| Introduction
Sheep is another of those titles, like Worms and
Lemmings, which due to the simplicity of both graphics
and gameplay have been translated to pretty much every
format available. There are other similarities too as
all three feature tiny controllable characters over
massive sprawling landscapes. Here is the GBA version
and Empire are no doubt hoping that it's going to do
the kind of business it's done on other consoles. This
will, of course, be down to the level of care and expertise
employed in bringing it to the GBA and most importantly,
if the playability has remained intact. Read on to find
out...
GamePlay
The object of Sheep is simplicity itself. Get your
herd from A to B losing as few sheep as possible within
the allotted time. At least it should be simple. Problems
arise when you discover that your path is never straight
forward and in addition to solving puzzles it appears
that everything in the Universe is out to get you and
your herd. Sheep is battery saved so your first task
is to create a diary and choose your sheep dog. These
can be named but they have very different personalities
so make sure you choose wisely.
Levels start out with a quick flyover of the course
and details regarding your sheep quota and the drop-off
point. Then it's all up to you. Initially there will
be little to harm your sheep and most of the earlier
levels will have you collecting bonuses and saving your
entire herd with little problem. Just a few levels into
the game and things turn a lot darker with traps seemingly
around every corner and the sheep becoming more curious
about their surroundings. You'll also have to negotiate
some fiendish puzzles too from creating bridges to opening
doors with no obvious key or lever. There is always
more that one way to complete each course so it's entirely
up to you if you want to stop and collect the bonus
items or concentrate on saving your sheep quickly and
efficiently.
The screen layout is clear and informative and your
current status can easily be seen in a variety of ways.
Obviously the most important thing here is the sheep
and just how many you've managed to save but in addition
to this you'll also be able to see the number who have
met their demise and the few incredibly stupid sheep
that are still wandering around poking their noses into
electric fences, etc. Just as important as rescuing
the sheep however is how quickly you manage to perform
this task and the timer informs you whether it's worth
risking doubling back to save just one more or to simply
call it a day.
Controls
Everything has been kept very simple and the majority
of the game will have you chasing the sheep, barking
at them and picking the odd one up in order to press
a button or bypass a cattle grid. All these activities
utilize the general GBA layout and the control only
gets more complicated later in the game when you may
need to creep up on the sheep so as not to scare them.
Fortunately this is all explained in text before you'll
have to utilize your new skills allowing your sheepdog
to concentrate on actually herding the sheep.
Graphics
Those who've played Sheep before will notice little
difference in the actual in-game visuals, as they remain
small but perfectly formed throughout the various levels.
There are also some nice animations; in addition to
the sheep and dogs there's also spot animation on various
objects, which really brings the various environments
to life. Everything else has been redesigned and the
menu systems and back-story are now populated with cute
Japanese type characters and even the sheep are bolder
and, dare I say it, better looking.
Sound & Music
The soundtrack that runs throughout the game seems
to complement the visuals perfectly and while not outstanding
nor is it too irritating. The sound effects are much
better and range from the sheep baa-ing and dog barking
to some wonderfully inventive noises when anything enters
one of the many machines dotted around the various courses.
Final Comments
Sheep is a unique title that really can't be ignored
and in addition to it being very playable it's also
beautifully presented. GBA owners who loved the likes
of Lemmings or Chu Chu Rocket should definitely check
it out as it contains all the main ingredients that
made both of these great games. The downside is the
length and budding shepherds who really enjoy the game
will find it's over in no time at all. This is addressed
to a certain extent with some of the other game modes
but the fact is that it's all just a little too short.
A little longer and this could have been an essential
purchase but as it stands it's good but not great.
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