It's Hard Being A Dog

It's Hard Being A Dog is a small-scale roguelike action game that uses an immediately entertaining idea to separate itself from the crowded genre: instead of playing another warrior, wizard, or heavily armed survivor, you control a dog trying to endure a bizarre dystopian world filled with dangerous creatures and figures inspired by Greek mythology. Developed and published by MALGOW, the game combines 2D platforming, hack-and-slash action, RPG elements, pixel-art presentation, and permadeath progression. Its strange combination of an adorable protagonist and a hostile mythological setting gives it a memorable personality even when its mechanics remain relatively straightforward. The dog's combat abilities appropriately reflect the protagonist. Biting serves as a basic means of attacking enemies, while barking provides another useful action and dashing supplies the mobility required to avoid danger. The relatively small moveset makes the game easy to understand, but surviving increasingly threatening encounters still demands movement, timing, and awareness. Rather than overwhelming players with complicated button combinations, it concentrates on using a few simple abilities effectively while enemy pressure gradually increases. Roguelike progression provides the central structure. Enemies arrive in waves and become increasingly dangerous, while items acquired during a run improve the dog's capabilities. There is an enjoyable transformation in watching an initially vulnerable canine accumulate enough power to confront creatures that would ordinarily appear completely beyond its abilities. Death remains meaningful because of the permadeath structure, making unsuccessful runs part of the learning process rather than merely a temporary interruption. Five themed maps provide the main environments and each is associated with a different major opponent. The creepy dungeon belongs to Arachne, portrayed as the Goddess of Arachnids, while Zeus represents the God of Thunder within the forest. Artemis takes on a deer-inspired interpretation connected with the ruins, and Cerberus serves as Guardian of the Void. A mysterious fifth boss waits within the Library. These figures borrow from Greek mythology without attempting to deliver strict historical interpretations, allowing the game to reshape recognizable names and creatures according to its unusual setting. The different environments prevent the adventure from becoming one endless arena. Dungeons, forests, ruins, the Void, and the Library provide changes in atmosphere as the player progresses, while boss encounters give each area an identifiable objective. The absurdity of sending a dog into battle against mythological powers is part of the appeal. The game does not take this premise excessively seriously, and that willingness to embrace ridiculous situations gives the adventure much of its charm. Customization introduces another layer through hats, trails, and companion pets. These options allow players to personalize the protagonist rather than spending every run controlling an identical-looking dog. Pets can also provide useful statistical bonuses such as increased movement speed, meaning at least some customization choices have practical benefits. It is not an enormously complicated equipment system, but it contributes to the sense of gradually developing the protagonist. Despite the cute central character, the atmosphere can become surprisingly dark. Enemies can produce pixelated blood and gore when defeated, and some environments contain visible bloodstains. The stylized graphics keep the violence far removed from realism, yet the imagery reinforces the dystopian nature of the setting. Players expecting a completely wholesome game simply because a dog is involved may therefore be surprised by the combination of cute visuals, violent encounters, supernatural creatures, and gloomy environments. Multiple endings add another reason to revisit the game after reaching its later stages. The roguelike structure already encourages repeated attempts, but alternate conclusions give players an additional objective beyond simply becoming stronger. There are also 17 Steam achievements to pursue, providing completion-minded players with measurable goals. Together with different bosses, collectible upgrades, customization, and repeated runs, these features provide some replay value despite the relatively modest amount of underlying content. The project's Early Access status is important when evaluating its overall quality. It was created as the developer's first serious PC game, and that independent origin is noticeable in areas such as polish, balancing, interface design, animation, and combat feedback. It does not possess the mechanical sophistication or enormous content pools associated with established roguelike franchises. Certain systems feel more like foundations that could have supported considerably greater expansion. Fortunately, its free-to-play availability makes those limitations much easier to accept. Trying the game requires no substantial investment, and its mechanics can be understood quickly. This makes it particularly suitable for players who want a casual roguelike diversion without learning complicated character-building systems. More experienced genre enthusiasts may eventually find the itemization, enemy variety, and progression too limited, but the unusual theme helps maintain interest during shorter sessions. Steam Deck compatibility remains unverified rather than officially classified as Verified or Playable. The game officially targets Windows and provides partial controller support. Its 2D platforming and relatively simple control requirements suggest that handheld play may be possible through Proton and customized controller configurations, but SteamOS operation, control mapping, interface readability, and stability are not formally guaranteed. Steam Deck owners should therefore expect possible manual adjustments instead of a fully optimized experience. It's Hard Being A Dog ultimately derives most of its appeal from transforming a ridiculous premise into a functional roguelike adventure. Biting enemies, barking, dashing through danger, gathering upgrades, equipping amusing cosmetics, traveling through dark fantasy environments, and eventually challenging mythological figures creates an entertaining contrast between cute and sinister. Its Early Access roughness and limited mechanical depth prevent it from becoming a standout example of the genre, but the free entry point and eccentric personality make it worth trying for anyone attracted to unusual indie roguelikes. Rating: 6/10