With the stresses of life constantly snapping at our heels like unruly Jack Russell Terriers, video games are a distraction that’s often much needed. While for me it’s often a Roguelike helps me cope against real life, many prefer something more cosy. Well what if one game combined these coping mechanisms to create the ultimate gaming comfort blanket? Enter Dog Witch, the first Roguelike I’ve ever played with a relaxing jazz soundtrack.
The setup for Dog Witch is simple: you play as a dog who is also a witch. This canine hero is told that he’ll never be a good boy by a nasty wizard, and then thrown into battle with various enemies ranging from giant trees to angry triangles. The way you fight these enemies is particularly exciting though, because it involves dice.
Every turn of Dog Witch involves you rolling five (by default) dice, which have six different icons on. These correspond to different actions you can take in a turn, like defending against incoming attacks or waving your wand at a foe to inflict some hurt. You’ll always know what the enemy is going to do next too, and managing your two rerolls so you can make the most of the dice because of this will lead you to victory.
With only six different options to use you’d think combat would be fairly straightforward, but because of how some of these icons work it’s anything but. The ability to summon tiny allies that attack baddies is great, because not only will this help you deal damage but sometimes they’ll take a hit for you. Another way to keep safe is to try and stun foes, which gets easier the more you try to do so (and is great against tough bosses). Maybe instead of attacking early you’ll focus on using books to power up your wand, or collect crystals to unleash a special attack. All of these options are valid, and once you upgrade your icons as a reward for winning a battle you might even form a strategy or two.
These improvements really change the way you take on enemies, and they come in many forms. Your minions for example can be upgraded to deal damage spread across multiple targets, or made to grow stronger with each passing turn if you keep them safe. Your stun ability can also deal damage with an upgrade, or cause headaches and other status effects. My favourite of all upgrades though was an upgrade to my defensive bone cards. My first winning build involved aiming to use three bones in a turn to power up a special attack, which instantly killed all enemies when triggered. This felt amazing to pull off, and only with the right upgrades and gear was it possible.
I had a lot of fun with my initial runs of Dog Witch, but after only a couple of attempts I scored my first victory. Now this isn’t unheard of in a Roguelike when the odds fall in your favour, and there’s plenty to do after your first win. Before you start a run you need to choose a hat for your dog, and these dictate some conditions for the run (some of which are brutal). There are a load of different hats to work towards unlocking if you like a challenge, but if you’d rather stick with the traditional experience that’s fine too.
Dog Witch is an entertaining Roguelike with relaxing tunes and easy to learn mechanics that make it a doddle to jump into. The simplicity does mean it’s a little less endlessly playable too though, especially because there’s not a whole lot of variety in the enemy encounters. In a genre that places so much importance on randomness, Dog Witch often feels a touch too repetitive.
Although not a Roguelike you’ll be playing for years to come, Dog Witch is an easy going option for those looking for a less intense experience. Using your dice and upgrades to overcome enemies without taking damage always feels good, and there’s a nice selection of challenges waiting for those seeking more content. A lack of variety between runs does mean this game isn’t quite the dog’s bollocks, but it’s still a good boy all the same.
