Given DON’T NOD’s track record (Life is Strange, Lost Records), any new release under their banner promises an emotional rollercoaster — they have a knack for tugging at heartstrings. Their latest project is no exception, though this time, they’re publishing Koira, the debut title from Belgium’s Studio Tolima.
In Koira, you rescue an adorable puppy and venture into an enchanted forest, solving puzzles and protecting its inhabitants from hunters.
As a dog lover and fur parent, that was all I needed to know before diving in — and it did not disappoint. Not gonna lie, I was not emotionally prepared to cry at the end — but here we are. Consider yourself warned.
A Feast For The Senses (and my screenshot button)
The hand-drawn art in Koira is truly stunning. The dynamic camera angles had me pausing to soak in the scenery (and snap way too many screenshots). That being said, sometimes the visuals got too immersive. My furry sidekick — let’s call him Kevin after my own pup — has a thing for apples. Usually, I’d pick them up to feed him, but at some point I thought they were just disappearing into the abyss… only to realise Kevin had been sneakily munching away like the little goblin he is — very true to life.
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Music and sound plays an integral part in Koira, so make sure you have the volume on. And I mean turn it up, because it was very quiet most of the time. In fact, if you are playing Koira while doing something else, you should opt for headphones. It’s the perfect game to help wind down at the end of the day — maybe one for bed-rotting gaming.
Emotional Damage Incoming
Where Koira truly shines is in its adorable gameplay moments. Building snowpeople, playing tug-of-war with Kevin, and petting him whenever I wanted (add this one to Can You Pet The Dog?) — all highlights. The wildlife also reacts in delightful ways, like squirrels absolutely losing their tiny minds when you get too close. I could also put a hat or flowers on Kevin to decorate him, and even — yes, I know I’m evil — throw snowballs at him. Before you judge me, my character laughed, so clearly the devs knew we’d do this.
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Koira does an exceptional job at making you care about your four-legged friend. Every time Kevin got lost — or worse — captured by hunters, I genuinely worried about him. It’s probably not a game for young children, as there were some scary parts, and sneaking past hunters was trickier than expected in some places. Also at one point, I feel like Kevin and I ate mushrooms and had a wild trip underwater. Doubt the kids will get that though.
Small Bugbears
There’s no manual saving in Koira. You pick up the game from the last checkpoint, but the game doesn’t tell you where that is. So, uh, good luck! It didn’t affect my experience too much, except when the game weirdly didn’t remember where I left off after I loaded it up again. The second time, I manually selected my chapter just to be safe. Later on, it did remember. Schrödinger’s save system, I guess.
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One other issue I ran into: I somehow ended up outside the playing area. For a moment, I thought I’d reached the edge of the world (screenshot below). Thankfully, the restart button saved the day.
Good Doggy?
Koira is an emotional, visually stunning journey that will absolutely tug at your heartstrings. It’s a mix of serene exploration, light puzzling, and moments of genuine tension that make you fear for your furry companion.
Some parts had me smiling, some had me worried for Kevin’s life, and some gave me anxiety and sadness. But through it all, Koira is a beautifully crafted experience for those who love a good adventure — with man’s best friend by their side.
Koira is out today on Steam and PlayStation 5. Prepare for feels. Oh, and here’s a snap of my Kevin IRL below.
Quest Daily scores Koira:
8/10
A copy of Koira was supplied to Quest Daily for this review.
