One of the very last things I did at PAX East 2020 was to check out PHOGS. I’m glad I did too, because after four days of nonstop gaming, jumping into a new demo can be exhausting. Not with PHOGS though. This insanely cute co-op focused puzzle game has two players team up to take on various challenges and puzzles. But you’ve seen that before, and this is definitely not like anything you’ve played previously. So let’s break down what is PHOGS and why it should probably be on your must-play list for this year.
You can hear a lot of my impressions below, so jump to the video if you’re anxious to see this colorful and fun gaming experience. Basically PHOGS is about two players each controlling a head on a two-headed dog. You can play solo, of course, but the co-op experience is where the game truly shines. As a PHOG you can control the stretchiness of your body and bite down on objects around the world. Like the best puzzle games out there, PHOGS takes this simple premise and expands on it in new and interesting ways throughout its three main worlds.
We had a blast with PHOGS and were laughing/screaming the whole time
Based on food, sleep, and play, each of a dog’s main life focuses. We went for the play world, which you can see below. Puzzles appear throughout the level, but rarely does the game repeat itself. Instead it introduces new elements with ease, giving the player time to fully understand it before putting them to the test.
And the game’s worlds were always impressive as well, showing off unique designs that fit in the wacky world of PHOGS, without seeming too random. Every new puzzle felt like something you could quickly understand, but still tested your abilities. And the optional bones, which are used as currency to decorate your dog’s head, offer challenge beyond the accessible main campaign. To put it simply: we had a blast with PHOGS and were laughing/screaming the whole time. If you like co-op experiences, or puzzles games then you probably will too.
PHOGS hits Switch and PC later this year.
Published: Mar 18, 2020 01:50 pm