Phogs!
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| Phogs! | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer | Bit Loom Games |
| Publisher | Coatsink |
| Programmers | Henry Pullan James Morwood |
| Artist | Douglas Flinders |
| Composer | Henry Pullan |
| Platforms | |
| Release | Windows, Switch, PS4, Xbox One, Stadia December 3, 2020 Amazon Luna November 18, 2021 |
| Genres | Puzzle, platform |
| Modes | Single-player, multiplayer |
Phogs! (stylized as PHOGS!) is a puzzle-platform video game developed by Bit Loom Games and published by Coatsink. The game was released for Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Google Stadia on December 3, 2020, and for Amazon Luna on November 18, 2021. In Phogs!, players control a two-headed dog called Red and Blue. Phogs! received generally favorable reviews from critics.
Phogs! is a puzzle-platformer game where players control a dog called Red and Blue.[1] The game can be played in local and online multiplayer. Each dog is controlled by an individual player.[2] It can also be played in single-player, which allows a player to fully control the dog.[2] The game's levels are split into three worlds: Food, Play, and Sleep. Each world contains six stages, and ends with a boss battle.[3][2] The dog can be stretched, and can use its mouths to grab objects.[4] Some objects can be transmitted through the dog. If one side of the dog bites onto a water pipe, the water will come out of the other mouth.[2] Hats are purchased with golden bones, which can be found in the game's levels.[2] Non-player characters can be found in the game. Some may ask for items in exchange for golden bones.[2]
Development and release
Phogs! was developed by Bit Loom, a studio consisting of Douglas Flinders, Henry Pullan, and James Morwood.[5] The concept that the team had was based around competitive multiplayer. The concept involved dogs playing sports, and an early version of the game included a golfer dog.[5] However, Bit Loom saw competitive multiplayer as a "well-worn territory", leading the team to switch to a co-op puzzle focus.[5] Phogs! was originally supposed to contain nine worlds, but the team settled on three worlds.[5] Bit Loom took inspiration from games such as Hohokum, Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker, and Super Mario 3D World.[5]
Bit Loom won the Dare Academy competition at EGX 2017. They received a fully paid trip to the 2017 IndieCade festival in Los Angeles, and also received a business support package from Lindsays.[6] The game was playable at PAX East 2018[7] and was featured at EGX Rezzed and EGX expos during that year.[8][9] Phogs! was available again at PAX East 2019[10] and Nintendo's Indie World event in August.[11][12][13]
Phogs! was set to release in June 2020, but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[14][15] The game took part in the Steam Game Festival: Summer and Autumn Edition.[16][17][15] In November, Coatsink released three videos showing off the game's worlds.[18][19][20] Phogs! was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Google Stadia on December 3.[21][22] Phogs! was added to the Xbox Game Pass library on the same day.[23] The game was released for Amazon Luna on November 18, 2021.[24]