to be played by a younger child (especially in the first mode of game play), and the game offers the same charm in the more difficult mode for older or more experienced gamers.  Also, the game is insanely cute.  I'm pretty certain nobody would find it a waste of their time.

9