Fans of the feature film from which this game takes its name, will surely be delighted by Chicken Run for the PC. Opening with footage taken directly from the animation, the game puts you in the webbed shoes of Ginger and, together with Scottish tactician Mac, you must mastermind a way "over the fence". Start by collecting a variety of objects Mac needs for her latest bird-brained scheme, then move up levels (three in total) by completing a number of tasks. Once Mac has all the objects she needs, you can try your latest escape attempt. But, of course, this isn't as easy as it sounds.
Mr. and Mrs. Tweedy and their enthusiastic guard dogs are waiting to thwart your efforts at every turn, so you must either avoid their eager eyes or make sure you collect enough sprouts to stave them off. (It may not sound that logical, but throwing sprouts at your captors works!).
A handy radar screen and a bird's-eye view from an overhead camera angle help you keep ahead of your predators, but they are nevertheless persistent, particularly at tricky moments such as when you try to unhook Mrs. Tweedy's dress from the clothesline. Take part in the arcade-style games and pick up unexpected objects along the way, and your patience will pay off; those items will help you later in the game.
As a tie-in game, Chicken Run is great, and one that kids will undoubtedly love. The graphics are cute and evocative of the film, and all your favourite characters are present. The voices, though not the originals, take on speech patterns and phrases straight from the film, and the characters more than resemble their big-screen counterparts. The gameplay can become repetitive, but that will only serve to attract children more. The game might have been better had it followed a first-person perspective rather than third. That said, this is a fun, challenging family game that any fan of the film will adore.--Lucie Naylor
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