Lemmings Review

By Richard Leadbetter Published 23 March, 2007

Cheap, but lacking.

Version tested: PlayStation 3

The Lemmings are - quite literally - evergreen. Over 16 years have passed since I set foot in London's Kensington Royal Garden Hotel to attend a low-key Psygnosis press junket where Dave Jones' genius-level games concept was first unveiled. No key note speeches, no long-winded demonstrations, no hard sell. Psygnosis and DMA Design knew they had a hit on their hands and just let us play the game and appreciate the extraordinary concept. Taking a look at this PlayStation 3 rendition of the classic, it's astonishing to see just how little has changed in the core gameplay compared to the 1991 Commodore Amiga original.

The objective remains identical - Lemmings drop down into a hostile game environment, and it's your job to shepherd them through to the exit, doling out skills and abilities to defeat the obstacles in your path. If there's a wall blocking your path, let a Lemming dig through it. If he's falling to his doom, give him an umbrella and let him float down to safety. If there's an immovable object in the way, strap explosives to your rodent-hero and blow him up to give the others safe passage - you get the idea. This version also features additions to the gameplay from various Lemmings sequels in the form of power-up icons, cloners and teleporters. All good stuff.

'Lemmings' Screenshot 1

Coming from Team 17, the developer of the accomplished PSP version, it's no surprise to see that this Cell-powered rendition has much in common with its handheld sibling. This is most blatantly in the redrawn cartoon-like graphics, boosted significantly with 720p HD clarity and sweet animation, along with the console-friendly control method. But behind the slick visuals, Lemmings is something of a perilously empty vessel when compared to Team 17's original miniaturised blueprint.

There's no escaping the fact that what is the most recent, best looking version of Lemmings on one of the world's most powerful gaming platforms is also the most bereft ever released in terms of depth. There are 40 stages here, varying from the ridiculously simple to the most brain-rendingly obtuse. It's not a bad selection, but even the ancient Amiga version had triple that amount, along with 20 more multiplayer-specific levels. Not that there's any multiplayer action at all in PS3 Lemmings, the best you can hope for is to challenge the best times on the internet leaderboards. In an age where online gaming is key to a game's long-term value, this is a big disappointment. The PSP's map editor is also absent, and thus the ability to share maps with other players is also lost.

'Lemmings' Screenshot 2

Indeed, as staggering as this may sound, I feel somewhat short-changed by this £3.49 piece of software. PS3 Lemmings is a game of compromise with savagely slashed down amounts of content justified by a stupidly cheap, ultra-disposable 'no brainer' price-point. And therein lies the dilemma in assessing this game. Make no mistake - £3.49 is fine value for money considering the quality of the core gameplay and the attention to detail in the PS3 upgrades. It can easily be argued that £3.49 is cheap enough to excuse just about any failing when you consider how much you are getting for your money, and how long those 40 levels will keep you occupied. It's just a little annoying to know that SCEE and Team 17 are holding back on us, that this game could have been so much more. Why not follow the ethos of Tekken: Dark Resurrection and make the game all it can possibly be? Why omit key gameplay elements and levels when you've already coded them on PSP? Why not at least provide the rest of the game as another £3.49 booster pack? Sony is doing a superb job in redefining the value proposition for downloadable software - but all things being equal, I'd rather take a £6.99 complete game as opposed to a depleted rendition that's half the price.

6 / 10

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Picture of Richard.

About Richard Leadbetter

Rich has been a games journalist since the days of 16-bit and specialises in technical analysis. Commonly known around Eurogamer as the Blacksmith of the Future.

Read more articles from Richard by visiting the Richard Leadbetter archive page.

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Comments (41) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • jonthepymm #1 5 years ago

    I like lemmings

  • Steroyd #2 5 years ago

    I'm buying Lemmings regardless.

    Although Criticism's are duly noted.

    ...wait... I'm trying not to buy a PS3 yet. X_X

  • JackyB #3 5 years ago

    Stop reviewing games for a console no one has got, and give me my Wii Tiger woods review. Saying that... There aint a lot of wii owners out there either!

  • Steroyd #4 5 years ago

    I've been wondering why this Game 3.0 nonsense only applies to one game and not all the others that could use it.

    Not completely true Sony only started spouting off the idea/initiative to devs this month and Lemmings came out way before then.

    Although to keep to that initiative they should release a pack with the extra content that is present in the PSP version.

  • spadge #5 5 years ago

    Fucking speechless. It's all over with reasoning like this.
    Edited by 1 at 23/03/07 @ 11:46

  • Steroyd #6 5 years ago

    I meant for the PS3... unless Sony's Game 3.0 included the PSP in that slide.

  • dirigiblebill #7 5 years ago

    Cheap as y'mother.

  • agparrot #8 5 years ago

    As Good as Resistance!

    /sprints away

    edit: wheels away in chair I glued myself to, to prevent myself buying PS3
    Edited by 1 at 23/03/07 @ 11:55

  • QJ #9 5 years ago

    @Spadge

    Don't worry, I think the price point is perfect for the amount of gameplay on offer. Then the consumer can decide whether or not they want to buy more when it's made available. Much better than just sticking everything together and forcing people to buy it at a higher pricepoint.

    Its not like the Lumines debacle either, its a steal for the amount of game you get!

    Oh and compare this to many of XBLA's "retro" offerings for a similar price, no contest. If you like lemmings, then this is a must buy!

    /Rant over :-)
    Edited by 1 at 23/03/07 @ 12:08

  • Hamflank #10 5 years ago

    At last, a reason to pick up a PS3.

  • MrTonyMontana #11 5 years ago

    Its a simple, visually clean game, thats easy to plan, and u cant argue at that price. £3.49!!! FFS! Come on.....do u want the moon on a stick for less than a fiver!

    considering everyone else has given it between 7 and 8.......6/10 is a joke to be fair.

    AGAIN, £3.49!!!!!!
    Edited by 1 at 23/03/07 @ 15:57

  • septimus #12 5 years ago

    I'll get this tonight. More for Team17 than Sony.

    Always liked Lemmings.

  • Popzeus #13 5 years ago

    £425 to play a Lemmings port with less levels than the original... bargain.

    And it'll still be cack without a mouse.

  • Steroyd #14 5 years ago

    MrTonyMontana you've just opened yourself upto £428.49 dig.
    Edited by 1 at 23/03/07 @ 12:16

  • Arganoid #15 5 years ago

    It might be good value for money, but it's a game that many of us already played to death back when it was originally released. It's a shame to see downloadable remakes such as this and Worms on the 360 just rehashing the same games with nicer graphics and fewer features.

  • space_ace #16 5 years ago

    watch out mate it's a ledge...! too late

  • MrTonyMontana #17 5 years ago

    no......£3.49!!!!!

    Ur telling me u will pay £425 just to play lemmings??? ffs! A single game for £3.49 and u will feel short changed??

    Whats the world coming too.....

  • spadge #18 5 years ago

    Arganoid. If it was just the same stuff, then fair comment. But it isn't - check it out before coming out with similar claptrap as the review. Eyes open, blindfold on.

  • TheMoonRat #19 5 years ago

    Compared to the generous ratings ancient barely updated games on xbox live arcade get... 6/10 seems pretty harsh. Yeah its still lemmings, yeah there aren't that many levels. But you clearly mark up live arcade games for being so cheap; this is just as cheap, is actually properly updated graphically and offers far far more gameplay time!

    Not that I have any intentions of buying any of the next gen consoles yet! I'd still rathar play this on the interweb for free!

  • Arganoid #20 5 years ago

    I'm not getting a PS3 in the near future so I won't be in a position to try it out anytime soon. If it does have some enhancements over the original then that's a good thing. I'm mainly disappointed that the excellent multiplayer mode of the original was dropped for Lemmings 2 and has yet to return in the modern remakes.
    Edited by 1 at 23/03/07 @ 12:55

  • brainbird #21 5 years ago

    Yes, it is cheap, but considering you can get the original Lemmings for the same amount of money or less (for a platform like the SNES) and have a better game with it, the score seems fair to me.

  • Rizzle #22 5 years ago

    I prefer playing human lemmings. It's totally free, unless you adopt the 'blocker' stance in a queue, in which case you're liable to be punched for your troubles.

    Still fun, though.

  • MrTonyMontana #23 5 years ago

    Brainbird......ok u play ur snes version for free that's not HD, and that looks awesome etc etc........all for the price of a single pint in London....Oh actually, a pint is more expensive there isnt it?..

  • Riskbreaker_Ashley #24 5 years ago

    MrTonyMontana, you're going to the wrong pubs sir. Or buying the wrong beer. I bet you like that Kronenbourg Blanc stuff dont'cha?

    At any rate, at this price it's a steal. I think its an unfair comparison to put it up against Tekken; for a start Tekken is twice the price!

  • SomeRandomGuy #25 5 years ago

    £3.49 is to much eh for a first gen ps3 EDI game with 40 brand new levels, with all new gfx, music etc? So what is a fair price point for it (when compared to the full price (~30 quid) psp version). Would 2 pounds be about right? 99p? ffs what do u you guys expect for that price? Actually we know, for that price (or more like 7 quid) eurogamer expects a gazillion all new levels, map editor, online multiplayer and the preverbial moon on a stick..

    "when you've already coded them on PSP?"

    That line really did make me chuckle... I spose you must be referring to the "make psp to ps3" button that all devs have on their version of VC++...

    ...Jesus wept.

  • MrAtheist #26 5 years ago

    Perhaps EG should come up with a few new review directives?

    Any game costing less than £5 must have a minimum score of 10/10 and not be criticised in any way. If its from Team 17 raise the score to 11/10 just for good measure.

  • thegouldfish #27 5 years ago

    I would rather go back and play the original on the Amiga, it looked nicer then this HD OTT looking version, and I get to use a mouse :)

  • brainbird #28 5 years ago

    MrTonyMontana, dude, I have no idea what you're talking about. Was that a pro or a contra?
    Anyway, as the very wise MrAtheist said, simply because something is cheap doesn't mean it automatically deserves a 8/10 minimum. Again: The price IS cheap and most people will end up buying it without regrets afterwards, but I think Lemmings is the better game on an SNES than on a PS3, therefore the 6/10 ten is deserved.

  • SomeRandomGuy #29 5 years ago

    the 6 / 10 wasnt the issue.. The issue was that the reviewer said there wasnt enough content for £3.49

  • MrTonyMontana #30 5 years ago

    Exactly.....its the fact that for £3.49, Eurogamer expect more for that price.

  • brainbird #31 5 years ago

    Fair point. For both.

  • Spaz-Winchester #32 5 years ago

    Might I interject here?

    I think nothing more needs saying other than the reviewer is clearly a total fucking clownshoe! I mean really, WTF were you expecting for a paltry £3.50 ffs?

    Seriously, stop pretending you have the first fucking clue about objective journalism and go back to stacking shelves or your old Mc job.

    And breath....

    ;o)

  • MrTonyMontana #33 5 years ago

    Well said!

    LOL!

  • CockPissPartridge #34 5 years ago

    What's wrong with Kronenbourg Blanc?

  • smelly #35 5 years ago

    "I mean really, WTF were you expecting for a paltry £3.50 ffs? "


    Well you can play lemmings online in dhtml for FREE. So therefor 3.50 is infinitely more expensive than it needs to be.

    .. and the gfx are crap for a "next gen" game too.

  • DanWhitehead #36 5 years ago

    Just to state the obvious, a review is pretty much the polar opposite of "objective journalism".

  • sat_idle #37 5 years ago

    Smelly,

    I dont know which DHTML version you are refering to of lemmings. There are a few. But none of them are in HD 720p, with dynamic lighting, dolby surround sound, 40 original challenging levels, teleporters, cloners (lots more lemmings?), gorgeous lightning and water effects, and collectible pickups (does this even mean multiple ways to complete a level?).

    Seems pretty good value for money. This review is pretty unjust, along with the resistance one.
    Edited by 1 at 23/03/07 @ 19:22

  • Riskbreaker_Ashley #38 5 years ago

    "What's wrong with Kronenbourg Blanc?"

    It's overpriced pish-water with a splash of fruit juice.

    If you're going to to drink one of "those" beers, at least drink Hoegaarden.

  • SeesThroughAll #39 5 years ago

    If you're going to to drink one of "those" beers, at least drink Hoegaarden.

    Nah, not when you can pick a pint of Duvel :)

  • rprince #40 5 years ago

    I've only played the demo so far, but it looks reasonable. I'm certainly more inclined to pay £3.49 for it and the amount of play I'd get from it, than any of the rubbish mobile phone games that seem to think they're worth £5!
    Edited by 1 at 27/03/07 @ 19:28

  • rt #41 2 years ago

    I always thought that multiplayer Lemmings was the best part of the game. There is a modern lemmings-like game with internet multiplayer named Clones, which is awesome. Check it out: www.ClonesGame.com
    Edited by 1 at 20/03/10 @ 21:02