Wobbledogs
Review
Surreal, Strange, Satisfying
by Camrin Santchi
reviewed on PC
Odd
Wobbledogs is an… odd game. And to this reviewer, that's hardly a negative. Wobbledogs from developer Animal Uprising is a peculiar 3-D pet simulator where gamers take over a terrarium of sorts for the mutant titular 'Wobbledogs'. These creatures are a strange dog-like species that are prone to excessive mutations based on outward stimuli including the food they eat, cross-breeding, and even what objects they interact with in their terrarium, which can be customized as players continue to take care of their Wobbledogs.
In a useful shift, the Steam Achievements for Wobbledogs are actually closely intertwined with the gameplay, every achievement unlocks a new customization option for the Terrarium, be it new food types or even toys for the mutant pups to play with. The Achievements are also easy to find even in game, so players can keep a checklist of things they want to try if they feel there aren’t enough customization options at any given time.
The game is bright and colourful, with a charming soundtrack as players watch their Wobbledogs do their Wobbledog thing which is, at least at the beginning, similar to pretty normal dog things. Wandering around, digging holes, eating things they probably shouldn't… laying eggs. It’s only after several mutations that things really get weird like them acquiring wings, or making cocoons to metamorphize to the next evolutionary stage. Or exploding into pieces when they pass on, which can be then used as a memorial for the Wobbledog or even be used as… alternative food. Thankfully Wobbledogs comes with a warning that the canine-adjacent species can eat things that normal dogs absolutely shouldn't. For example, the 'core' of a Wobbledog can be used to memorialize them and even have them return as a ghost, or alternatively the core could be used to extend the lifespan of a different Wobbledog.
Caring for your pet
The controls for Wobbledogs are pretty simple, allowing the player to interact with their dogs and environment by clicking whatever they need to. The odd terrarium-like living space for the dogs can be customized and expanded, and even given 'hamster tubes' that can enable travel to other terrariums. Gamers can even pet the dogs, and there’s even an Achievement for petting one that isn’t fond of being pet. Players can make suggestions for their dogs and they'll do their best to accomplish the selected tasks in an almost Sims fashion. In a way, the core gameplay of Wobbledogs is very similar to The Sims. Players must keep an eye on their hunger, happiness, and sleepiness and make certain the bars don’t get too empty. Helpfully, the bars on the selected dog change colour from green to yellow and then finally red so it's easy to tell which Fido needs to take a nap and which one is craving some questionable food.
Beyond keeping the dogs cared for one of the real gimmicks is mutations themselves. The developers have even bragged about the species being 'physically simulated all the way down to their guts'. Certain foods will provide specific types of bacteria, and depending on the bacteria can alter the pup's appearance and traits as they progress through their life stages. And unfertilized eggs can be used to cross-breed two adult dogs to create a brand new pup through a process of identifying potential candidates and then choosing which one would be hatched.
A dog is not just for Christmas
Wobbledogs is meant to be a passive observation, watching the mutant pups wobble around and interact with their environment, but it can be pretty engaging to actively play with the pets. The music adds to the general pleasant but strange nature of the game, as do the bright colours. And the odd movements of the Dogs, from being flung by hamster tubes to creating shockingly large dens out of dirt, digging up toys or generally making a mess of their terrarium is oddly satisfying to behold.
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7.6
fun score
Pros
Surreal, Encourages Experimentation
Cons
Little Gameplay
