Reviewed Platform: iPhone
Device Used: iPod Touch 2nd Edition
Software Type: Game
Developed By: Studio Radiolaris

It’s hard to argue that a touch screen device is the perfect platform for a shooting gallery style game. Gone is any sort of distance that keeps you from being accurate with your shots. Instead this type of games just pits you against your own reaction times. There have been many shooting gallery games released in the App Store, but I think it’s safe to say that none are quite as unusual – or compelling – as Zombies Vs. Sheep.

Flaming Head Of Death

To start off with, you’re a sheep. I’ve noticed that for some reason people find sheep an interesting element to use in iPhone games, but this is the first one I can remember where the sheep is the “hero”. Second, all of your enemies are marionettes. Poorly animated ones, of course, as they only have one string apiece. The whole concept is just absurdly amusing. The main adversaries are zombies, many of which look like pirates. To kill them you must shoot their head. If you shoot something else (arms, legs, etc.) the part will fall off, but the bad guy will still be around. Pieces will also fall off from time to time by themselves. Once the creature is down to just the head it will light on fire and fall towards the ground. Make sure you are not under the head otherwise you’ll lose a life. Keep in mind that you can shoot the heads even once they have started on fire.

Beyond the zombies there are bats that “dive bomb” you (simply by falling off their string, of course). There are also creatures that I like to call phoenixes that toss fireballs your way. These will take multiple shots to kill. Finally there are doves that will drop you a heart, which restores one of your lives. Be cautious, because you can actually shoot the doves. Just make sure they’ve dropped their heart before you get rid of them. The nice thing about this game is that it is not predictable. You know when each new critter will show up, but you don’t know where they’ll come from, how many will show up, or in the case of the phoenix, when it will fire. It makes for a unique experience every time. As you progress in the game you’ll encounter more foes, but I’ll leave that for you to discover.

When you shoot a bad guy they will drop a coin. Collect the coins to buy upgrades at the shop. Upgrades include the speed with which your sheep moves back and forth, the maximum number of lives you can have at any given time, the speed with which dynamite explodes, and the number of shots you can fire before you need to reload. On occasion a plane will fly by reminding you to buy upgrades. Either shoot the plane or press the Pause & Shop button at the top of the screen to go and spend your money.

The One Eyed Monster Cometh

The controls are simple enough. To use the shot gun you simply press on the screen where you want to shoot. To reload you can either shake the device or click the ammo bar at the top of the screen – I prefer clicking myself. When you get the semi-automatic upgrade (which is limited in use), you just drag your finger around the screen. A little scope shows you were you are actually shooting. To move your sheep left and right you simply tilt the device back and forth. Nothing overly difficult, and the controls seem pretty responsive.

The graphics are not the best, but what they are is quite original. All the objects appear to have been cut out of something, complete with the white border that you tend to leave when you don’t want to cut too close to the edges of the pictures. The pirates and skeletons remind me of puppets I used to make when I was a kid where you’d fasten the joints together with little metal braids. Unfortunately no braids pop out when you shoot the limbs off, though that would be pretty cool. Sadly, the least interesting character of the bunch is the sheep itself. The background is a bit plain, though they were kind enough to show bullet holes from stray shots. I’d say my favorite effects were the flaming skulls and the limbs flying apart when you shoot a pirate or skeleton’s head.

The sound effects do a good job of augmenting the atmosphere. The shot gun sounds like a pop cap type toy gun, and when you hit the zombies I don’t even know how to describe it other than it sounds like you’re crunching some foliage or something. The cash register cha-chings when you collect coins, and you get a disapproving “baaaah” when your sheep gets hit. Later on when you get to use dynamite it sounds like fireworks when the dynamite goes off. The music fits the atmosphere so well. I can just picture some guy in the background sitting under a tree with the sun casting a shadow off his sombrero, gently strumming his guitar while all the chaos ensues on your end.

Graphics: 9
Sound: 9
Installation Ease: 10
Fun Factor: 10
Usability: 10
Documentation: 9
Adjustability: 9

Addon Packs: NO
Suitable For Young Kids: YES
Online Support: YES

CONS:
- Requires Open Feint For Achievements

PROS:
- Frantic And Engaging Game Play
- Original Graphics
- Good Sound And Music

OVERALL::
I honestly didn’t know what to expect from a game called Zombies Vs. Sheep, but what I got was a great shooting gallery style game with some of the most unusual visuals that I’ve seen from this genre. It seems like every time I play the game I’m discovering some new facet of how to play. For fans of “point and shoot” games it’s a must, and for the rest of you it might just be worth it for the novelty of the graphics.

Overall Rating: 9.4
Available Platforms: iPhone