 Preview By: Siou Choy |
Developer: | Blue Tongue Entertainment |
| Publisher: | THQ | |
| Genre: | Action | |
| ESRB: | Everyone | |
| # Of Players: | 1 | |
| Online Play: | No | |
| Accessories: | N/A | |
| Estimated Release: | 11/19/2006 |
Well, here we go again: the latest bad game I’ve had to play through (on two different platforms, yet) has made its unwelcome presence a part of the Nintendo Wii launch. The polygonic masterwork I refer to at the moment is none other than THQ’s Barnyard. That’s right, the one I washed my hands of last time around. Well, here I am again, bloodied hands and all, given the task of preparing you for the terrors that lie just beyond that door…or should I say "retail package".
Let’s bring this down to a very simple level. Barnyard is based on the Nickelodeon animated movie about life on a farm. Instead of acting like animals, the farm animals act as ostensibly normal human beings do, at least when the farmer’s not around.
The game gives you the opportunity to explore the farm at your own pace. Certain goals must be accomplished before new areas can be opened for exploration. The game per se is littered with mini-games that range from taunting the mailman to darts to (at this point I visibly shudder) target practice with the use of your udders. Yeah, you read that right. I can’t believe I had to write that either.
Painfully obvious caveat: since Barnyard is going to be released for the Wii, a few changes have been made from the GameCube version. First off, there will be a slight upgrade in graphics. The game now runs at 60 fps, with both progressive scan and widescreen support. Second, the game will take advantage of the Wii’s "unique motion sensing controller". Gamers can (brace yourselves for this one) use the controller like a dart when playing darts in the Barn’s nightclub, or swing it to play golf. After the ball lands you’ll pick your doubtless smashed up controller off the floor to move the groundhog to the ball’s location so it can help push it into the hole. Yeah, you read that sentence right. How about trying this one on for size: the controller can also be used to aim your udder at targets throughout the many sharpshooting mini-games. Uh huh. You didn’t think the degradation could sink any deeper, did you? Well, you were wrong, buddy! Pointless quote from the manual dept: moving around in third-person will still require gamers to use the analog stick and the A button will allow you to interact with the animals and items on the screen. Enough? Enough already.
Expect, with fear and trembling and penitently covered in sackcloth and ashes, that Barnyard should ship with the launch of the Nintendo Wii.
Posted: 2006-11-09 19:03:02 PST