The Culling of the Cows

About

The Culling of the Cows is a single player casual strategy game. It was developed by DL Softworks and was released on May 9, 2014. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

"The Culling of the Cows" is a side-scrolling shooter/tower defense game where you play as a farmer, Sammy, on a mission to eradicate a disease spreading on his farm. Armored with a 12-gauge and divine approval, Sammy is determined to exterminate the infected city critters infiltrating his countryside. With 40 levels, various achievements, and adjustable difficulty, this action-packed, strategic game offers engaging gameplay that appeals to both casual and experienced players.

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Play Modes

Single-Player

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68%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,369 reviews

gameplay34 positive mentions

music18 negative mentions

The game features a unique and humorous premise, allowing players to shoot zombie cows and other absurd enemies.
Gameplay is fast-paced and can be quite addictive, making it a fun way to kill time.
The art style and sound effects contribute to the game's quirky charm, providing a light-hearted experience.

The game suffers from repetitive gameplay, with little variation in levels and enemies, leading to boredom over time.
Controls can be clunky, with issues in hit detection and the need to reload one bullet at a time, which can be frustrating.
The price point is considered too high for the content offered, making it hard to justify purchasing at full price.

gameplay
162 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
62%
17%
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players criticizing it for being repetitive and lacking depth, often comparing it to basic wave-based shooters. While some appreciate the simple shooting mechanics and occasional humor, others find the controls clunky and the overall experience unpolished, leading to frustration and boredom over time. Despite its creative concept, the gameplay ultimately feels shallow and fails to provide a compelling or engaging experience.
- “The shooting mechanics are simple yet satisfying, with plenty of weapons and upgrades to keep the chaos interesting.”
- “Each wave ramps up the intensity, testing your reflexes and timing in a way that keeps the gameplay exciting.”
- “The gameplay has a progress system where with every wave completed, it brings us to a new and more difficult setting.”
- “The gameplay is mind-numbingly repetitive, the humor lands with the grace of a cow on roller skates.”
- “The controls feel unresponsive, and the gameplay quickly becomes boring.”
- “It's a shame because the graphics and sounds are on point, but the gameplay itself is garbage.”
graphics
104 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
62%
15%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the colorful, cartoonish art style and smooth animations, while others criticize the visuals as basic, lacking variety, and reminiscent of low-quality flash games. Despite some praise for the effort put into the art, many feel that the graphics do not significantly enhance the overall gameplay experience, which is often described as repetitive and unpolished. Overall, the graphics are seen as decent for an indie title, but they fall short of expectations for a more engaging visual experience.
- “The pixel-art visuals perfectly capture the game’s absurd and humorous tone.”
- “The graphics are colourful and cartoony.”
- “The smooth graphics and gory design make this a thrilling, fluid experience.”
- “The graphics are basic, and there’s little variety in missions or enemies.”
- “Ugly art style and graphics, monotonous gameplay that becomes repetitious and stale rather quickly, with a difficulty curve that makes it a chore to restart if you die.”
- “Graphics aren't the best, mechanics are annoyingly unpolished, diversity is nonexistent... the overall game, to be honest, could've been improved a lot before being released.”
humor
101 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
99%
3%
The humor in "The Culling of the Cows" is described as a mix of dark, absurd, and satirical elements, appealing primarily to fans of trashy and over-the-top comedy. While many players find the game hilarious and entertaining, especially in its quirky voiceovers and chaotic gameplay, others note that the humor can become repetitive and may not resonate with everyone. Overall, it offers a unique comedic experience that is best enjoyed by those who appreciate its specific brand of humor.
- “The culling of the cows is a quirky, satirical game that offers a unique and humorous take on gaming industry controversies.”
- “The atmosphere, humor, sound, and feel of the action all come together to form a pretty hilarious and addictive package of nonsensical carnage.”
- “Fast, funny, and totally over-the-top — this game is pure arcade fun.”
- “Unfunny, needlessly violent, and uninspiring level design with no real sense of progression (minus the last level).”
- “The humor falls flat and feels forced, making the experience more cringeworthy than entertaining.”
- “Attempts at humor often miss the mark, leaving players feeling more confused than amused.”
music
67 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
57%
27%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its energetic and fitting nature for the chaotic gameplay, while others find it repetitive and annoying due to its short loops. Many users note that the soundtrack lacks variety and can become grating over time, detracting from the overall experience. Despite these criticisms, a few players highlight the music's ability to enhance the atmosphere and enjoyment of the game.
- “The soundtrack keeps the energy high, and the sound effects — from the moos to the explosions — make every moment feel alive and chaotic.”
- “The music really fits the atmosphere of hellish cows trying to take over your barn, made my head nod.”
- “It's upbeat, and a mixture between some rock/metal and electronic music which goes for the more arcade vibe than atmosphere.”
- “The music is obnoxious, the sound effects are obnoxious, and the hit-boxes are especially obnoxious.”
- “The music lasts 20 seconds and loops infinitely, burning your brains out.”
- “The music is repetitive as hell; you won't stand it longer than like 2 or 3 levels.”
story
63 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
10%
79%
11%
The game's story is often described as absurd and lacking depth, with many reviewers noting that it doesn't take itself seriously and offers little in terms of narrative structure. While some find the chaotic plot involving zombies, UFOs, and cows amusing, others criticize it for being dull and poorly explained, with minimal engagement beyond basic mission objectives. Overall, the story serves more as a comedic backdrop than a compelling narrative, leaving players wanting more substance.
- “It definitely does not lack in craziness in its story.”
- “A modern masterpiece of narrative storytelling.”
- “It's a crazy plot that includes UFOs, zombies, rednecks, and of course, cows.”
- “The theme of the game already says that it doesn't take itself seriously, so the story means nothing.”
- “The story... I have no idea what the story is all about.”
- “All of the other plot points mentioned in the beginning of this paragraph receive no explanation besides a single introduction screen per plot point, and are otherwise meant to serve as comedic masks for generic enemy types.”
replayability
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
68%
14%
The reviews on replayability are mixed, with some players praising the game for its high replay value and challenging elements, while others criticize it for limited gameplay mechanics and a lack of variety. Many agree that additional achievements could enhance replayability, especially given the game's short completion time. Overall, opinions range from "infinitely replayable" to "no replay value whatsoever."
- “This game has a ton of replay value and it's just amazing!”
- “- replay value that is through the roof.”
- “Ps: if you try and get all the stars for every level in the game, you'll be there for a while making this game have very good replay value!”
- “The challenges don't have much variety either, but do offer some replayability and certainly raise the difficulty.”
- “For me, the replay value is 0.”
- “Replayability is a tad limited.”
grinding
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
95%
The grinding aspect of the game is described as a tedious yet oddly addictive experience, requiring players to invest significant time—often upwards of 19 hours—to complete levels and achieve goals. While some find moments of humor and enjoyment, many players express frustration with the repetitive nature of the gameplay and the janky mechanics, particularly in shooting and level progression. Overall, it seems best suited for those who appreciate a mix of shooter and tower defense elements, especially if acquired at a discounted price.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Grinding in this game is incredibly rewarding and keeps you engaged.”
- “The grind is satisfying and offers a real sense of progression.”
- “It's hilarious at points, but completely tedious at others (where you're given a shotgun to protect a barn).”
- “I can't believe it took me 3 hours of grinding before I finally 'cheated' and went looking at the guides.”
- “What can I say about culling of the cows... well, I can't really say I enjoyed all 19 hours of this strangely addicting, but rage-inducing game, but the majority of those hours were spent grinding 41 levels, countless stages, suicide cows, and other strange, killable things... overall it took 19 hours of blood, sweat, and tears to complete 41 game levels, earning all 87 gold medals for the majority of those 41 levels and all 5 achievements.”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The atmosphere of the game is characterized by a quirky blend of humor and charm, reminiscent of films like "Night of the Chicken Dead" and games like "Plants vs. Zombies." The upbeat soundtrack, combining rock/metal and electronic elements, enhances the arcade vibe, creating a lively and engaging environment that complements the chaotic gameplay. Overall, the art style and sound design contribute to a hilarious and addictive experience filled with nonsensical carnage.
- “The music really fits the atmosphere of hellish cows trying to take over your barn; it made my head nod.”
- “I also like the overall art style and atmosphere.”
- “Anyone who loved Plants vs. Zombies will feel right at home with the general atmosphere and charm that pervade it.”
- “The atmosphere is reminiscent of the film 'Night of the Chicken Dead'.”
- “It's upbeat, and a mixture of rock/metal and electronic music, which leans more towards an arcade vibe than creating a cohesive atmosphere.”
- “While the atmosphere, humor, sound, and feel of the action come together for a hilarious experience, it lacks a deeper immersive quality.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional responses to the game are mixed, with some players expressing frustration over gameplay mechanics and a lack of rewarding experiences, leading to disappointment and a desire to avoid the game in the future. Conversely, others find enjoyment in specific aspects, such as action-packed levels that evoke a sense of empowerment. Overall, the emotional impact varies significantly among players, ranging from dissatisfaction to fleeting enjoyment.
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
While the game boasts a strong performance rating of 9/10, indicating stability, some users have reported performance issues that are unexpected for this genre. Overall, the optimization appears to be a mixed bag, with significant room for improvement.
- “Performance: 9/10 (stable as a granite trough)”
- “The optimization in this game is impressive, ensuring a smooth experience throughout.”
- “The developers have done a fantastic job with performance, making it run seamlessly on various systems.”
- “These types of games should not have performance issues, but this one does.”
- “The optimization is lacking, leading to frequent frame drops and stuttering.”
- “I expected better performance; the game struggles to maintain a stable frame rate.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is criticized for buggy hitboxes that often result in bullets passing through targets without causing damage, particularly noticeable during automatic gun sections. Additionally, players report lazy controls and various glitches, with some levels being poorly designed, contributing to an overall unstable experience.
- “The hitboxes are buggy as hell; bullets often go through the target without damaging them.”
- “The hitboxes are kind of buggy, but you only really notice that in the automatic gun sections.”
- “The controls are lazy, there are glitches in the game, and some levels are particularly poorly designed.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers appreciate the character development for its effective integration with gameplay, highlighting that the character design enhances the overall gaming experience.
- “Personally, I liked the character design because it combines well with gameplay.”

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2h Median play time

2h Average play time

2-3h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

The Culling of the Cows is a casual strategy game.

The Culling of the Cows is available on PC and Windows.

On average players spend around 2 hours playing The Culling of the Cows.

The Culling of the Cows was released on May 9, 2014.

The Culling of the Cows was developed by DL Softworks.

The Culling of the Cows has received mostly positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its music.

The Culling of the Cows is a single player game.

Similar games include Dinosaur Hunt, Dead Effect, Caster, 12 is Better Than 6, Yet Another Zombie Defense and others.

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