The point of Legacy Interactive’s Pet Pals games is to experience life as a veterinarian. Substituting a mouse for any number of medical tools, Pet Pals New Leash on Life gives you a chance to try your hand at saving a variety of tiny lives.

Like its predecessors, Pet Pals New Leash on Life casts you in the role of a new hire at a veterinary clinic. The twist in this game is that you are at a clinic which is attached to a pet adoption center. In addition to helping cure the animals, you have to help them through the adoption process.

If the thought of jumping into the world of veterinary medicine with both feet scares you, don’t worry. Pet Pals New Leash on Life is very gentle and will guide you every step of the way if you wish. On-screen prompts tell you what tools to use and where to apply them. Clicking through the various menus and techniques is simple and quick.

One nice feature of the game is that each exam begins by offering you a chance to ask a series of questions of your Vet Tech. Presented with five possible questions, you have to select the three most relevant. So, while it pays to ask if the ailing kitten has been eating, you probably want to avoid asking about its favorite toy.

Following the interview, you’ll have a chance to wade in to the thick of it as you poke, prod, and assess your patient. Based on your findings, you’ll have to make a diagnosis and undertake a treatment plan. After you’re done, your boss will evaluate your performance.

In addition to your duties as veterinarian, Pet Pals New Leash on Life requires you to participate in “enrichment activities” with the animals up for adoption. In layman’s terms, you get to play with them and groom them and feed them. The game sets targets you have to achieve with each animal, but hitting the mark isn’t difficult. When the animal is ready for a new home, you’ll get to play an adoption mini-game to find out exactly what kind of home they’ll end up in. Oddly, even though it’s clearly tightly scripted, there is some satisfaction to placing a rescue animal with an imaginary family.

The graphics can be somewhat graphic, but never over-the-top. The animals (and people) have the smooth look of old-style CG, but the voice acting and sound effects are generally good. The pre-rendered sets look like you’d expect them to look and the animals’ movements are convincing.

There’s a little new knowledge to be gained here (and opportunities to show it off in mini-games and quizzes built into the main game) and a certain pleasure to be taken in healing the critters. While it won’t ever be mistaken for a true veterinary simulator, for the right audience -- pre-adolescent girls come to mind -- this is an entertaining diversion which is worth the modest price.