Canine PS5 Review 7/10 “All Charm and Some Bite” 🐺 @PuKoStudio #IndieGame #GameDev

I’m going to start my review of this horror game by not talking about gore, or darkness, or being scared… but about charm. Now, when talking about things that one finds important in a game, charm isn’t usually at the forefront - but I find that it can go a long way, and I found both Canine and its overall message really charming, there is a real sincerity to it, the love for both horror and dogs shines through and although without it Canine would still be enjoyable, the heart makes it much more special.

You play as a boy who has lost his dog, Tomy, I want to at this point inform both spell check and my editor - it is just Tomy with one ‘m’ (noted, maybe they named him after a much-loved Japanese toy company? – ed). You find out he has been taken by a company called Umbral. It is not really a spoiler to say this, as they are a company in a video game which means they are as evil as… well companies in real life, I suppose - so very quickly you realise that you need to get your dog and leave. In most horror games you have a weapon to defend yourself, such as a handgun or perhaps shotgun, heck - in Resident Evil you even fire a rocket launcher!