Lemmings Review

By James Lyon Published 10 November, 2006

Waving the little ones off (a cliff).

Version tested: PlayStation 2

"Lemmings is a charming, simple, ingenious puzzle game that deservedly built an empire (and this was before empire-building regressed to the traditional rape, pillage and then beat-them-up-in-the-alley-to-get-your-money-back model)."

That's a little snippet from the conclusion of our Tom's review of Lemmings for the PSP way back in March of this year. I'd suggest, for my sake, you go back and read it again, replacing 'PSP' with 'PS2' for future reference. It seems rather odd now: we were all strangely excited about the series' resurrection back then, weren't we? If the glut of comments is anything to go by, it's probably true. Must have been a slow month.

Suffice to say, I'm not going to waste words explaining the Lemmings concept all over again for what is more or less a straight port of the PSP game, and, as such it works well. Anybody who still can't get their heads around the fact that this can be played without a mouse really needs to offload those last few pounds of sceptical baggage. Pad control is fine and as accurate as a Lemmings game ever could be, especially with the ability both to zoom in a tad and issue commands when paused. Just be warned that the problem of picking out the direction desired of a Lemming when several are walking back and forth in a small space still remains to this day.

So with that out of the way onto the exciting part: the EyeToy feature. I was more than a little intrigued when Kristan offered this one to me, piquing my interest with the mistakenly delivered epithet of 'Eyetoy Lemmings' (once I'd ruled out it wasn't another bloody compilation of mini-games). I was childishly excited when I took a shufty at the back of the box and saw a little kid using his arms to build a Lemming bridge. And I was thus deflated when I realised this was but twenty short levels stuck, bonus feature-like, onto an old PSP game.

'Lemmings' Screenshot 1

Yet, from what we can take from the brevity of the experience, it almost, almost works. Throwing away all the traditional job icons, you instead direct and ferry Lemmings alongside manipulating scenery with your body. Bridging gaps with your hair, blocking paths to danger with the side of your head, uncomfortably cupping Lemmings in the crux of your elbow as they threaten to spill to their death, and - most satisfying - blatting the lot of them with a swat of the hand when they refuse to do what you want: it can all be done. As can waving your arms at certain hotspots to flick switches, wind up catapults, and clear blocked paths, etc.

Because the Lemmings regard you as an obstacle on a 2D plane, you have to be constantly aware of your body. It's not like most head-on EyeToy games and having dozens of vulnerable little sprites walking all over the screen requires a physical strategy. Pop up on top of them and your bumbling bulk will crush them out of existence. Instead you have to plan, carefully contorting your frame - though not stupidly so - to accommodate the layout of the levels, often ducking below the TV and poking necessary limbs up like a fleshy periscope.

It can be frustratingly imprecise at times, not at all helped if your lighting and background conditions aren't perfect. And if the number needed in the exit to win is lenient, it's in opposition to the seemingly random times said bad lighting allows a group of Lemmings to leap out of your cupped hands and dash themselves on the harsh rocks of your shoulder bone.

'Lemmings' Screenshot 2

Yet for the times it does work, it's great. You'll get a little kick out of Lemmings marching up the slope of your finger enough times to be satisfied with the meagre portion of levels provided. Though, let's be honest, this is nothing more than a tech demo; a proof of concept for what might be possible in the future.

There's vast potential remaining in the EyeToy for more innovative software and we'll applaud any worthwhile attempt to keep the dust off of it for another year. From what we can surmise, Sony's keen to continue using it as a viable tool in their next generation PS3 strategy and, with a little more refinement, Lemmings is as good enough an experiment as any to return in a starring role as a dedicated peripheral title. It'll never escape its novelty origins (even now there's signs of it growing tired), but in the same way that Narbacular Drop became the (hopefully) excellent Half-Life 2's Portal, a little bit of spit and polish behind this could work wonders for a standalone release.

That's all speculation, however. In the here and now, you've got a short, rough showcase attached to a straightforward PSP port. Which unfortunately means I have to finish this review by saying something bland like Lemmings is a fine puzzler and I'd recommend this version to curious newcomers, whilst simultaneously informing veterans that (beyond the EyeToy bit), it's nothing to get excited about.

Or, you know, maybe suggest you type "play lemmings" into Google.

6 / 10

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Picture of James.

About James Lyon

Read more articles from James by visiting the James Lyon archive page.

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Comments (25) Latest comment 4 years ago

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

  • Steroyd #1 5 years ago

    I love lemmings.

    I will get a lemmings game when it's cheap or maybe get Lemmings 2 on Sony's EDI thing one day.

  • skillian #2 5 years ago

    Or, you know, maybe suggest you type "play lemmings" into Google.

    Sums up the review perfectly.

    I got Lemmings on my phone recently, but that's the only reason I can see to pick up this classic but very old game.

  • Blerk #3 5 years ago

    Lemmings - Mouse Control == Waste of Time

  • OnlyMe #4 5 years ago

    I still play the original trilogy on my Amiga, occasionally.

    And is every PSP game going to get ported to the PS2 eventually? If so, I'm looking forward to Syphon Filter and Vice City Stories.

  • BravoGolf #5 5 years ago

    Lemmings online!

  • Psi #6 5 years ago

    i have to say when the first one came out i was addicted, a classic game.

  • FooAtari #7 5 years ago

    Another not-so-great PSP game then.

    Like Blerk said, Lemmings needs a mouse.

  • haowan #8 5 years ago

    This thread is useless without pics of James contorting himself into the shape of a bridge.

  • Eraser #9 5 years ago

    I want Lemmings on my Nintendo DS :(

  • El_MUERkO #10 5 years ago

    give us some screenshots of the eyetoy aspect

    sounds neat, if only it worked

  • Blerk #11 5 years ago

    I want Lemmings on my Nintendo DS :(

    It'd work great on the DS. Shame Sony owns the IP then, isn't it?

  • kaleii Verified Editor-in-Chief, Country Manager, Eurogamer Sweden #12 5 years ago

    BravoGolf: That's a terrible version. Awful game mechanics (the pausing whilst scrolling makes me sick) and not at all charming.

    Bah!

  • Steroyd #13 5 years ago

    It'd work great on the DS. Shame Sony owns the IP then, isn't it?

    Hold up... i thought it was team 17 who had the IP.

    I hope they make a PS3 version of eye-toy lemmings the demo i played on the PS2 had attrocious collision detection.

  • James_Lyon #14 5 years ago

    "This thread is useless without pics of James contorting himself into the shape of a bridge."

    Is it consolation enough to know I had close friends and relatives constantly laughing at me when throwing game shapes?

    About mouse control: like I said, don't be sceptical, it works as well as it could. You have to pause frequently, but then, you could say that about the Amiga version couldn't you? This is a game that's survived GB, SNES, Spectrum and PSP versions amongst others. They've had enough chances to get it right.

    As for Lemmings 2 on PS3, I'm gutted it's nothing to do with The Tribes, and I'm also wondering if they're missing the point somewhat when the first bullet point in the press release trumpets the inclusion of 1080p HD visuals. An important feature? For a Lemmings game? Has the world gone mad?

  • Blerk #15 5 years ago

    Hold up... i thought it was team 17 who had the IP.

    No. Team 17 have done the latest versions, but for Sony. Sony nabbed the Lemmings rights when they bought up Psygnosis all those years ago.

  • FooAtari #16 5 years ago

    James_Lyon, correct me if I'm wrong, but the Amiga had a mouse...

    Lemmings is by far at it's best when played with a mouse, anything else is just to slow and unresponsive in comparison.

  • coojam #17 5 years ago

    The EyeToy features are damn fun...it gets all emotional when you feel like a friendly giant trying to help the little critters cross a gap. Then they get stuck in your spiky hair and you have to nod them across the level.

  • jimbob101 #18 5 years ago

    For £17.99 (Amazon) this looks like a good way to bring the eyetoy out of retirement.

    Gamestracker says you swap data between the PS2 and PS versions. I think you'd have to be a very big fan to buy both versions if they have the same levels.
    Edited by 1 at 10/11/06 @ 13:59

  • chupachups #19 5 years ago

    "Like Blerk said, Lemmings needs a mouse."

    Definitely, or a touch screen.

  • brainbird #20 5 years ago

    Lemmings is a joy even without a mouse. I had a lot of fun with the SNES version. Last year. After playing the Amiga version when it came out.

  • Nobuo #21 5 years ago

    There's nothing like hearing the new Cancan music though.

  • OnlyMe #22 5 years ago

    Lemmings without a mouse is just as good as Discworld or Broken Sword without a mouse, dammit!

    ...

    oh...

  • James_Lyon #23 5 years ago

    "James_Lyon, correct me if I'm wrong, but the Amiga had a mouse... "

    The Amiga had a mouse.

  • Larkhill Jo #24 5 years ago

    Just be warned that the problem of picking out the direction desired of a Lemming when several are walking back and forth in a small space still remains to this day.

    Just hold down square over the Lemming you want to select to make the cursor stick over that Lemming

  • CWolf #25 4 years ago

    I have this game but cannot add it to my collection here as "It is not out yet"?