Canine

About

Canine is a single player survival shooter game with a horror theme. It was developed by Puko and was released on May 10, 2023. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

"CANINE is a single-player Horror Stealth game where you, as a boy, must rescue your kidnapped dog Tomy from an evil corporation. With only Tomy's ball as your weapon, use stealth and distraction to avoid a humanoid dog and make your way through a PSX-style game. Experience a class B horror film narrative with two possible endings, a score system, and multiple language options."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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96%

Audience ScoreBased on 136 reviews

graphics8 positive mentions

replayability3 negative mentions

CANINE offers a charming PSX-style aesthetic and a heartfelt story that resonates with dog lovers, making it an engaging experience.
The game features a unique gameplay mechanic involving a tennis ball to distract the monster, adding a fun twist to the typical hide-and-seek horror formula.
Despite its short length, the game successfully builds tension and atmosphere, providing a memorable experience that encourages replayability through achievements and speedrunning.

The AI of the monster can be inconsistent, leading to moments where it behaves unpredictably, which can detract from the overall tension.
Some players found the game too short, with playthroughs averaging around 30 minutes, leaving them wanting more content.
The English translation contains numerous spelling errors and grammatical issues, which may hinder the immersion for some players.

graphics
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
60%
11%
The graphics of "Canine" are characterized by a nostalgic PS1 aesthetic, featuring chunky visuals and grainy filters that evoke a retro horror experience. While some players appreciate the cohesive art style and unique horror concepts, others note inconsistencies in quality, with certain elements appearing less polished. Overall, the game's visuals successfully capture a distinct throwback vibe that enhances its immersive and creepy atmosphere.
- “Starting with the art style, there are chunky PS1 graphics and blurry filters that help elicit the old school experiences.”
- “The aesthetic hits just right – the grainy visuals, lighting, and retro filter gave it a great throwback look that still felt cohesive.”
- “The PSX style graphics and the music really make the experience more immersive and creepy!”
- “The graphics are alright in parts and poor in others.”
- “This was a fun game; the graphics are pretty bad but still a fun game. There's a few jump scares when the monster finds you and it was fun trying to get all of the achievements.”
- “Definitely not on the level of care as Puppet Combo games but has that same aesthetic.”
gameplay
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
37%
16%
The gameplay is divided into a linear tutorial phase followed by an exploration segment, where players navigate hallways to collect items and complete objectives. While some reviewers appreciate the simple mechanics and atmosphere, others criticize it for relying on horror clichés and a repetitive hide-and-seek loop. Overall, the game offers a decent experience with engaging elements like a ranking system and sound design, though it leaves players wanting more depth and variety in its mechanics.
- “Personally not a fan of the hide and seek gameplay loop, but I did actually enjoy it here; the mechanics were well executed and the checkpoint system takes away any needless frustration.”
- “The audio is solid along with the atmosphere, and the gameplay is simple and tense.”
- “The gameplay for the most part can be split up into two separate acts: the linear section that I call the tutorial and then the actual exploration part.”
- “Once you get to the exploration part is where the actual gameplay begins, and for the most part it consists of going down one of the many hallways (around six or so) to grab specific items from each for both collectible stuff (documents that explain the lore), switches for the exit, and keys to rescue your dog Tomy.”
- “[*] The gameplay is trite and addled with horror gaming clichés.”
story
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
37%
19%
The game's story, while not entirely original and requiring significant suspension of disbelief, offers a surprisingly heartfelt narrative, especially for dog lovers. Players embark on a straightforward yet engaging mission, with a mix of retro horror elements and emotional depth that culminates in a satisfying ending. Despite its brevity, the storytelling effectively builds suspense and showcases a thoughtful plot that resonates with players.
- “It leans into that retro analog horror feel, but there’s a surprisingly sweet story under the creepy surface—especially if you’re a dog lover like me.”
- “Dog people, this one's for you – I was all in on the story from the jump, and the emotional little message at the ending landed in a really sincere way.”
- “The only downsides are that the game is very short, like you can beat it in 15 minutes if you know what you're doing (it's actually an achievement to beat the game in a fast time) the game does a great job of building suspense and storytelling.”
- “The story is barely sensical and requires enough suspension of disbelief to build a suspension bridge.”
- “Part of the story required me to seriously suspend belief here in order to play along with the plot.”
- “The plot starts out pretty straightforward, quickly goes bonkers.”
music
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
58%
21%
The music in the game is primarily focused on creating a tense atmosphere, with loud, unsettling sound cues that alert players to the presence of danger, enhancing the horror experience. While the soundtrack is minimal, it effectively contributes to the game's immersive and chilling environment, particularly with standout pieces like the save room theme. Overall, the sound design, including music and effects, is praised for its ability to heighten tension and support gameplay mechanics.
- “Canine is a very straightforward horror game with an interesting plot, chilling music to keep you on your toes, and great game design by the developer/developers.”
- “The psx style graphics and the music really make the experience more immersive and creepy!”
- “The loud music in itself startled me, and so I would always know to hide, but if you play on the highest difficulty and you don’t have that?”
- “There isn’t really much other than the aforementioned scary sting music or droning, so it’s a game all about atmosphere and listening to your environment, and to be honest, I’m okay with this.”
- “Very unsettling music and sound effects when the mutant dog thing is getting close.”
atmosphere
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
11%
33%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its effectiveness in creating tension and anxiety, largely through solid sound design and a nostalgic low-poly visual style. While some players note that the horror elements may rely on jump scares, the overall experience is described as immersive and engaging, with a strong emphasis on environmental listening and mood. Many reviewers appreciate the unique atmosphere as a standout feature, enhancing the gameplay experience.
- “My only real opinion here is that while the loop itself is the same as it is with a lot of different horror games, the things that make this game a unique experience would be the atmosphere itself.”
- “Solid creepy atmosphere thanks to some effective sound design and that good old low-poly 'PSX revival' visual style that is very popular these days in horror games.”
- “The game has some pretty great atmosphere, and I was very much filled with anxiety while going through my first playthrough.”
- “The atmosphere was decent, but the real 'horror' is just a jump scare that you can't avert.”
- “Solid creepy atmosphere thanks to some effective sound design and that good old low-poly 'PSX revival' visual style that is (happily) very popular these days in horror games.”
- “There isn’t really much other than the aforementioned scary sting music or droning, so it’s a game all about atmosphere and listening to your environment, and to be honest, I’m okay with this.”
humor
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is described as a mix of charming and engaging elements, with some players finding it intentionally funny, particularly in the quirky character designs and scenarios. However, there are moments where the humor can feel obnoxious or detract from the overall experience, especially as the game shifts focus from horror to lightheartedness. Overall, the blend of humor and gameplay mechanics contributes to its replayability and appeal.
- “Maybe it's the charming pixels and funny mapping of the dogs, but it's actually engaging.”
- “What it makes up for is a cute sense of humor and a focus on replayability with a scoring system at the end of each playthrough, which only takes about a half hour, by the way.”
- “Cool little game that was (un)intentionally funny at times.”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
17%
50%
Overall, the game offers solid replayability, particularly for speedrunners and those seeking to improve their scores, thanks to a grading system at the end of each playthrough. While it may lose some of its scare factor over time, the inclusion of humor and a concise gameplay length enhances its replay value, making it a worthwhile experience for the price.
- “Good game for the price, achievements, and replayability (speedrun).”
- “Best $2.99 I spent in a while, especially given the amount of replayability it offers by encouraging you to do better thanks to a grading system at the end of each run.”
- “Is it starts to lose its scare factor quite a bit, however what it makes up for is a cute sense of humor and a focus on replayability with a scoring system at the end of each playthrough, which only takes about a half hour, by the way.”
- “Best $2.99 I spent in a while, especially given the amount of replayability the game offers by encouraging you to do better thanks to a grading system at the end of each run.”
- “Nice short horror game with stealth, PSX graphics, and a bit of humor; the length is perfect and it even has a scoring system to give it some replayability.”
emotional
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game effectively evokes a strong emotional response, particularly among dog lovers, with a heartfelt story that balances horror, silliness, and wholesomeness. Players appreciate the sincere ending message about pet adoption, which resonates deeply and leaves a lasting impact, often prompting thoughts of adopting shelter dogs. Overall, the emotional journey is both heartbreaking and uplifting, making for a memorable experience.
- “I was all in on the story from the jump, and the emotional little message at the ending landed in a really sincere way.”
- “The end credits made me cry a bit too, with a nice reminder of all the dogs that need a home, and all the dogs that might not have made it to the end with us.”
- “Ending message was heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time; I think I will adopt about 20 shelter pups now.”