Barnyard – PS2 – Preview

It’s not
easy being a cow. If you’re not being ground up into hamburgers, you’re being
tipped by aspiring ‘cow-tippers.’ They poke, they push, laugh, and have fun.
Meanwhile you’re lying on the ground, hoping to get back on your feet just so
you can yell at the scientists who say cow-tipping is physically impossible –
nothing more than a myth. And even then all you could say is "Moo!"

This summer,
cows are rising. They’ll have their day and get revenge on The Man (and his
little boy, too) when Barnyard hits theaters. Gamers will be able to join the
fun when THQ brings its interactive adaptation to PlayStation 2. Set in the
film’s fictitious environments, Barnyard is an adventure geared toward younger
players. But don’t let that fool you. These cows mean business, and the
missions they’re about to embark on could satisfy more than the average
six-year-old.

Pick a cow,
any cow, and the story begins. None of the real-time movie sequences have yet
to be completed. The parts that have been finished range from amusing to
downright funny. Later on the game takes a darker turn, which I assume is to
reflect the events of the film. It’s nothing you haven’t seen in early Disney
flicks, but it was a bit surprising given that this is based on a comedy
flick, not a drama or action/adventure.

Chances are
most kids will skip the story, and with good reason. The game starts out slow
(after all, you’re controlling a cow), but quickly advances to the ranks of
other adventure game classics. I picked Archie, a cow who really doesn’t say
much. He has the ability to run on two legs, ride a bike, collect ingredients
to make delicious desserts, and successfully compete in a number of wacky cow
games. Technically the entire experience is comprised of mini-games, but that
could be said about any game where you explore a world to acquire new
missions. Luckily, and very unexpectedly, most of the mini-games are very
good. They’re worth playing more than once, and the game’s not even finished
yet.

Some of the
cow games you’ll encounter: bicycle racing, car racing, milk squirting, gopher
golfing, and chicken launching. One of my favorite events is the child
shooting gallery. Those little buggers sneak out at night, hoping to tip your
friends. They’re evil, and they need to be dealt with promptly. But, the thing
is … they’re still kids. And you can’t hurt kids. But you can throw tomatoes
at them! The result is one of the most amusing light gun-style shooters ever
created. This scenario is particularly noteworthy for its graphic detail –
some of the best in the game. Tomato power-ups let you launch bigger tomatoes,
lock-on to targets (the children!), or shoot repeatedly with auto-fire.

New missions
(events / mini-games) are indicated on your cow radar with an arrow. Follow
the direction of the arrow, talk to the cow (or other barnyard fellow in need)
and get to work. Since cows can ride bikes in this world, navigation is a much
quicker and more entertaining experience than it would have been if you had to
walk to every location. Though the world seems small when compared to other
open-ended games, namely Grand Theft Auto, Barnyard is a relatively large
game.

Hidden
within the world are coins and recipes. You’ll need coins to purchase new
items for your night barn. That’s another thing – Barnyard has a night/day
cycle. The clock isn’t exactly real-time, but it’s constantly moving forward.
You can choose to sleep to advance time, a task you’ll be doing a fair amount
in this game. Some missions can only be played during the day, and some at
night. The gopher shop (which houses all items available for purchase) is only
open at night. Stuffing the night barn with decorations, furniture, and other
nice non-interactive features makes it more appealing to the NPCs
(non-playable characters). As the night barn gains popularity, you’ll gain
extra items, coins, etc. Those items – if in the food department – can be
turned into delicious drinks and delectable desserts.

And that’s
where the recipes come in. Recipes are hidden all over the world, and you
can’t make a meal – even if you already know the ingredients – without them.
The game keeps it simple by limiting each recipe to only three food items. For
example, to make a birthday cake you’ll need one stick of butter, one egg, and
one jar of honey. To get an egg, all you have to do is kick the hen house
(which has been pre-approved by the mother hen, of course). Butter is a little
trickier. First you have to find some milk. Then you have to churn it by
tapping the X button a few times. Honey is the hardest of all. You won’t be
able to get it until you’ve reached a certain point in the game. Once you
have, you’ll have to play a tricky mini-game that could lead to some very
painful stings. Run Archie, run!

This is just
a small sampling of what Barnyard is all about, and I can’t wait to get more.
Don’t be fooled by the kiddie facade – if you love the action/adventure genre
and have been searching for something different, keep your eyes on this hot
title.