What’s the least life-threatening way to get a sheep from point A to point B? Flockers is a 2D puzzle-platformer in the grand tradition of Lemmings — sheep spawn at one end of a map, and players must shepherd as many as possible to an exit portal, avoiding graphically lethal traps on the way. The concept is fun, but Flockers is mediocre as a puzzle game and unsatisfying as a ‘dark humor’ sandbox.
One disappointment of Flockers is the linear nature of levels— for most obstacles, there is one and only one solution. The player has very little control over sheep, especially when they are crowded together. Large levels are filled with interesting machines, but little to no creativity is required to get sheep through alive.
The level backdrops are beautiful, but I only noticed this when the things happening to my sheep got boring enough for me to look around for something else to do. While the slow pace of the game allows for precise strategy, it cuts down on silliness that could make the whole experience more fun.
Flockers advertises dark humor, but even those only looking to see sheep get squished, this game might not last long. Individual sheep are small and difficult to distinguish, making it hard to care about deaths one way or another. The game shines most when players must sacrifice one sheep to advance the rest of the flock.
The sound is very well-done, from the sharp swish of blades to the bleating of sheep in distress. Music is present, but forgettable.
All in all, Flockers adds very little to the Lemmings concept and is bogged down by a slow pace and little meaningful input from the player. The visuals and sound are up to par, but with uninteresting puzzles and little emotional engagement, the fun in Flockers doesn’t last long.
