Plot: What’s it about?
In Flockers, you will witness thousands of sheep march to their deaths. You’ll try to stop them of course, but sometimes sheep just don’t have good common sense. The game makes you a shepherd of sorts, responsible for the transport of a flock of sheep from one side of a level to the other. Once the level begins, the sheep will begin their march toward the finish, although they tend not to notice imminent death. The sheep will walk off cliffs or into dangerous machines that grind them up, so you will have to guide them and manipulate the levels’ paths to keep them safe. If this sounds familiar, it should because the basic premise is kind of like a darker, more insane Lemmings. The genre is by no means played out however, so Flockers is able to build on that concept and add in some fresh elements. You will be called on to make good use of limited resources, often given to you at the level’s start, while other times you need to earn them. This is done by sending your sheep to knock over colored boxes, which then reward you with power-ups that help overcome the lethal landscape. These power-ups aren’t numerous, but they’re varied enough to keep the puzzle elements up to snuff. So it seems simple enough, just keep the sheep alive from one side of the level to the other, but of course, you’ll need to master the game’s mechanics to find great success.
This was a PC game first and it shows, as you can tell the controls and other aspects were designed with that format in mind. While the controls are more than solid, it is evident that a mouse offers a superior experience. The levels can get kind of intense and in those moments, a mouse would be much more dynamic and precise. Even so, you just have to get the hang of things, but it is worth a mention that the controls don’t port over without a minor cost. The PC version also boasts a community that can create their own levels, which is absent from the console edition at launch. Perhaps Team 17 will add that in down the road, which would be nice and add a lot of replay value. Flockers is a fun game to pick up, run through a few levels, then take a break. I can’t see myself logging marathon sessions, but I will return this game on a regular basis. The level designs are quite good, with a nice difficulty progression that ensures you learn as you advance. I assume most players will still hit some walls that will require going back to the drawing board, but Flockers won’t have you throwing your controller in frustration. If and when you hit that wall, it is due to you overlooking some aspect of the level, as opposed to a harsh game design. So yes Flockers can offer a challenge and then some, but it is fair and never punishes the players. In the end, if you are a fan of games like Lemmings, give Flockers a chance. A dark sense of humor permeates the game and adds charm, while the gameplay is rock solid. This one deserves a more than solid recommendation.
Video: How’s it look?
The tone of the game is darkly humorous and the visuals match that. The style is cartoon inspired, but in a kind of twisted way, which works quite well. I don’t think the visual design screams next-gen, but it looks good. I expected more detail in the textures and subtle elements, however. The sheep look great though and in the end, that is what matters. A good, but not great looking game.
Audio: How’s it sound?
The sound design is good too, with the same warped sense of humor as the rest of the game. The music (or death marches in this case) suits the game’s energy and makes a good background presence. The sound effects mirror the dark, but cartoon edged mood of the game, so it all dovetails in nicely.
