Seems pretty interesting... Don't see any screenshots of Yorkies, though! :P
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Frontier Developments founder David Braben changed gaming as the world knew it when he produced blockbuster space simulation Elite in 1985. Though the legendary developer's since been considerably quiet, Dog's Life represents his first effort to shake up the status quo since that genre-defining epic. Playing like Grand Theft Auto gone wild kingdom, the game replaces stealing cars with activities like going to the toilet and commandeering other canine's bodies. Sound strange? Wait until you lay your hands on the game.
Extremely kid friendly, adults may warm to the adventure's decidedly relaxed mood and lighthearted premise. You control Jake, a wise-cracking pup on the hunt for his recently kidnapped sweetheart, Daisy.
This isn't the only goal -- the game encourages players to take their sweet time roaming around open-ended levels collecting scents via "Smellovision" abilities and performing various tasks for random humans. Sample activities include rounding sheep into a pen and defending a beleaguered postman from a feisty Jack Russell terrier.
Complete assignments and you'll be rewarded with bones, which serve roughly the same function that experience points do in role-playing games. The more bones you earn or dig up, the greater respect Jake receives from his fellows. The ultimate payoff for becoming more admired is being able to more easily emerge victorious from the various mini-game challenges.
Diversions range from tug-of-war trials, to a Dance Dance Revolution-esque rhythm game, to a peeing competition where participants compete to mark the most territory! Succeed at these amusements, and you'll unlock abilities like begging, which lets you nab more bones from sympathetic humans. It also helps you access combos that make Jake fart, poop, and pee at will. Come on, let's hear it for harmless potty humor!
Accessing "Smellovision" capabilities allows to you see the world as an actual animal would. Shifting to first-person perspective, the screen morphs into a black-and-white viewing mode. The only colored items you'll spot are scents -- depicted by various hues -- and glowing columns of light, which indicate the available missions players can select. The gimmick works surprisingly well, although leaping around feels a bit awkward while the effect is active.
"Dog-jacking" is yet another unique feature, and allows Jake to temporarily commandeer another pooch in order to finish a certain task or discover an item that he can't access. For instance, a tiny Chihuahua can easily travel through a doggie door to grab an object that Jake can't. Likewise, a speedy Dalmatian can catch a goose who nabbed a precious bone. These amusing touches lend additional variety to the game's largely non-linear approach.
Controlling the main character and his posse of canine comrades proves pretty easy. Control pad commands are clearly laid out in the upper right-hand corner of the screen, so knowing when to pick up items or interact with humans never becomes an issue. Completing jumping puzzles isn't always as painless, however. The issue becomes a factor due to collision detection problems with the bales of hay Jake can grab and move to create platforms. Still, it's a minor quibble.
The game's visuals are nicely detailed, and that goes double for the loveable lead, who sports giant, expressive eyes and painstakingly modeled facial movements. During cinematic clips, the furry firestarter seems especially sassy, which serves as a nice counterpoint to the goofy tasks requested of him. People, on the other hand, don't look as impressive, so it's better to concentrate on the softly textured environments, which have a genial, almost watercolor appearance.
Voice-over quality is high, too. We're exceptionally fond of Jake's wisecracks and constant comments, which are random and varied enough to keep from irritating. Unfortunately, the background music isn't such a hit. The score takes several detours into New Age realms at regular intervals, making you swear you're listening to John Tesh tickling the ivories instead of playing a video game.
Though it suffers from control issues and won't be to everyone's taste, Dog's Life delivers on its promised subject matter. Simple pleasures like exploring levels, collecting items, and meeting new friends are the focus here. PlayStation 2 owners looking to unwind and relax with something different should check out this quirky British import.
http://uk.gamesdomain.yahoo.com/review/32465