With a name like Pupperazzi, you have to wonder what came first: the desire to make something centred around canine photography, or thinking of that pun-tastic name and then devising a game around it. Either way, it gives us hope that our game – Stalingrad, entailing a bunch of starlings squabbling over mealworms on a bird table – will one day see fruition.
As an avid photographer, you’re tasked with casually strolling around tranquil beachside locations while completing objectives doled out by the oddball locals. They may want photos of dogs engaging in specific activities, or wearing certain accessories. Menial tasks also feature, such as picking up litter, but these are uncommon.
Completing objectives earns cash, which can then be spent on new camera filters and film – with later photo requests demanding certain filters.
In this predominantly pastel-hued world, we’re led to believe dogs are sentient beings and humans are merely there to serve. The canine critters can be found playing sports, building sand castles, riding bikes, performing plays, and more – albeit in a crudely animated fashion. Rather than being realistically animated – which would’ve been a colossal undertaking for any indie studio – they bounce and hobble around like something out of Katamari Damacy.
Dogs can be petted and dressed up, and the majority react to your presence. After a good petting, some even follow you around, which isn’t just cute, but also vital for ushering them into certain locations.
A social media spin is present, allowing photos to be uploaded to a faux platform. These are then rated by followers, helping to boost your popularity. Some of the comments are very well observed. Even so, you don’t have to worry too much about obtaining a “perfect” photo – if the subject is in frame, it’ll count as a pass.
With a relaxed vibe and no grounds for failure, the game’s challenge comes solely from having to seek out unique instances or key items – such as a single dog wearing a unique piece of clothing, or proof of an alien encounter. If you’re short on cash, you may have to seek out tokens spread across the world – a task far from arduous.
Once all objectives are cleared, a new location opens, and each can be visited at different times of the day with events changing accordingly. A bonus mini location, which we won’t spoil, also unlocks just as the ending draws near.
While this may sound generous, Pupperazzi can be easily beaten in around 3 hours. Or rather, it takes around that time to see the ending credits. Our total stood at 4 hours, which included mopping up achievements and tackling some of the more obscure objectives, such as discovering how to open a mysterious doorway.
The game’s biggest problem isn’t its lack of challenge – in fact, that’s a positive note – but rather its slightly scrappy feel. This review is running late due to a game-breaking glitch, prompting us to wait for a patch.
Pupperazzi can be filed alongside other wholesome games like Slime Rancher and Alba: A Wildlife Adventure – the kind you can happily let your children play for an hour or two, without the worry of being pestered for help, or something unsavory occurring.
Children, with their hyperactive imaginations, are likely to get the most out of this – especially once they discover the ability to dress up the canine stars with daft hats and novelty glasses.
Sundae Month’s Pupperazzi is out now on Xbox One and PC.