The game is called Adopted.  In the game, you play a dog and you do the things that dogs don't really do, but that we imagine dogs do for us in our lives.  Though, when you think about it, maybe dogs actually do these things *because* we imagine that they do these things. 

 

So while you're a dog, this isn't a game about hydrant sniffing.  You can throw a ball and play catch with yourself (which is way more fun than it could possibly sound; I now understand why my dog actually does this, because it is amazing).  This is a game about humans.  You're a dog, but this is a game about humans, because, let's face it, pretty much every story we tell ourselves is about us -- or about something that's standing in for us.  Stories help us learn about ourselves or the world we live in.

 

The great thing about having a dog as the protagonist is that you can be involved in human problems while still also being an outsider.  The player identifies with the human characters, but isn't compelled to *be human* around them.  After all, you're a dog.  But because you're a dog doing the things we imagine dogs to do, you're a dog that helps humans solve their problems.

 

Maybe that's something that people who don't own pets won't understand.  I know how silly it sounds.  But trust me, if you own a pet, this is what having a pet feels like.  Your pet understands you, or at least is there to listen.  You believe, true or not, that your pet is involved in your life and helps you solve your problems.  Now imagine a game where YOU are the pet and you DO help solve your owner's problems; or at least, have the capacity to do so.  That's what Adopted is all about.  I'm super excited about the game, and I have a lot of confidence in the folks who are working on it.  There's no way I can do justice to the concept, the game, and the team, so just please believe me that it's worth your time to head to the Kickstarter and check it out for yourself.