Sometimes life gets too stressful. So stressful that you just want to get back home, settle in, and play a nice, quiet, no-stress, no-risk game, and DOGWALK is exactly that. It’s a short 20-minute game (give or take) where you’re out on a walk in a nice snowy escape.
Except you’re the dog. Yep. You’re the cute, fluffy, large four-legged companion to the little kid.
The objective is simple: go around the map and find items to help the little kid finish the snowman he’s building! Thing is, you’re going to be on a leash and the kid’s got short legs, so be sure to watch out how fast you’re going. There’s no health bar to be concerned about, but you are capable of outrunning the kid and making him trip, then at some point, you’re just dragging him through the snow. Trust me, it happened a lot when I played.
The art style is reminiscent of storybooks, and screenshots at any given moment would be wallpaper-worthy. The textures of the environment are so satisfying because they give a painterly quality to them. Plus, the way grass and some bushes move reminds me of pop-up books. That definitely adds to the storybook vibes.
You can interact with the kid, scare birds, and bark. It’s an incredibly simple game but the details put into it are amazing. Thinking about how most of the assets were done in Blender makes me have so much hope for what the future has in store for gaming.
The sound design is amazing, and you’ve got such a lovely score to accompany the walk, one that’s filled with whimsy and with an almost childlike wonder to it. DOGWALK is a wholesome, playful game, and it’s also free! A passion project to test and improve Blender and the Godot Game Engine. This is one of Blender Studios’ “Open Projects”, and I’m honestly so impressed! This makes me look forward to how they’re going to help change the gaming scene with all that they’re working on.
If you’re interested in good visuals, smooth gameplay, and supporting a creative endeavor, I highly recommend checking the game out!
