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About A Dog Story
A Dog Story is a brief role-playing game from Succubella Games that follows a canine spirit struggling to say farewell to its deceased owner. Set in a quiet suburban neighborhood, the story unfolds through environmental exploration and dialogue choices as the dog navigates fragmented memories and lingering emotions. Released in 2025 for PC, the game focuses on emotional storytelling over combat or stats. Its 2-3 hour runtime leans into melancholic themes of loss and connection, making it more of a narrative vignette than a traditional RPG. Perfect for players seeking a contemplative, character-driven experience with a focus on quiet moments and subtle worldbuilding.
Gameplay
The gameplay revolves around navigating procedurally generated areas like a decaying house and overgrown garden, interacting with objects to trigger flashbacks and dialogue options. You’ll collect items that represent the dog’s memories, which influence its ability to cross over. Controls are simplified, mouse to look, WASD to move, left click to interact, with minimal combat or skill checks. Choices often involve deciding which memories to revisit, affecting the tone of the ending. Puzzles are light, like rearranging scattered belongings to restore a room’s memory. The pace is slow, emphasizing atmospheric exploration over action, with a runtime capped to prevent fatigue.
What Players Think
PlayPile users rate it 8.7/10, with 82% completion and an average playtime of 3 hours. Critics on Metacritic give it 4.2/5, praising its emotional core but noting its brevity. Community moods are split: 68% nostalgic, 29% tearful, and 3% confused by the abstract ending. One user wrote, “The silence in the empty house hit harder than any scripted moment.” Achievements include “Final Wag” (complete the story) and “Dig Up the Past” (collect all memories). Despite a $14.99 price tag, 17% of players skipped it due to length, while 41% called it “a touching 2-hour story.”
PlayPile's Take
A Dog Story is a niche pick for fans of emotional, minimalist narratives. Its strength lies in poignant writing and atmospheric design, but the short runtime and lack of mechanical depth limit replayability. With 10 achievements and a price under $15, it’s a low-risk buy for those who enjoy quiet, story-driven games like Firewatch or Gone Home. Skip if you crave action or open worlds, but give it a shot if you’re in the mood for a heartfelt, if fleeting, experience.
Game Modes
Single player
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