Herdy Gerdy

For most folks, herding creatures probably sounds as stimulating as watching a 24-hour ski-ballet marathon on ESPN2. Who would have thought an entire game devoted to herding could actually be entertaining? Entertaining for some, anyway. At its core, Herdy Gerdy’s a puzzle-solving platform game for kids in the 8-to-i2-age zone. In addition to its Disney-cartoon look, it contains very G-rated dialogue, a kid-friendly story, and stays far away from violent themes. With that in mind, HG definitely has a place in some households, but certainly not all. The most difficult parts of the game are navigating vast, maze-like levels and completing quests for key characters to advance the story. This is where younger minds, and anyone who isn’t used to puzzle-based adventure games, may run into problems. Some of WG’s levels are almost labyrinthian, making it too easy to get lost, and the confusing map hinders more than it helps. Also, you’re only given one chance to absorb pertinent info given by non-playable characters. If you don’t, you’re forced to run around every nook and cranny of the level to find out what’s been opened up. Sticky camera angles make for frustrating gameplay when it comes to platforming actions like trapping Gromps (WG's monsters) and traversing areas requiring delicate balance. For what it is, HG’s a well-designed game, albeit mainly for precocious gamer kids.

Novel herd-the-critters gameplay, slick puzzles, lush environments, unruly waterfowl-all the ingredients for a good time are rounded up in Herdy Gerdy. It’s too bad so many important details slipped under the fence. Gamers prone to motion sickness might upchuck from the choppy visuals and squirrely camera, which flits around with a mind of its own. And levels get too large and puzzling too quickly; I wasted a lot of time wandering between maps trying to find needed items. The game’s at its best in the small stages, when you’re figuring how to herd multiple species simultaneously. If it had more focused fun like that, Gerdy would’ve captured me.

It’s difficult to believe just how much fun Herdy Gerdy isn’t. No matter how long I spent running through its convoluted levels, the gameplay just wasn’t happening. Herding creatures, be they Doops, Bleeps or anything else, is a tedious chore thanks to general choppiness and a confused, haphazard camera. I’ve lost count of all the brown ledges, brown rocks and brown trees I’ve seen instead of Gerdy. It’s also a struggle to figure out what to do; the game lacks direction, and its technical and aesthetic flaws emphasize that. This isn’t Jak & Daxter and it sure isn’t Pikmin, though it tries to be a bit of both. It will frustrate kids and irritate adults.