Crash Bandicoot, Spyro the Dragon, Guitar Hero and Singstar. A childhood fever dream of gaming obsession soaking up youthful attention and parents’ funds; We flashback to the early 00’s where the gaming industry hit the mainstream, enticing early day ‘indie’ developers into the potentials of a newly thriving culture.
I came from an average family that couldn’t afford all the latest games of the time but, oh boy, did I get into those EB Games and rummage through the clearance section on a weekly basis. And I can say with certainty that ‘Dog’s Life’ was there every time.
While the game was released in 2003 for the PlayStation 2 competing alongside such prolific titles as ‘Ratchet and Clank II: Locked & Loaded’, ‘Dog’s Life’ didn’t exactly receive the same appraisal. From outdated PS1 style graphics to the janky ‘tank controls’ and generic story line; ‘Dog’s Life’ fell victim to underfunding from a studio that lacked the resources and expertise to grapple with the contemporary expectations of a successful game from an industry in its relative infancy.
However, while the game had its many issues, its strange humour throughout and tonal change towards the final scenes of the game seemed to win over its audience in a way no one expected, not even its own creators. Can minute details in such a critically un-acclaimed text be enough to provide the same warm feeling of nostalgic memory that an objectively better executed tale could?
I would argue that I have a similar admiration for Dog’s Life that I do with the other notorious titles listed in this post, but why? If anything, the game gave me nightmares thanks to its… uhm… unique choice of ending. I guess you do play as a dog out in a sandbox world, destined to fling your own poop at people (yes, this is a real, essential mechanic of the game) but can some childish gimmicks and slightly traumatic narrative leave such an impact on someone that they would reminisce fondly almost 20 years later? Apparently so.
If not for quality, execution, and nature; what makes a game nostalgic? What makes a ‘Cult Classic’? I assume that deep within the expanse of ‘Dog’s Life’ lore and culture that I’m sure exists somewhere in some capacity on the internet reveals the answers to these questions; Perhaps this personal feeling of nostalgia is but a reflection upon myself and how I yearn for a reconnection with prior authenticity or childhood wonder.
Who am I to dictate the potential of analysis of a title that may soon fade in collective memory as we as a society continue to be bombarded by works of art from all directions?
Maybe the game was just simply… weird.
Resource List:
https://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-2/dogs-life
drawoncedrawtwice 
Reblogged this on Game Cultures.
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