PHOGS! from Bit Loom Games and Coatsink Games is a 3D puzzle adventure that can be played alone or in local co-op. Learn more in our PHOGS! review!
In PHOGS!, you play as a duo of dogs, Red and Blue, on a captivating, puzzle-filled adventure solo or with a friend in co-op mode.
Linked by a stretchy belly, you’ll need to bark, bite and bounce your way through obstacles and challenges set across the dog-themed worlds of Food, Sleep and Play.
In this 3D puzzle adventure, your goal is to reach the end of numerous levels you’ll take on as you control the main canine protagonists. The twist here is that the said canine characters are actually joined at the belly, which means that each one is controlled independently using either a single controller or two controllers in the available local co-op mode.
At first, I thought that this might be a quick game to get through, but as I progressed through this journey, I was impressed by the number of levels it has to offer! Each level contains some puzzles to solve, and most aren’t hard to figure out. I liked how total cooperation between the players is required to get through each stage if you’re enjoying this one in multiplayer. For example, you’ll have to work together to go over many gaps, pull levers, and overcome various obstacles. As I progressed through the campaign, however, I couldn’t help but notice that the puzzles were repetitive, but some were truly original.
The levels contain some collectibles to find, which are actually golden dog bones! At first, I was confused because there wasn’t any explanation on how they are to be used, but later it became clear that they are needed to purchase the many hats you can use to customize the look of each dog. One of my kids, with whom I played most of the campaign, also liked how you move through each section of a level by sending the dogs down a variety of pipes – or living entities!
The multiplayer component of this game is definitively kid-friendly, and my ten-year-old was able to follow me and help since you only need to use L1 or R1 buttons and the left analog stick. The core of the gameplay requires you to press either L1 or R1 buttons to make your dog stick its head to objects so that you can move things around, as well as swing from platform to platform over the many gaps you’ll find. The different levels are vast and colorful and were fun to explore. I also liked that the music was very relaxing and upbeat at times.
If you’re looking for a couch multiplayer game to play with your kids or family, then PHOGS! is certainly a good option. This game is definitively oriented towards a younger audience, so it’s great for playing with your kids.
Disclaimer
This PHOGS! review is based on a PlayStation 4 code provided by Coatsink Games.
