Dogworld
- March 18, 2021
- Lateralis Heavy Industries
Get on SteamDogworld is a single-player Science Fiction Shooter game with a compelling story and amazing gameplay. After a catastrophic event, you are launched to the surface world filled with talking dog-like creatures and must fight a rogue AI to save humanity. The game features pretty visuals, phenomenal music, various weapons, upgrades, secrets, and challenging platforming.
Nintendo Switch
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features tight controls and fluid gameplay, making combat and platforming enjoyable and satisfying.
- The soundtrack is exceptional, with a variety of catchy chiptune tracks that enhance the overall experience.
- The game is filled with charming characters and secrets to discover, creating an engaging world that encourages exploration.
- Some boss fights can feel overly difficult and may lead to frustration, especially towards the end of the game.
- The weapon switching system can be cumbersome, making it difficult to change weapons quickly during combat.
- The final boss and ending may feel abrupt or unsatisfying, leaving players wanting more closure.
- music94 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 37 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The music in Dogworld has received widespread acclaim, with many players highlighting its exceptional chiptune soundtrack that enhances the game's atmosphere and gameplay experience. Reviewers describe the soundtrack as a standout feature, filled with "bangers" that elevate the immersive world and complement the game's challenging mechanics. Overall, the music is considered a major draw for the game, with some players stating it is among their favorites in gaming history.
“This game is fantastic, and the soundtrack is incredible.”
“The world building is immersive, visuals beautiful, music elevates it, doesn't get tired, is incredible (one of the only game soundtracks I've listened to a lot at other times).”
“The soundtrack is genuinely one of my favorite of any game ever, it's just banger after banger.”
“Still, if I haven’t missed anything, I didn’t hear the trailer soundtracks in the game, which was extremely disappointing.”
“My only major complaint with Dogworld is that while I recognize locations by level design and music, I never recall what distinguishing features the environment has aside from 'oh there's water' and 'oh this one has clouds'.”
“It's not all about the soundtrack!”
- story62 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The story of Dogworld is often compared to Cave Story, with many reviewers noting its engaging characters and solid narrative structure, though some feel it lacks depth and ends abruptly after the final boss. While the game features multiple endings influenced by player choices, the storytelling is described as light, with interesting lore revealed through collectible logs. Overall, it is seen as a fun experience with a decent story that serves as a homage to its predecessor, appealing particularly to fans of Cave Story.
“Guns and dogs make for an epic game with lots of memorable characters and a solid story.”
“Shotgun jumping, unique characters, boppin' music, and a cool story all make Dogworld really great.”
“Dogworld is a game that knows what it wants to be; the gameplay, the story, setting, and the self-imposed limitations of both the soundtrack and sound design (all produced on Game Boy) and the visuals (everything with 3 colors) all blend together to deliver a unique experience.”
“Overall, it's passable, but I'd rather replay Cave Story again than spend more time with this game.”
“As soon as you beat the final boss, the story ends abruptly, as if the dev was in a hurry.”
“Overall, a great experience with good platforming, a mediocre story, and slightly unfun bosses.”
- gameplay56 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 52 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay is praised for its fluidity and depth, featuring engaging combat and platforming mechanics that include unique sliding and double jump abilities, as well as a variety of weapon upgrades. Players appreciate the balance of challenge and satisfaction, with a well-paced difficulty curve that keeps them invested throughout the experience. The combination of tight mechanics, a captivating chiptune soundtrack, and charming visuals contributes to a nostalgic yet modern gaming experience that feels both fun and rewarding.
“Simple, pure, satisfying fun gameplay with a great story that is in perfect balance.”
“The game is paced very well, both in its difficulty curve and its story, revealing pieces of the backstory and new mechanics and weapons at just the right rate to keep you satisfied and on your toes.”
“The gameplay feels very responsive, the tone is dark but manages not to be caricatural, the soundtrack is comprised of 100% heavy chiptune bangers, the visuals are beautiful, and there is great attention to detail in every part of the design process.”
“Apparently there's a 'true ending', but the gameplay isn't deep or well thought out enough to really warrant more time.”
“Overall it's lovely and charming, but there's a few quirks of design in both the gameplay and visual elements that take it down a notch or two.”
“Some areas also use similar building blocks like the later lab/mechanical areas which further compounds the environment issues I have.”
- graphics32 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a unique 1-bit black and white aesthetic, enhanced by the use of red, which some players find immersive and visually appealing, especially in motion. While the simplicity of the pixel art style and character designs may come off as bland to some, the overall world-building and attention to detail in the visuals contribute to a captivating experience. Despite some environments blending together due to the art style, the graphics are generally considered serviceable and complement the game's engaging gameplay and soundtrack.
“The world building is immersive, visuals beautiful, music elevates it, doesn't get tired, is incredible (one of the only game soundtracks I've listened to a lot at other times).”
“Dogworld is a game that knows what it wants to be; the gameplay, the story, setting and the self-imposed limitations of both the soundtrack and sound design (all produced on Game Boy) and the visuals (everything with 3 colors) all blend together to deliver a unique experience.”
“The gameplay feels very nervous and responsive, the tone is dark but manages not to be caricatural, the soundtrack is comprised of 100% heavy chiptune bangers, the visuals are beautiful, there is a great attention to detail in every part of the design process.”
“- While level design is solid, due to the 1-bit art style, some environments just mesh together with those before and after it.”
“The visuals overall are serviceable, but I found the main character's sprite a bit bland, honestly.”
“+ Though the 1-bit black/white + red art style may give the game a relative bleakness, the level design and dialogue are well-crafted, and things are easy to see with some caveats.”
- optimization4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is commendable, featuring a polished, bug-free experience that enhances performance and playability. Players can enjoy refined mechanics, such as mid-slide turns, which not only add depth to combat but also improve overall gameplay fluidity.
“The version I played was feature-complete, with the only notable differences being a number of bug fixes and tweaks that have uniformly improved the game's performance and playability.”
“Not only does this act as a dodge to add depth and skill to the side-scrolling platforming combat, but the player can perform mid-slide turns to add style and damage performance.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is significantly enhanced by its engaging soundtrack, featuring a variety of cool tunes that complement the levels effectively. Players appreciate how the music contributes to the overall immersive experience.
“Gameplay aside, the soundtrack pumps just as I expected. There are a lot of cool tunes that provide atmosphere for the levels.”
