Platform: Nintendo Wii, GameCube, GameBoy Advance, PlayStation 2, PC-CD-ROM

Genre: Adventure

Number of Players: 1
 

Recently, I received three games to review from one of my favorite publishers and developers in the business, THQ. I was VERY excited to play both Cars and Avatar for the Wii, having heard great things about both of these games. I will admit, I wasn’t AS excited to play through Barnyard; a game based on a film I haven’t seen (nor had any real desire to) and featuring a male cow (not a bull mind you...a cow) with milk shooting udders. Because of my reservations, I chose to play Barnyard first...sort of a “get it out of the way” deal. So why then, you may ask, am I posting this review last? Quite simply, I haven’t wanted to stop PLAYING Barnyard long enough to type up the review!

Now I don’t know very much about the film this is based on...one of a collection of films I would refer to as “Pixar wannabees”. Computer animated tales with a variety of talking animals representing a slew of stereotypes and relying on slapstick when the jokes fall flat. Sure they are funny in parts, maybe even to the point of laugh out loud...but then again, so is farting in class...it doesn’t take much you see. I must say that even after playing this game, I still have no desire to see the film...but what I CAN tell you is that I am dying to get this review wrapped up so I can go play the darn game again.

The story behind Barnyard (the game at least) is that of a farm full of animals who can stand on two legs, play a few rounds of pool in the barn at night, and ride around the acres on a BXM bike. This freedom lasts only as long as they manage to keep their double life activities hidden from the farmer, his wife, and anyone else who might stumble upon their antics (i.e. the mailman). At the start of the game, your character is just finding his/her way onto this animal paradise...and seeing as how you yourself are a cow, it is awfully comforting to know the farmer is a strict vegetarian!

Things get going by customizing your cow, but I must warn you, regardless of whether you choose a boy or girl you are gonna be packing a sweet set of pink udders. There are several breeds of cow to choose from, each with the breeds signature colorings; so you can choose between the standard black and white and several other choices. Now it is time to name your cow, so think of a great bovine name and get out in the yard to meet your new friends; they are all anxious to find out whom you are and if you are going to fit in around here.

To fit in on this farm, you’ve got to like two things: having fun and running errands. You see, the first thing you get from these farmyard friends is a cell phone...and you are going to be checking your text messages more often than a 16 year old girl in detention. These messages from your new friends are their way of saying “Yo cow...get over here”, and will have you running around answering to every chicken, cow, pig or mouse’s beck and call. But these guys aren’t looking for a social visit, you see. Instead, they are going to send you to collect pumpkins from the farmer’s garden, round up some unruly chicks, fight off a wave of rascally raccoons, join in on some cow tipping or maybe race a few laps of the property on your bike. Like I said...you better like having fun and running errands.

To make things a little more interesting and raise the stakes a bit, all games and tasks are timed and scored. Depending on your timeliness or overall execution of the task, you will have your final score tallied and translated to a letter grade. If you don’t pass, you are going to be trying again; if you pass with flying colors your letter grade is replaced with a gold star...meaning you have mastered this particular objective. Get enough gold stars and you can unseat the ruling “party animal” on the farm and take the place of Top Cow.

To add an additional element to all this craziness, there are some tasks which must be completed during the day and others which can only be tackled after dark. Keep a keen eye on the clock, because time of day isn’t the only thing you’ll have to keep in mind to get everything done correctly; you must also sleep. Don’t get enough shut eye and your cow begins to under perform. You can’t pedal as fast or run as long if you aren’t getting the proper rest. Keeping in mind the animal that is waiting for you, the tasks you are currently working on, and when exactly you are going to work some rest into all this is a great challenge that extends beyond your physical dexterity with the Wii’s wireless remote. But rest assured some skill IS required!

THQ has managed to integrate the amazing motion sensitive properties of the Wii control scheme (remote and nunchuck) seamlessly into the game play, creating a very interactive yet natural feel. I have become a fan of Wii games that allow the gamer multiple methods of control, and was excited to see that for many things Barnyard was this way. For example, you can jump by either flicking your wireless remote up sharply or simply pressing a button. I find myself switching back and forth between the two, allowing for whatever level of physical motion I am comfortable with at the time.

Whether you are squirting targets with your milk, pulling off bike stunt tricks in the air, churning cream into butter, stomping crates or picking flowers, there is plenty of active control using the motion sensitive controllers of the Wii. All of these motions are natural, and will be easy for gamers of any age or skill level to pick up on. It is truly a pleasure to see just how many uses for the Wii remote system game developers are able to come up with.

Mini-games seem to be all the rage these days, with nearly every adventure or platform game having a separate set of challenges set aside for instant gratification. Barnyard is no different, offering several fun games from the get-go and allowing players to unlock many more through their exploits in the story mode. Use the Wii remote to throw a game of darts, steer the farmer’s truck when the cows go joyriding, launch a chicken with an enormous slingshot or play a round of gopher golf. None of these games present too much challenge as this game is obviously geared toward a younger gamer.

In fact, the entire game presents nearly no real challenge. You can’t really “fail” at anything, you are given multiple chances to do everything asked of you, and whether you complete the tasks steadily or in the proper manner or not, you can continue playing indefinitely. Having said all that, it is highly addictive. You will constantly be trying to better your scores in the events you have already passed and will be drawn into further play to see what other events will arise. Make no mistake that this game is for kids, but I think that it brings out the kid in those of us a little older.

Graphically, I began my Barnyard experience quite concerned; the opening cut scenes left much to be desired, looking dated and rushed. In an industry where the cut scenes are usually used to show off the programmers skills in design, such sketchy scenes seemed to hint that game play graphics would be absolutely atrocious. This is not the case however, and the visuals of game play far outshine those of the cut scene animations. Luckily, these sequences are few and far between and don’t detract from the overall feel. During play, things look fantastic and really showcase what Nintendo’s systems have always been known for...great characters, fun environments, and a sense of whimsy.

All in all, Barnyard isn’t an astonishing breakthrough in video game design. In fact, it is nothing that you haven’t seen before or even currently on the Wii system; but once this disc is in, you will have a hard time putting your remote down. Yet again, THQ has given us a game that is fun to play, safe for the whole family, and highly addictive. Now, if you’ll excuse me I have to mix some drinks in the barn and get a round of Gopher Golf in...

-aaron-