Dog's Life

Released on October 31, 2003, this game is a PlayStation 2 sleeper-hit, and wildly underrated game Dog’s Life is an action-adventure game developed by Frontier Developments and published through Sony Interactive Entertainment. This low-profile family-friendly game received mixed reviews from critics, but it still managed to grab two nominations at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, at the Adventure and Children’s Game categories.

It’s A Hard Dog’s Life

Dog’s Life tells the story of Jake, the flatulent American Foxhound. Jake lives in a little town called Clarksville, his neighbor is a charming Labrador Retriever called Daisy, whom he has a crush on. During a peaceful day in the countryside, Jake watches his crush Daisy being abducted by dog-catchers, and in a heroic gesture decides to rescue her. His adventures take him far and wide across multiple cities, Jake also meets various interesting characters that assist him on his mission.

The game unfolds as Jake learns more about the mysterious abduction and the people behind it. As he tries to navigate the world to rescue Daisy, a Dobermann nicknamed “Killer”, chases and pesters him. It is a simple story, aimed at kids and a younger demographic, but it creates a solid enough context to support the gameplay and be easily understandable by anyone.

Graphic-wise Dog’s Life isn’t the most visually appealing game by any standards, which only got more noticeable with age. Nonetheless, the voice-acting here is surprisingly well-done, Kerry Shale actually broke the Guinness World Record for most voice-overs done by one person in a game, voicing a total of 32 characters. If the ordinary scrip doesn’t appease you, the voice-acting might smooth things over.

Dogs Rescuing Dogs

Dog’s Life has easy mechanics and controllers. It is designed so anyone can understand and play the game. It has its own unique mechanics such as the “Smellovision Mode” where Jake can pick up scents that guide him to new objectives. There’s a reasonable amount of content, and places to explore even if the levels aren’t massive. Which makes finding the hidden bones that enhance your stats a quick task.

In the end Dog’s Life is a straightforward game, with a simple story and common puzzles. The gameplay involves taking Jake to different events such as races, obedience trials, area conquests, and tug-of-war. Variety comes in the form of the other fifteen dog breeds that players can interact with and control during the journey. Players can also gain new abilities and traits for Jake, so puzzles can be tackled in different manners.

Conclusion

This game was better than what it was given credit at the time. Being a game completely targeted for kids, it never pretends to be something it is not. Dog’s Life is a charming game, that boasts a simple storyline, characters, and script.

PROS

• Varied Characters and Puzzle Resolution
• Voice Acting is Great
• Simple Commands and Family Friendly
• Laid-Back Title
• Fun

CONS

• Graphics seem dated
• The Story is Too Simplistic
• Adults Might Not Enjoy The Simplicity
• The Difficulty is Extremely Low for Experienced Players