Phogs is a third-person 3-D platform video game that was created in 2020 by Bit Loom Games and published by Coatsink. The game which was initially created for Playstation, Xbox One, the Nintendo Switch, and for PC, is a captivating, fun-filled one that is sure to keep you in your seat. Since its release in December 2020, Phogs has become a fan favorite and it can be yours too.

Gameplay and Your Objectives

In Phogs, you start the journey with your extremely unusual characters, two adorable dogs, Red and Blue, linked at the middle by an elasticated stretchy belly. Another strange thing about your odd canine companions is the fact that they are missing not just their rear sections, but they are also missing their legs too! I spent most of the early minutes trying to catch on to things, trying to figure out just how to maneuver the Phogs world. 

Thanks to the dogs’ unreal anatomy, precise movement is pretty much a thing of nonexistence but the game quickly makes up for that by not penalizing you for your precision or lack thereof. When I fell off or plunged off the side, I was not too worried as I would immediately respawn pretty much where I left off. 

While the uncomfortable errors due to the tight corners and difficult camera play a big part in the errors, the game’s major objective is puzzle-solving. Not so surprisingly, this is a physics game where you can rest assured knowing that the puzzles presented in front of you can be solved properly.

The game has a calm and unrushed aesthetic to it. Your two-dog character just calmly noodles about, making your way through the adorable, sickly-sweet, and dreamy environments. 

Play Like A Winner

There are three different worlds that you can explore while playing Phogs! Each part of the game offers you a different kind of motif and has a different aesthetic and feel to it. The different areas have different kinds of puzzles and different arrays of cute characters to take up your time and keep you entertained. 

Although you are allowed to start playing the game in any of the worlds, I started off with Sleep World, which was quite a shame as you can imagine, as it ended up being a little bit of a snooze. Just as its name suggests, Sleep World is possibly the slowest of the three worlds, complete with introductory starter-level puzzles, teddy bears, cushions, and quilts, all of which bathed in the soothing aura given to it by the unmistakable night light. You also see this as a land of mattress forts and bouncy pillows that almost lure you into sleep, the goal is to use the friendly glowing orbs to help light your way in the sleepy world while helping adorable creatures to either go to bed or to wake up. You come across a character named Granny Spider who loves to knit and a wise old owl peering seriously into a book.

The other worlds in the game are Play World and Food World respectively. In Play World, you enjoy your time wandering through the strangeness and cuteness that this game has to offer. There are cheesy arcade games for you to enjoy to the fullest. Play World also allows you to savor a mix of fun things to play with, including a carnival, a train set to chase after, magical minigames, and your two dogs being super excited and hyper. Here, you would quickly find that your two dogs do not need opposable thumbs to play mini-golf or operate a claw machine.

When I finally entered Food World, i was quickly delighted by what i found. The terrain is teeming with tasty, enticing treats. This place is undeniably a heaven for the dogs, Red and Blue, as they excitedly bumble through the world. While there is plenty to eat, you also get to chase away pesky “muchlets” or herd them up. Red and Blue also get to pick vegetables and water “wallermelons.” there are also interesting characters that reside in Food World, including lovable Farmers that freely give out scratches and pets if Red and Blue have been good doggos. 

You would also find yourself whipping up a fancy dish with an eight-legged culinary wiz named Choctopus. After you have a great meal, there are also spas to explore and relax in! Red and Blue really have the best life!

Why You Might Love Phogs

Phogs! is a game that is designed to be as wholesome and sweet as can be expected with a game like this. While you’re maneuvering through the world by manipulating both Blue and Red’s heads to either bite things or anchor themselves, you also get to appreciate the minimalist color scheme adopted by the game’s creators.

There are also no tutorials in this game as you are left to figure things out all on your own. The worlds provided to you are entertaining, captivating and most of all, engaging. Everything you learn while playing this game is learned by actually doing. 

What Needs To Improve In Phogs

While the idea of learning on the go is admirable and even enjoyably challenging, there were aspects of the game that I could have done without. This primarily is the difficulty that came with controlling the skittish conjoined dogs. Controlling the pups while playing alone was hard enough and even harder when playing with a partner. The controls and the poorly coordinated camera were also downsides to the game.

Final Verdict

Despite the few flaws that Phogs! had, the game is filled with whimsical fun. It is a confident, hands-off approach to this sort of game, but for some reason, the two adorable dogs and their adventures through the three different worlds make it work. As they go around, they gather golden bones as their rewards, making it all just a little bit more whimsical. Phogs! Is a great game for anyone interested in having a fanciful, unusual gaming experience.