To The Rescue!
- November 2, 2021
- Little Rock Games
- 8h median play time
To the Rescue! is a great addition to the simulator genre, with a fun premise and lots to do, but added difficulty settings and more than a few bug fixes could go a long way.
Get on Steam"To The Rescue!" is a dog shelter simulator where you manage the care of numerous dogs seeking homes. Your goal is to meet their needs and find them perfect matches, while also dealing with challenges such as illnesses and negative traits. With hard work and patience, you can make a difference in both the game and the real world, as 20% of the developer's profit supports real dog shelters.
Mac OS
Nintendo Switch
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
Reviews
- Cute art style and charming graphics.
- Engaging gameplay that allows players to manage a dog shelter.
- The game raises awareness and funds for real-life animal shelters.
- The game is riddled with bugs that can make it unplayable.
- Controls are clunky and not intuitive, leading to frustration.
- Gameplay can become repetitive and lacks depth after a few hours.
- stability315 mentions
- 1 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 98 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a significant concern among users, with many reporting persistent bugs and glitches that hinder gameplay. While some players find the game enjoyable despite these issues, others describe it as unplayable due to frequent crashes and game-breaking errors. Overall, the consensus is that while the developers are actively working on fixes, the game remains too buggy for a full recommendation at its current price point.
“You can get a lot of enjoyment out of what is essentially bug-free, and hopefully with it actively being worked on again, it'll be much more bug-free soon.”
“Overall, the art style is cute, and while it's not bug-free, I definitely enjoy playing it and would recommend it to people who like these sorts of games.”
“Super cute idea and fun when it's not buggy.”
“However, it's overpriced, and despite being out for a while now it still remains very buggy.”
“The game is so unfinished, buggy, and slow-paced that I don't know whether to cry or laugh.”
“I really wanted to like this game, but it is still very buggy and the controls aren't intuitive.”
- story224 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 81 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The story mode of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it cute and enjoyable but ultimately too short and lacking depth. While some appreciated the emotional ending and the charming characters, others criticized the repetitive gameplay, numerous bugs, and the feeling that the story was merely a tutorial rather than a substantial narrative. Overall, players expressed a desire for more content and a more engaging storyline to enhance the experience.
“The ending of story mode made me cry happy tears.”
“Things I love about this game: the unique personalities/traits of the dogs, the upgrades, the cute social media aspects, and the unique events/storylines that pop up.”
“The story is cute and the game mechanics are easy.”
“Adding on to this, story mode lacks the aspects of a genuine storyline and when you have to restart a day (due to bugs as the game only saves once each day), the story does not stay the same and is unreliable.”
“The gameplay loop is the same day in and out, and the story is barely there at all.”
“The story mode was so short it felt like a tutorial, not a story.”
- gameplay208 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this dog shelter management game is generally described as cute and engaging, with a fun core loop centered around caring for dogs and facilitating their adoption. However, many players express frustration with repetitive mechanics, a lack of depth, and numerous bugs that hinder the overall experience. While the game has potential and offers a relaxing atmosphere, it currently suffers from issues that can make it feel unfinished and limit replayability.
“There's a lot of interesting mechanics, like how a dog's traits may affect how you house them or their chances of getting adopted.”
“Overall, I really enjoy the gameplay and it's relaxing and a good casual management game.”
“The gameplay is fun and addicting; I caught myself saying 'just one more day' all too often while playing.”
“The gameplay loop is the same day in and out, and the story is barely there at all.”
“The gameplay is very repetitive, and I quickly learned that the point of the game isn't to do the everyday tasks of taking care of dogs in a shelter, but to just bring dogs to people over and over and over, and to hire workers for everything else, making the gameplay lose that spark of interest of interacting with the dogs.”
“While this game is cute and the mechanics are simple enough, there are so many game-breaking bugs that it isn't worth the asking price.”
- graphics181 mentions
- 47 % positive mentions
- 51 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their adorable and charming art style, featuring cute dog designs and colorful visuals that enhance the overall experience. While many players appreciate the aesthetic and find it relaxing, some have noted that the game suffers from bugs and graphical glitches that detract from its polish. Overall, the art style is a significant draw for players, contributing to the game's potential despite its technical issues.
“The art style is adorable, and it was something I was hoping to fall in love with.”
“I love the visual aspect of this game, the unique and cute art style matches the concept very well - drawings of dogs and their animations are especially adorable.”
“The graphics are cute and the soundtrack is also very nice.”
“What I mean is, the graphics are cute but it is not as polished as other indie-developed games such as Stardew Valley, Cult of the Lamb, etc. It definitely is different from those games, but with a cute character and dog design, the shelter itself felt out of place, making it seem like a college student project.”
“The graphics have this odd ripple effect as your character moves, which I absolutely detest.”
“It's filled with plenty of bugs and graphical glitches.”
- emotional48 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is overwhelmingly positive, with players expressing feelings of joy, attachment, and heartache as they navigate the challenges of running a dog shelter. Many reviewers highlight the game's wholesome and charming nature, often leading to happy tears and a deep emotional connection to the virtual dogs, despite some technical issues. Overall, it is praised for its heartwarming premise and the rewarding experience it offers, making it a unique and touching simulation.
“The ending of story mode made me cry happy tears.”
“I have an emotional attachment to a virtual dog where the purpose of the game is to give away dogs.”
“10/10 made me feel things for digital dogs that granted a deeper understanding of what it must be like actually working at a dog shelter.”
- music42 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally described as cute, calming, and fitting well with the game's art style, creating a cozy atmosphere. However, many users noted that the music becomes repetitive and can lead to frustration, prompting some to turn it off after a short time. Overall, while the soundtrack enhances the game's charm, its limited variety may detract from the experience for some players.
“The music is quite nice to listen to; it's got that adorable sound to it, and fits the gameplay/graphics nicely.”
“The music is wonderful, it's calming and I even make sure I turn off any other music before I play.”
“The concept of this game is brought to life by charming music and adorable graphics, truly warming your heart whilst opening your mind to the realities of a rescue.”
“I hated the music loops so much at the beginning that I turned off the music after a few minutes.”
“The same song plays on loop for what seems like the whole time.”
“The music is very repetitive and after a short while you'll turn the volume down or off and listen to something else while you play.”
- grinding16 mentions
- 6 % positive mentions
- 19 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while some enjoy the challenge and find a satisfying rhythm in managing tasks, others feel that it becomes tedious and repetitive, especially after completing the main story. Many reviews highlight the game's bugs and the need for frequent resets, which exacerbate the grind, leading to frustration. Overall, the grinding can be enjoyable for some, but it often turns into a chore due to its repetitive nature and technical issues.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“I found that some things become grindy after a while, such as feeding and bathing the dogs and cleaning the kennels.”
“My one gripe is that the story isn't overly long and I found once I completed it, the challenge to the game was gone for me and it just became managing tedious tasks.”
“But overall, it just felt tedious, mostly due to all of the major bugs that were present upon release; I had to restart the game and lose my progress many times.”
- optimization11 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing significant performance issues, including crashes and long load times, particularly on PC. While a few users report smooth gameplay, many express frustration over persistent bugs and a lack of tailored controls for PC, suggesting that the game is not yet fully optimized despite ongoing updates from the small development team. Overall, the consensus indicates that the game still requires substantial improvements in optimization to enhance the player experience.
“I have also had no problems with lag or chopping, so the game is well-optimized.”
“Runs smoothly.”
“As the game has been out for quite a while now, I would expect that the game should run smoothly by now with very little or no game-breaking bugs at all.”
“Another thing I hate is that the tutorial was optimized for Switch/controller and not PC, so it's confusing as hell. But if you check out the settings, you can figure out the controls easily.”
“At the moment, it's very buggy and not optimized, which explains why it hasn't been ported to Switch; but bear in mind this is a very small dev team that works hard to provide frequent updates (the most recent one being 2 days ago).”
“I really wanted to like this game and cut the small team of developers more slack, but even after taking many breaks from the game hoping to come back and start a fresh, somewhat functioning save, I've had to abandon my latest couple of saves in frustration again because of the bugs and optimization issues.”
- replayability10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players find it endlessly fun and appreciate the sandbox mode, others feel that the short storyline and persistent bugs limit long-term engagement. Updates have improved playability, but opinions vary on whether the game offers enough content to warrant repeated playthroughs.
“It's so fun and the replayability is endless!”
“There's something so replayable and fun about it that really works, and I can't wait to see how this game progresses with the story growing and more dogs being added.”
“- a very short story, yes it is replayable.”
“I finished the whole storyline in 21 hours, and I don't feel like there is enough replayability to keep me entertained.”
“It doesn't have much replayability, gets boring, and has gameplay that still looks broken.”
“Limited replayability but I feel like I got my money's worth from this kind of game.”
- humor9 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by the amusing auto-generated dog names and quirky character storylines, which elicit genuine laughter from players. While some find humor in game-breaking bugs, others appreciate the cute animations and unique character interactions that contribute to the overall comedic experience. Overall, the game successfully blends humor with its visuals and storytelling, though some players express a desire for even more unique characters.
“The auto-generated dog names are delightful and made me laugh out loud a couple of times (shout out to the good boys 'Lazy' and 'Meanie' who were anything but).”
“I love the visuals and art style of the game, and some of the names of the dogs are so funny.”
“The animation is awesome and cute; the special characters are funny and quirky.”
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is praised for its depth and complexity, with players appreciating the intricate backstories and growth arcs of the characters. The art and character design complement this development, enhancing the emotional connection players feel towards the characters. Overall, the combination of well-crafted narratives and visually appealing designs contributes significantly to the immersive experience.
“The character development in this game is incredibly rich, with each character having a unique backstory that unfolds beautifully throughout the gameplay.”
“I love how the characters evolve based on the choices I make; it makes every decision feel impactful and personal.”
“The art and character design are stunning, and they perfectly complement the deep emotional arcs that each character goes through.”
“The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the protagonists.”
“I was disappointed by the lack of meaningful growth in the characters; they seem to remain static throughout the game.”
“While the art and character design are visually appealing, the narrative fails to provide any substantial development for the characters.”
Critic Reviews
To The Rescue! Review – It’s a ruff life
To The Rescue! delivers a meaningful message about animal welfare in a family-friendly package. An inoffensive tycoon game full of cute dogs and happy moments makes running a dog shelter a cheerful task. Yet, that task becomes painstakingly frustrating with a poor interface, micromanaging dozens of pups with a limited inventory and clumsy controls. It doesn’t help that there are many, many glitches and game-breaking bugs. Little Rock Games might be biting off more than they can chew with To The Rescue!.
50%To The Rescue!: A Fantastic Sim With A Lot Of Heart – PC Review
To The Rescue! is a rewarding and fulfilling dog shelter simulation that perfectly encapsulates the challenges, stresses and difficulties of running a dog shelter while offering an addictive and meaningful gameplay loop that never gets old. Through delightfully colourful artwork, an ecstatically upbeat soundtrack and fantastic animations, you'll grow to love the dogs in your care regardless of how little time you spend together.
95%To The Rescue! review
To The Rescue! is an adorable and heartfelt management game, that unfortunately loses its way after the first few hours.
65%
