Moo Who? Review (PC)

Moo Who? provides a mouthpiece for traditional prop hunting, with a bill, a flock of feathers, and a mic that allows versatile “actors” to channel their inner chick. Against the barrel of a shotgun and an overly paranoid farmer, SAT Productions aims to recreate a bird song, not so much with the fleeting chorus of winged angels,  but with unsuspecting Z-list voice actors who believe that they can hold a note, but often struggle to deliver on their promise to conjure the bark to match a bite.

If you think a game like Moo Who? sounds like the punchline to a bad joke, that’s because it is. See, the whole premise is as ridiculous as you think it is: a flock of people enter a farmyard, mimic the sounds of their chosen species, and evade the threat of a bullet as another player searches for the doppelgänger with a shotgun. With that, you have a silly idea that, when it all boils down to it, makes for an oddly hilarious game that’s about as serious as a cow in a three-piece tuxedo. It’s pointless, nonsensical, and yet, in the company of friends, a lot of fun to fool around with, believe it or not.

I will say this: Moo Who? is, against the odds, a breath of fresh air. It isn’t that it’s a brilliant game, or even that it’s a game changer in the PvP field. I think, if it’s anything at all, it’s a sight for sore eyes—a concept that shouldn’t work, yet does for all of the wrong reasons. Given that we have endured hundreds of cheap cash grab ideas that have often fell into the trap of becoming shovelware, it is a pleasant surprise to find a asymmetrical multiplayer game that dares to do things a little differently. And when I say differently, I mean, having players mimic chicken noises down their own microphones. Again, it shouldn’t work, but it does — and I can’t tell if I love it or hate it.

To echo, Moo Who? spins a simple yarn feels awfully reminiscent of a prop hunt-based multiplayer game. As one of a select few farmyard animals, you have the task of roaming the yard, mimicking said animal, and blending in with the environment whilst another user actively seeks you out. If the hunter deciphers your god-awful voice acting abilities, then the odds turn in their favor. The only saving grace is that the hunter has a limited amount of shells. If, say, they choose to aim the barrel at the wrong animal and squeeze the trigger, then you could, in theory, waltz away with a last-minute podium finish. Chances are, though, that you won’t. Because let’s face it, who can actually impersonate a chicken?

If you’re not squawking, mooing or moaning in Moo Who?, then you’re actively roaming the yard, blending in with the props, and pecking at objects in an attempt to look the part. As the hunter, your job is to locate the needle in the haystack, aim your weapon, and remove the weak from the chaff—the mimics from the cattle. And, just to reiterate — this is a game. The thing is, it’s also a surprisingly good game. See, while the animals are in short supply and the commands are severely lacking in range and complexity, the process itself is incredibly entertaining. Given that most of the ordeal is about channeling your inner cow and listening to awful commentary that follows suit, Moo Who? can be stupidly fun to play through, especially with friends who share the same sense of humor.

I never anticipated it, but as it turned out, Moo Who?gave me more to fret about than I could’ve imagined. If I wasn’t desperately trying to mimic a chicken, then I was courageously stamping around the yard, trying to remain perfectly and stupidly vigilant as the timer ticked down at a snail-like pace. Between laughing at my own mediocrity and sweating bullets at the sight of a shotgun, I found myself laughing at the stupidity of it all. It never made a lot of sense, yet I often found myself booting up another round to dabble in another coop or to shoo another troupe of flies away. Say, if I couldn’t be a chicken, then I could be a far better pig. Spoiler alert: I wasn’t ever on the verge of replacing Troy Baker. Yet, I came back, and that counted for something.

As with most niche games like this, Moo Who? shines the brightest in the comfort of like-minded friends. If you lack the ragtag farmyard mentality, then honestly, it’s a lot tougher to enjoy. But then, let’s face it — you need to have a sense of humor to fork out for a game that is, quite literally, about mimicking farm critters. The point is, you know what you’re getting into with a game like this, and Moo Who? doesn’t force a habit of overselling itself or fooling you into believing that it’s something other than what it actually is. It’s stupid — and I mean that in the best possible way.

Realistically, it’s better to take a game like Moo Who?with a grain of salt, and of course, with an open mind that favors gimmicks and entry-level gameplay facets. Moo Who? isn’t a perfect game, nor is it one that has the strength or capacity to outperform its kin. But it is, however, a highly entertaining game that’s as silly as it is oddly competitive. If that speaks to you on a personal level, then you’ll probably enjoy conversing in this idiotic love language.

Verdict

Moo Who? finds its own laughably bad love language to convey a moronic message to the masses, mainly in an effort to illuminate a positive outlook that can resonate with the target demographic. It sits us down and it feeds us its own mantra: even when you think that you have seen it all before, there’s still another needle in the haystack that can surprise you. It just so happens that this needle is in the shape of a cow, a microphone, and a shotgun. Truly, I never would have guessed it, but as it turns out, that absurd cocktail of weirdness turned out pretty well. Is it the best thing to happen since Meccha Chameleon? No — but it serves as a worthy mouthpiece, nonetheless.

If you can approach Moo Who? with low expectations, then you might just come to find yourself in the presence of an annoyingly contagious asymmetrical game. Don’t think any more of it. Is it brilliant? No. Is it something that’ll make you crack a smile? Yes. That, really, is what you’re paying for here.