When I came across Peter Und Vlad for review, I didn’t know what to expect. This was a game completely under the radar that I had heard nothing about, and was described as an action adventure sheep herding simulator. Not long after starting this game up, it had completely won me over with its clever premise, its beautiful art style, great music, and some truly solid gameplay mechanics.
The premise of this game brings us to brothers Peter and Vlad both living on a farm. Vlad is a bit of a mad inventor, and comes up with a crazy flying weather machine to help them keep the grass well watered for their beloved sheep. Upon starting up the crazy contraption, things start going haywire. They brothers learn that not only are they not able to turn the machine off, but it also runs on wool and is soon after their precious livestock.
You are given control of Peter and are tasked with herding your sheep safely into the barn before the weather machine gone haywire takes them in on a rather wooly fuel stop. You control Peter by drawing a line on the touch screen guiding him where you would like him to run. This mechanic is similar to Flight Control, and other line drawing games but is done very well. In fact, this is probably one of the best line drawing mechanics I have seen in a game yet. The mechanic is smooth, intuitive and simply works well.
As sheep run into view you must guide Peter to chase the sheep into the barn. The sheep certainly act as you would expect, and I saw no wierd or glitchy AI. As you guide sheep into the barn, you have a certain amount of time to get them to safety before the weather machine appears. If the there is sheep out and about when the weather machine comes by, then those sheep are lost. If the weather machine absorbs to many sheep, it will overheat and explodes ending the game.
Like Flight control, this game is very challenging and you first few round may end verry quickly, but as you continue to play you learn various strategies to keep the game going and extend you score.
One really neat touch is that as you are able to progress further and further into the game, you notice the weather machine begins changing the seasons. The are also powerup available via mushrooms that you eat as you herd your sheep. Eat the wrong mushroom however, and you experience some rather hilarious negative effects.
Peter Und Vlad is the real deal. The music, art, gameplay mechanic, it all works well, and is my favorite review this month. The game may be under the radar, but it is a title that should not be missed.
Score 5/ out of 5
http://www.thecurrentgamer.com
Great review. I am definitively check this one out
[...] Review: Peter Und Vlad Score 5/out of 5 « The Current Gamer thecurrentgamer.wordpress.com/2009/09/26/review-peter-und-vlad-score-5out-of-5 – view page – cached When I came across Peter Und Vlad for review, I didn’t know what to expect. This was a game completely under the radar that I had heard nothing about, and was described as an action adventure sheep… (Read more)When I came across Peter Und Vlad for review, I didn’t know what to expect. This was a game completely under the radar that I had heard nothing about, and was described as an action adventure sheep herding simulator. Not long after starting this game up, it had completely won me over with its clever premise, its beautiful art style, great music, and some truly solid gameplay (Read less) — From the page [...]