Video games the place you play as cats appear all the fashion these days. With the inflow of independently developed titles, creatives have provided gamers the possibility to play as their favourite furry creatures. Titles like Stray, Cat Quest, and the just lately launched Little Kitty, Huge Metropolis place you within the paws of small felines who go on a various set of adventures.
And certain, cats are fantastic, multi-faceted creatures with tons of versatility, however as an enormous canine lover, why aren’t canines getting the identical remedy in gaming? Although it’s definitely nice to see cats getting so many new video games, it feels as if canine lovers are left within the mud in the event that they a sport starring their favourite animal companions. If avid gamers are to embrace a way forward for animal-led video video games, at the very least give the puppies their likelihood within the limelight.
Cats Are Cool
Let it’s identified that I’m not making an attempt to attract a line within the sand between cats and canines. Cats are fairly fantastic and definitely deserving of the eye they’ve been receiving within the gaming world. I imply, it’s just like the Counting Crows as soon as stated, “All people wanna move at cats.” And let’s be actual, there are some actually nice video games out in the present day that function cats within the lead function.
Cat Quest, for instance, takes on the vibe of a top-down open-world RPG the place you journey around the globe as an lovable cat. There’s dungeon-crawling gameplay with real-time fight, and the encompassing characters are cats as nicely. Past the compelling gameplay, the cat-based world provides this title a ton of added lovable allure. The sport spawned a sequel – one which, credit score the place it’s due, really helps you to play as a canine – and it’s set to obtain one other entry, Cat Quest: Pirates of the Purribean, later this yr.
It’s additionally exhausting to undergo an inventory of cat-based video games with out mentioning Stray, considered one of 2022’s larger award darlings. A sport the place you management a cat in a cyberpunk-based metropolis, Stray throws our small kitty right into a murky world the place they discover and meet robots with various personalities, all whereas speaking with them by way of distinctive expertise. It’s a really refreshing tackle an open-world journey with stunning visuals and a surprisingly emotional story to associate with its feline-based exploration and platforming.
I’ll additionally even notice that the newly launched Little Kitty, Huge Metropolis has quietly turn out to be considered one of my favourite video video games of the yr. Because the title suggests, you assume the function of a small cat traversing a giant metropolis within the hopes of getting again house. It’s considerably akin to Stray, however with a way more easy, down-to-earth type and aesthetic that however buoys its lovable allure into a fast however satisfying journey. Developer Double Dagger Studio did an exquisite job creating the vibe of a small cat working alongside an enormous metropolis, creating hijinks for people and different animals.
Canine Deserve Some Love, Too
Now these cat video games are all nicely and good, however why does it really feel like canines haven’t gotten almost the identical consideration? It’s exhausting to seek out many video games that basically put you in command of a canine and allow you to run wild in that very same approach. And no, Bluey The Videogame doesn’t depend; certain, it’s cute for instructing your youngsters methods to maintain a controller, however the aspect of controlling a canine barely performs right here.
I imply, certain, there are video games the place you may play as wolves, resembling Okami and The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, however what about smaller canines? As a result of in any other case, probably the most noteworthy dog-based video video games are titles the place you both deal with canines or discover a good boy or two which you can pet all through the journey. And don’t get it twisted: nothing feels higher than discovering a canine in a sport and attending to pet them. However what about attending to play as them?
The closest I may discover to a sport that really helps you to management a canine is the 2003 title Canine’s Life, a 2003 sport starring an American Foxhound named Jake who lives on a farmhouse. That’s cute and all, however in comparison with the litany of nice cat-based video games, one satisfactory however low-rent canine online game doesn’t sound wherever close to as thrilling. It’d be significantly better if a dog-starring sport got here alongside that had extra fashionable improvement sensibilities from a passionate set of builders.
There’s additionally Tokyo Jungle, an obscure PlayStation 3 sport the place you management stranded animals in post-apocalyptic Tokyo, and one of many animals you play as is a Pomeranian. It’s an lovable idea – and maybe an attention-grabbing precursor to a title like Stray – however one which’s kinda fallen by the wayside into obscurity, not receiving almost the identical quantity of affection as a title like Stray did. Oh, and Wargroove is a turn-based techniques sport the place one of many commanders you may management is a canine…that’s cute.
In any other case, the marketplace for video video games that mean you can enterprise round as a canine feels fairly barren, and it looks as if it could actually use a lift. Indie builders appear particularly smitten with making video games centered round different animals (particularly cats), however why does it really feel just like the market of dog-based video video games is so quiet? No, canines may not have the ability to climb partitions in the identical approach the protagonist of Little Kitty, Huge Metropolis can, however that doesn’t imply each canine character in a online game must be mere window dressing. Petting the canine is superior, however what about taking part in because the canine?
In an inventive medium the place lots of the attraction is having the ability to go on adventures and management characters that differ so tremendously from your self, extra builders ought to take into account methods to make video video games centered round canines. They’re such charming and lovable creatures that might go on distinctive and attention-grabbing adventures, whereas additionally promoting copies on their lovable presence alone. Avid gamers have clearly confirmed that they’re open to taking part in as cats, so maybe it’s time for the canines to have their day. Let’s see sport builders show which you can educate an outdated canine new tips.
