The temptation to replace that title with one that just says, “Home Free: Who’s a Good Boy? You Are” was far too real. There’s something about dogs that turns me into a gloopy, sentimental mess, which is exactly why this game is putting you in the shoes (or paws?) of one.
Home Free, developed by Kevin Cancienne, is currently going down the Kickstarter route for funding, but there’s little doubt that it will reach its goal of $50,000 with 27 days to go and $42,892 pledged already. It’s almost as if dogs are amazing or something.
The game will task you with trying to find your way home by avoiding the many hazards on your journey. You can come across fellow friendly pups, but also some risky altercations with less than Fonzie dogs. How you deal with them as one of the many breeds of choice is completely up to you.
Another interesting aspect to consider is how you eat to stay alive. You can either beg local vendors for food, or just outright steal from them. There’s also the option to forage by knocking over bins and picking up what you find.
According to its Kickstarter page:
“You are a dog, lost in a sprawling and unfamiliar city. You wander the streets, searching for scraps, for shelter, for a friendly face. Slowly, you overcome some of your fears. You learn where you can snag a meaty bone, where you can sleep warm and safe at night. Strange streets become familiar territory. One by one, the streets become yours. You find friends. Eventually, maybe, home.”
There haven’t been many (barely even a handful, or a pawful) of notable dog-based games released over the generations, but most notable of all has to be A Dog’s Life. Considering how that was a relatively linear adventure and Home Free appears to be a much more open experience helped by the city being randomly generated, Kevin Cancienne’s project could push it off its dog bed when it launches on PC and Mac in the Fall of 2016.
P.S. please don’t let the dog die at the end.
Some of the coverage you find on Cultured Vultures contains affiliate links, which provide us with small commissions based on purchases made from visiting our site.
