Doggy Don't Care
Review
What a naughty boy
by William Thompson
reviewed on PC
Dog-eyed view of the world
Doggy Don't Care is a charming Australian-developed title that happily steps into the shoes - or rather, the paws - of Charlie, an endlessly energetic and wonderfully mischievous canine. Right from the opening moment, the game throws players headfirst into Charlie's world, where the overarching goal is simply to wreak as much harmless, chaotic havoc as possible across a series of sprawling, cartoon-inspired stages. With its bright colour palette, playful personality, and goofy premise, it immediately captures the feel of a Saturday morning cartoon. From raiding the family home to causing mayhem in a corporate office, a rustic farm, and a high-profile museum, the sandbox levels offer plenty of playful possibilities for anyone who has ever wondered what goes on inside the head of a truly mischievous pet.
The core gameplay loop centres around exploring these lively environments to hunt down hidden dog biscuits, track down secret outfit boxes to dress up our furry hero, and earn special achievement badges. These badges are awarded by local birds perched throughout each stage, who serve as the gatekeepers for Charlie's mischievous tasks. To earn them, players must interact with the world using a set of delightfully straightforward controls. Charlie can perform a handy double jump to reach high counters and ledges, pick up and throw or activate environmental objects, let out a loud bark to scare other wildlife, and, naturally, mark his territory by peeing on almost anything in sight. To top off the slapstick tone, the developers included occasional, random farts during gameplay, adding an extra splash of silly humor to Charlie's antics - because, lets be honest, farts are just inherently funny.
Tell him he's dreaming
Although not part of the main story, Doggy Don't Care surprisingly excels in its creative dream sequences. Positioned between the main sandbox zones, these surrealist platforming segments offer a fantastic change of pace from the standard objective hunting. Instead of focusing purely on destruction, these dreamscapes lean into traditional platforming mechanics while telling a heartfelt, emotional story. They provide a surprising amount of narrative depth, highlighting the deep emotional bond and unconditional love Charlie shares with his owner. This narrative warmth gives the game a genuine heart, grounding all the silly antics in a sweet, relatable relationship that any dog owner will immediately appreciate.
However, the game isn't without its rough edges, particularly when it comes to puzzle clarity and objective hints. While many of the bird-given badge tasks are straightforward or offer a satisfying physical challenge - such as figuring out how to empty massive grain silos on the farm - others rely on clues that feel overly cryptic. Without a secondary hint or a clearer objective log, figuring out what the game wants you to do can occasionally stall your momentum. For example, one task involves a clue about a "cheeky sheet on the Boss' seat" in the office level. Naturally, this led me to experiment with Charlie's full repertoire of unruly behaviors: I tried sitting on the boss' executive chair to fart, and when that failed, I proceeded to pee on it extensively. Even after turning the sleek black chair almost entirely yellow from Charlie's continuous marking - a moment where he truly proved himself to be a naughty boy - the puzzle remained unsolved until I figured out a task I had completed earlier was a pre-requisite for the badge. Moments like these highlight how much a secondary clue system or subtle visual cue would have benefitted the trickier tasks.
Marking territory
Ultimately, Doggy Don't Care is a delightfully lighthearted, cheerful adventure that delivers plenty of laughs and a surprising amount of heart. While it is a reasonably short experience with limited replay value once you have unlocked all the outfits and gathered every badge, its accessible controls, vibrant visuals, and sweet story moments make it a memorable ride while it lasts. It may not hold your attention for weeks on end, but for anyone looking to unwind with a bit of harmless, dog-fueled mayhem, Charlie's outing is well worth a spin.
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6.5
fun score
Pros
Love the dream sequences, simple controls
Cons
Hints for some badges aren’t very helpful, reasonably short, limited replayability
