Close Encounters of the Herd Kind

The mothership has a collection list. Unfortunately, nobody told the animals. In Close Encounters of the Herd Kind, you’re an extraterrestrial pilot with a simple assignment: bring the right passengers aboard, in the right order. Between you and a successful departure stand wandering herds, awkward crossings and a farmyard with very little respect for your schedule.

Every approach is a small puzzle. Ease a chicken away from the crowd, line up a pulse to get a bigger animal aboard, or spend a precious lift capsule carrying a bull across the landscape. Positioning and timing turn a simple beam into a surprisingly versatile tool. Get impatient, and the wrong passenger might beat your intended target to the mothership.

The animals make every round feel alive. Sheep celebrate returning to their flock, pigs shake off the mud, and goats take a moment to look pleased with themselves. Their short, playful reactions give every rescue a little personality—and make it all the more memorable when your carefully assembled herd decides to scatter.

When you’re ready to create your own challenges, the world editor puts the planet in your hands. Shape the land, build a crossing or leave an animal waiting on a remote island. Create a gentle introduction or a wonderfully awkward herding puzzle, then take your UFO out and put it to the test.