We’ve had a lot of dogs in videogames over the last decade-or-so. They’ve been busy sleeping while we’ve been watching them. But now it’s your turn to become one of them, and have a nice little convo. Talking Dogs is coming to PSVR 2 and PC next year, that much we know. But how exactly does the game play? And did you now about the grand legacy behind the game? Read on to find out.
Talking Dogs is intended to be the first part of a trilogy. The game takes us to Dreams Island, a serene location where we meet Phil, a courageous husky with a mission to find his missing best friend, Glen. Players enter the role of Phil, playing in third-person as they explore the island.
The game aims to offer an immersive experience through interaction with the world around you, and the many unique characters you’ll meet. These include Brock the friendly bear, and Lenny the fox. Players can utilise Phil’s sense of smell by activating the Dog Sense (not to be confused with Spidey Sense), represented by in-game paws that guide you to the next checkpoint and point of interest on your journey.
Talking Dogs in Other Media
For the uninitiated, Talking Dogs isn’t just an intriguing new videogame series. Alongside the games is a series of books. Written and created by Carson J. Kelly – the same one-man development team for the games – tells an original story. Set in the same universe, the books offer different point of views of the characters such as Phil and Glen. It’s an intriguing prospect, and one which many game series have attempted before. However, the likes of Dead Space 2‘s transmedia approach was helmed by teams in the hundreds, not a single developer/writer.
PlayStation 5, PSVR 2 & PC VR Release
As you might have guessed, the PlayStation 5 edition of Talking Dogs will be a standard gaming affair. It’s the VR editions that XR Source are interested in here, and in particular the use of the PSVR 2’s unique features.
Talking Dogs will utilise the PSVR 2’s built-in eye-tracking to let players interact with the environment in new ways. With a simple gaze, you can bring attention to specific objects or characters. The 3D audio is used to further inject life into the world, as you hear the sounds of the world around you, from the rustle of leaves to the growls of animals. The PlayStation VR2 Sense controllers allow you to interact with your surroundings physically, whether you’re visiting the local animals in a nearby village or just hanging out with Brock the Bear.
Developed on Unreal Engine 5, Talking Dogs is coming soon to PlayStation 5, PC, and PlayStation VR 2. A release date for will be announced in the near future, but is currently expected in early 2024.
Has your interest in Talking Dogs been piqued? Let us know in the comments below!