Pleasant Yet Untamed- Zoo Vet: Endangered Animals


                                           There's only two veterinarians at this zoo. Blame government cutbacks.

Last week, we reviewed Legacy Interactive’s Pet Pals: Animal Doctor for the Nintendo Wii. Although we found the concept of a veterinary simulation for teens commendable, its execution was marred by inaccurate controls. Specially, we thought the game’s concept would have worked better in two dimensions, rather than three. Zoo Vet: Endangered Animals for the Nintendo DS generally fixes that ailment- the title takes the core gameplay of Pet Pals and removes a majority of the camera and control issues that plagued its home console brethren. Yet, despite these changes, some control issues stubbornly remain.

As Zoo Vet opens, the player is introduced to the support staff, with includes one head veterinarian, and two vet techs, Keiko and Emily. Much like Pet Pals, their dialogue attempts to capture the vernacular of its tween audience; Keiko welcomes the player by stating, “I’m super excited to meet you!” Additionally, the player will work with Zach, who exact occupation is never articulated.

Once introductions were out of the way, the game sent us to the main menu, which simulated a zoo staff’s main office. Three options existed: we could start treating animals by looking at the wall map, play mini-games by selecting the computer, or locate animal data in the cabinet. We began our career as a veterinary intern by examining the map for an animal in need of care.


                                                                  No the Eye of the Tiger is fine, it's her foot.

Our first case concerned Polly, a Humboldt penguin, who was experiencing a bloated stomach. We were instructed to use a stethoscope to listen for any abnormalities in her chest. Using the menu from the left side of the screen we selected the diagnostic tools. Once the proper icon was selected, a submenu opened, offering four choices on the bottom of the screen.  We selected the stethoscope and our first mini-game appeared. Here, we were presented with a heart-rate chart along with a moving indicator. To successfully check the penguin’s heart, the player must touch one of three boxes when the meter peaks.

After successfully checking Polly’s heartbeat, we proceeded to use the magnifying glass to check the animal’s abdomen, draw blood from her foot, and finally x-ray the bird’s abdomen. All these processes involved routine mini-games; and while the first two were uncomplicated, the x-ray proved slightly difficult. For this activity, players are required to move two sliders until a picture comes into focus. With only three different pictures for visual feedback, and a number of false positives, this mini-game could frustrate younger audiences.


                                                      Part-time pachyderm physician, part-time penguin patronizer.

Examinations and treatment of additional animals was slowed by the games interface. Often we had difficulty in selected the correct leg of a sedated mammal lying on his side. We’d continue to tap the stylus on a leg until we found the game's ‘sweet spot’. Occasionally, interaction appeared sluggish; if the player inadvertently selects the wrong tool, selecting a new device can be needlessly cumbersome.

Generally, the title is graphically competent, although small problems arose from the lack of fidelity in some of the icons. When it came time to feed an orangutan broccoli and corn, we spotted two icons that resembled corn- one vaguely looked like kernels, the other cob-like. Most of the animals and well drawn and show a decent amount of detail.

Overall, Zoo Vet: Endangered Animals is a much better game than its recent Wii counterpart. With decent (albeit occasionally sluggish) controls and the removal of a punitive time limit, the title should be much less frustrating that the similar Pet Pals: Animal Doctor. Younger DS games with an interest in veterinary medicine may find interest in the game, while games looking for straight-up entertainment may find the Trauma Center games more to their liking.


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Posted by DesertEagle at 11/30/2008 10:33 PM
Categories: DS,Reviews
 

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