An innovative game that with some slight polish could have been incredible.
The story is peculiar, as you might suspect simply by looking at the cover. A boy named Gerdy (what an unlucky guy) who wakes up one morning and notices that his father hasn't woken up. He tries to wake him up but without success. He finds out that it has to be one of the contestants in the upcoming herding competition who is trying to sabotage his father, who is a contestant as well. He then decides to join the competition to find out more. The true villain really only appears for a split second in the end, so you really never feel any malice toward the antagonist, but the story is compelling enough to play through the game to its entirety.
As the title cleverly suggests, this game is all about herding various creatures into pens. There is a large variety of creatures in the lush world of Herdy Gerdy, and the game introduces the creatures well so you never really feel like you don't understand the game. It starts out simply, all you have to do is walk toward creatures to herd them in that direction but as the game goes on, new and interesting herding techniques are introduced, keeping the gameplay fresh. Many creatures are fragile, though, and they can't swim either, so any fall from high places or any amount of water will kill them, and they are then irretrievable unless you start the level over. Also, you won't be able to swim until later in the game, which can get irritable, but keeps you from straying far from the beaten path. There is another way that your creatures will die but those are special pink creatures who are violent, but incredibly stupid. They will also defeat you if they catch you but are easily penned in an incredibly small and short pen. There is also a collective item in the game, which are bells, and they are sometimes vital to continue in the game. Ultimately, this mechanic in its entirety is what makes this game shine but occasionally, the gameplay gets a little clunky, especially in some platforming sections.
The game looks good, is smooth and the environments are nicely varied and beautiful. The environments are sometimes sunny, sometimes gloomy or metropolitan. The creatures are imaginative, funny and entertaining, and are all distinct in appearance and behaviour. The sound in the game may not be memorable, but the music isn't bad either, and the sound all the creatures create are cute and nicely made. The characters are well presented and the voice-acting is surprisingly good.
The game itself is pretty hard, and can be merciless and unforgiving in its missions, so patience is necessary to enjoy the game to its fullest. Sticking with it, however, is the right choice. This game is an underrated game that stands out of the endless row of indie games out there and if you can find this game in any retailer, you owe it to yourself to try it out.