The Culling of the Cows

About

"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.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

68%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,364 reviews

gameplay33 positive mentions

music18 negative mentions

Unique and humorous concept involving zombie cows and absurd scenarios.
Quick gameplay that can be completed in under an hour, making it a fun time killer.
Affordable price point, especially during sales, making it accessible for casual gamers.

Limited gameplay depth with repetitive mechanics and little variety in enemies.
Clunky controls and hit detection issues that can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences.
Feels more like a prototype or flash game rather than a polished final product.

gameplay
156 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
62%
17%
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players criticizing its basic mechanics, lack of depth, and repetitiveness, leading to a generally unpolished experience. While some appreciate the humorous concept and simple controls, others find the clunky movement and frustrating hit detection detract from enjoyment. Overall, the game offers a short, simplistic experience that may entertain briefly but lacks the complexity and replayability expected from more developed titles.
- “The gameplay is nice, and it is quite satisfying to kill the zombies with your shotgun.”
- “There are even some variations in the gameplay where you fight bosses, and also shoot from a fixed position, while the main game mode offers supply drops, alternate ammo types, and upgrade paths.”
- “The gameplay has a progress system where with every wave completed, it brings us to a new and more difficult setting.”
- “Limited gameplay: very basic mechanics with little depth or replayability.”
- “The controls feel unresponsive, and the gameplay quickly becomes boring.”
- “The gameplay is repetitive, similar to games such as Plants vs. Zombies or any other wave-based games.”
graphics
100 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
61%
16%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many users noting that they are basic and reminiscent of flash games, lacking in variety and polish. However, some players appreciate the colorful, cartoony art style and the effort put into the visuals, describing them as decent for an indie title. Overall, while the graphics may not be the game's strong suit, they are considered serviceable and occasionally charming, though improvements could be made.
- “The animations are okay, the art style is appropriately goofy-yet-gritty, and it has entertaining death scenes for each enemy type, showing a certain level of polish that you don't typically see here.”
- “The graphics are colourful and cartoony.”
- “The smooth graphics and gory design make this a thrilling, fluid experience.”
- “The culling of the cows has ugly graphics, poor gameplay mechanics and isn't much fun.”
- “Ugly artstyle 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 inexistent... the overall game, to be honest, could've been improved a lot before being released.”
humor
91 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
99%
3%
The humor in the game is characterized by sharp, satirical commentary on the gaming industry, which some players find clever and entertaining, while others feel it may not resonate universally. Many reviews highlight the game's quirky and absurd humor, with memorable voiceovers and comedic elements that contribute to its charm, though some players note that the humor can become repetitive and the gameplay lacks depth. Overall, the game is appreciated for its comedic value, but its appeal may be limited to those who enjoy its specific style 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.”
- “I enjoyed the music a lot, also the original art style and funny voice acting; too bad it is somewhat short.”
- “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
64 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
55%
28%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many players noting its repetitiveness and lack of variety, leading to a sense of annoyance over time. While some appreciate the energetic and fitting soundtrack that complements the gameplay, others find it obnoxious and unmemorable, detracting from the overall experience. Overall, the music serves its purpose but often fails to enhance the game's atmosphere or excitement.
- “The music really fits the atmosphere of hellish cows trying to take over your barn, made my head nod.”
- “On the bright side it has some kickass music!”
- “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
61 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
10%
79%
11%
The game's story is characterized by its absurdity and lack of depth, featuring a chaotic mix of themes like UFOs, zombies, and cows, which some players find entertaining while others deem it dull and poorly explained. Many reviews highlight that the narrative serves primarily as a comedic backdrop rather than a substantial element, with little to no character development or engaging plot progression. Overall, while the story may provide some mindless fun, it fails to deliver a compelling or coherent experience.
- “Moral of the story: you never know what life has in store for you, and if I had given up when all the odds were against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
- “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
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
72%
14%
The reviews on replayability are mixed, with some players finding the game infinitely replayable due to its challenges and achievements, while others criticize it for limited gameplay mechanics and a lack of variety, resulting in minimal replay value. Overall, while some users appreciate the potential for replay through completionist goals, many feel that the game does not offer substantial replayability.
- “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!”
- “For me, the replay value is 0.”
- “Replayability is a tad limited.”
- “There is not much replay value, but I would recommend playing it at least once.”
grinding
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
94%
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being tedious and time-consuming, with players reporting hours spent on repetitive tasks to achieve completion. While some find moments of humor and enjoyment, the overall experience is marred by frustration, particularly due to janky mechanics and the need for extensive grinding to progress. Many recommend playing at a discounted price to mitigate the grind's impact.
- “Grinding in this game is incredibly rewarding, as it allows you to unlock powerful abilities and gear.”
- “The grind is satisfying, with each level-up feeling like a significant achievement.”
- “I love how the grinding mechanics are balanced; it never feels tedious and always offers a sense of progression.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “It’s a very quick, maybe 2-hour experience that will frustrate you at first until you get the ammo upgrades, and then it just becomes a little tedious.”
- “What can I say about culling the cows... well, I can't really say I enjoyed all 19 hours of this strangely addicting, but rage-inducing game. 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 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, contributing to a hilarious and addictive experience filled with chaotic fun. Overall, the art style and sound design effectively create a unique and engaging environment.
- “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.”
- “Atmosphere like 'Night of the Chicken Dead' film.”
- “It's upbeat, and a mixture between some rock/metal and electronic music which goes for the more arcade vibe than atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere, humor, sound and feel of the action all come together to form a pretty hilarious and addictive package of nonsensical carnage.”
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, which evoke a sense of empowerment and nostalgia. Overall, the emotional impact varies significantly among players, with humor fading quickly for some while others appreciate certain gameplay elements.
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 unresponsive, there are glitches in the game, and some levels are particularly poorly designed.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game suffers from notable performance issues, which is disappointing given that such games typically should run smoothly.
- “These types of games should not have performance issues, but this one does.”
- “The optimization is so poor that it ruins the overall experience.”
- “I expected better performance from a game of this caliber, but the optimization is lacking.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Reviewers appreciate the character development for its effective integration with gameplay, highlighting that the character design enhances the overall gaming experience.
- “I really enjoyed the character design because it integrates seamlessly with the gameplay.”
- “The depth of character development in this game is truly impressive, allowing for meaningful choices that impact the story.”
- “Each character feels unique and evolves throughout the game, making the journey feel personal and engaging.”

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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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