Lemmings 2: The Tribes Download (1993 Puzzle Game)

The sequel to one of the most famous games ever now has a much more significant plot. The Lemmings have split into 12 distinct tribes, each of which has their own landscape and their own cultural identity - they include Egyptian, Circus and Highland. However, Lemming Island is now in danger, and you must complete 10 levels for each tribe in order for them to reunite and reassemble the Talisman from the 12 pieces.

Across the 120 levels there are over 60 skills, although no more than 10 are in use on each screen. The Classic tribe has the ones form the original and is perhaps the best option for first-time players.

The others range from digging methods such as a scooper (diagonally downwards) and club basher (horizontal), building skills such as a planter (takes time to produce the desired raise to the landscape) and a sand pourer, and various methods of movement including a Pole-Vaulter and a Skater (the only Lemmings who can cross ice). Some of these are only subtly different to others, and their exact uses are unclear, but there are 4 Trainer levels where you can select any combination of skills and experiment.

Unlike the first game, you are rewarded for saving as many Lemmings as possible, rather than simply passing or failing. The ultimate aim is to save all 60 Lemmings through all levels, thereby earning a Gold Medal for that tribe - Silver and Bronze are also on offer. You can also go back over levels in the hope of saving more Lems.

Because there are 12 tribes, and you can switch between them at any point, you have to be stuck 12 times in order to be unable to progress. The game saves your progress rather than using passwords as in the first game.

Lemmings 2: The Tribes is a great sequel to Psygnosis' famous puzzler Lemmings, although it never was quite as popular. Everyone's favorite furry critters are back, and this time, they come with all new abilities and much more varied terrain.

The basic premise remains the same as in Lemmings: you start out with a certain number of lemmings. Then walk in a strait line, and your goal is to command them to do certain tasks that will help them to get to the exit without dying. Instead of one big happy family, Lemmings 2 features 12 different "tribes" of lemmings. Your goal is to escort each tribe though 10 levels so you can win a talisman for each tribe (you win gold, silver, or bronze depending on how many lemmings you are able to save). There are now 60 instead of 8 skills that you can assign to the lemmings, but fortunately they are limited to 8 per level, so the simple elegance of Lemmings is kept intact. Lemmings 2 is also more forgiving than its predecessor in that you don't have to rescue every lemming in a level to proceed. You have 60 lemmings at the start of each tribe, and any lemmings you rescue come over to the next level. However, since you can only finish a game after you have all pieces of the talisman, you have to try to save as many lemmings as possible on each level.

Although most new skills are variants of the old ones, there are some fun additions, such as hanggliding, that require both precise timing as well as planning. With more devious level designs, more skills, and more lemmings antics than the first game, Lemmings 2: The Tribes is a strong sequel that deserves no less notice than its famous ancestor does.

I'm sure you have all heard of lemmings before, and if you haven't, where have you been? Lemmings are probably one of the most popular DOS games ever. I loved playing every minute of them back in the days they were published, and not much has changed until today. Since starting up this gem I have had one hell of a good time.

If you have never played lemmings before it will at first be pretty confusing. Even I, a seasoned lemmings player found this new installment confusing at first. There are many new lemming ''breeds'' such as sand pourer's and jet packers. However you won't be disappointed as many of the old lemming ''breeds'' are included as well! Bashers have returned and just like before these little lemmings smash their way through walls, while stompers smash through floors. The graphics are very bright and colorful and the game is very playable in the state that they are in. At the end of each level you will be greeted with a podium and depending on how many lemmings you saved you will stand on place 1, 2 or 3. The actual lemmings gameplay can be described as purely addictive puzzle fun.

Each level starts with our beloved Lemmings dropping from the sky into a danger ridden zone. You will have to guide them from one side of the level to the other (the side where the exit is located). This isn't as easy as it sounds, because along the way you will encounter many hazards such as holes is the floor, flame pits, water holes...well you get the idea. Our lemmings, no matter how cute, are extremely stupid and we must tell them exactly what to do. Don't expect a lemming to stop when come across a hole in the ground! You have to tell them to jump over it or they will just walk straight into it.

This game is great since you play god and in your hands lay a bunch of little green haired beings. What happens to them is up to you! You can watch them grinning madly as they fall to their death, or you can sit smiling as they happily make their way to the level exit. Either way, I'm sure you will find this game extremely fun. I certainly did. This game is a must have for all DOS gamers a true classic that will never get old.

How to run this game on modern Windows PC?

People who downloaded Lemmings 2: The Tribes have also downloaded:
Lemmings, Lemmings Chronicles, The (a.k.a. All New World of Lemmings), Lemmings Holiday, Lemmings: Oh No! More Lemmings, Lemmings for Windows 95, Lemmings Revolution, Oh No! More Lemmings, Lemmings 3: All New World of Lemmings