Looking for a reliable review of Cosmic Canines? Read this detailed review from a pet owner’s perspective to see if Cosmic Canines is worth your time and money.
I have to confess that I really enjoy platform games. And there is one in particular that came out without making too much noise a couple of years ago, but that inevitably reminds us of the best times of the 2D leaps of the 8 and 16 bits with Konami, Capcom, Sega, Treasure or of course Nintendo as great references. This game in question answers to the name of Grapple Dog , and today I am going to talk to you about its sequel, Grapple Dogs: Cosmic Canines , which surpasses the aforementioned (and very notable) first part in every way. The result? A very fun game that I encourage you to try if you like this genre because I am sure it will provide you with some very enjoyable moments.
Two dogs are better than one
The protagonist of the previous adventure, Pablo, returns to the spotlight in this second part… but not alone. His group of NPC friends is joined by a new one who, however, is totally playable: Luna. A kind of canine mercenary who joins our beloved dog to put an end to the plans of the evil Vyr, a being who intends to destroy the galaxy. A plot that is as unoriginal as it is dispensable , to be honest, but which gives rise to a very attractive adventure.
Through a central world in which we can move freely, we can access the different levels that are enabled as long as we have managed to collect the determined amount of the collectible in question. These stages seemed fantastic to me in general due to their unbeatable design.
The development of the levels is quite linear and we must go from point A to point B trying to overcome the different obstacles and enemies that appear in them. And for this purpose we have the skills of Pablo and Luna, which have many elements in common (such as being able to hook onto certain objects in the background with their respective hooks) but also important differences.
The dog can punch his opponents, as well as perform an air-to-ground attack that can crush enemies and bounce off the ground to reach great heights. Luna, meanwhile, has the ability to perform the almost inevitable aerial dash and, more importantly, always wields a firearm .
The beauty of this is that, due to the unique abilities of the two protagonists, each level varies greatly depending on who is playing it. But not only that, as we progress, we discover new mechanics that shape a gameplay that is rich in nuances and tremendously enjoyable. And the main culprit of this is its handling, which could not be more precise, being able to calculate to the millimeter each jump or any other action that is possible to perform throughout the adventure.
Each level hides various collectibles that we can also collect, which are the key to accessing new stages and completing the adventure 100%. These objects are often well camouflaged in the settings, adding an extra incentive that is always welcome in this type of platformer. Added to all this are fights against final bosses that, without being the best I have been able to enjoy in a title of this style, add variety to the matter. And to this purpose is also added the fact of being able to acquire new objects in the corresponding store, as well as participating in various bonus stages.
Each of these elements give shape to a very well designed and tastefully executed platform adventure, which also has a fairly tight difficulty level (tough but not overwhelming) and a reasonable duration ( about 8-9 hours ) taking into account the nature of the game.
Finally, technically it is not the most beautiful or detailed title in the world, that is clear. But that does not mean that it does not have its charm, given that the character design and, especially, their animations seemed really good to me. Even so, its sound finish is a step above, mainly due to the melodies that can be heard during the levels, which in some cases are very catchy .
5 things you should know:
- We can play with two different protagonists: Pablo and Luna.
- There is a central world that gives access to all levels.
- The control is perfect, very precise.
- The stages are well designed and contain plenty of secrets.
- The soundtrack is very catchy overall.
It’s hard not to have a really good time with this retro platform game called Grapple Dogs: Cosmic Canines. A title that has many virtues in aspects as important in a work of this type as its magnificent control or the extraordinary design of the levels. In addition, it also incorporates a very well-adjusted level of difficulty, mechanics that work wonderfully and that gradually add to the action and a remarkable visual and sound finish. An indie title that, I hope, does not go unnoticed as much as its first part, Grapple Dog.