It’s A Good Week If You Like Games That Let You Play As An Animal
Overview & Key Takeaways
After Gamescom Opening Night Live and the Future Games Show, we can't help noticing that there are multiple titles coming up that let players either assume control of an animal or play anthropomorphic characters who resemble human/animal hybrids. To keep track of these upcoming titles, we ran down a full list of animal-centric games below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuYhh4zSTlA
Amphibian
Developer: Jarcorp Interactive
Systems: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch
Release Date: 2028
Amphibian is a retro RPG that casts players as humanoid frogs on a quest to save their world. As seen in the trailer below, the game apparently commits to its froggy bit by recording all of the dialogue as ribbit sounds. However, the English translations appear on-screen.
Bye Bye Bonnie
Developer: Brainwash Gang and Raw Fury
Systems: PC
Release Date: TBD
Bye Bye Bonnie is also a four-player co-op adventure at a decidedly smaller scale. These creatures are minuscule compared to the world around them. Even their ship is small, although it's large enough that the characters have to jump up and down on the controls to guide it through the obstacles ahead.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Illo-K0Jsvo
Haunted Paws
Developer: LazyFlock
Systems: PC, Switch, Switch 2
Release Date: TBD
Haunted Paws is a "cozy co-op horror" adventure that puts players in control of two puppies that have to rescue their owner from a haunted mansion. These dogs are more conventional than Amphibian's frogs, but they still find ways to drive cars and play video games while staying one paw ahead of some malicious ghosts.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7K6kahO2Ak
Gravhounds
Developer: Octopus Panic
Systems: PC, Xbox Series X|S
Release Date: November 2
Conversely, Gravhounds leans even harder into anthropomorphic canine heroes with very human-like dogs who have been sent across the galaxy to colonize a planet. It's unclear how these dogs were bred into humanoid beings, but they share a desire to earn a trip back home.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6-POrGg-yI
DNA Nemesis
Developer: Catalisol Limited and Aeternum Game Studios
Systems: PC
Release Date: December 2026
The third-person shooter DNA Nemesis appears to have some thematic overlap with Gravhounds. In this game, the player characters appear to be humans with animal traits genetically engineered into their bodies. Some of them even have animal heads, which may give them an advantage in combat.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12vIaNtmaZ8
Zoopunk
Developer: TiGames
Systems: PC, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5
Release Date: TBD
Zoopunk also seems to go over similar territory, but with more polish than DNA Nemesis. In this game, anthropomorphic animals wage a war against deadly machines in a futuristic world.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJU_js3YC90
Stray Dog: Nobody Cares
Developer: Parry Frames Studio.
Systems: PC
Release Date: TBD
The fantasy adventure Stay Dog: Nobody Cares was announced before Gamescom, but it also continues the trend of animal titles that are coming down the line. In this case, players step into the paws of a sword-wielding dog on a quest.
After Gamescom Opening Night Live and the Future Games Show, we can’t help noticing that there are multiple titles coming up that let players either assume control of an animal or play anthropomorphic characters who resemble human/animal hybrids. To keep track of these upcoming titles, we ran down a full list of animal-centric games below.
VIDEO
Amphibian
Developer: Jarcorp Interactive
Systems: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch
Release Date: 2028
Amphibian is a retro RPG that casts players as humanoid frogs on a quest to save their world. As seen in the trailer below, the game apparently commits to its froggy bit by recording all of the dialogue as ribbit sounds. However, the English translations appear on-screen.
VIDEO
Bye Bye Bonnie
Developer: Brainwash Gang and Raw Fury
Systems: PC
Release Date: TBD
Bye Bye Bonnie is also a four-player co-op adventure at a decidedly smaller scale. These creatures are minuscule compared to the world around them. Even their ship is small, although it’s large enough that the characters have to jump up and down on the controls to guide it through the obstacles ahead.
VIDEO
Haunted Paws
Developer: LazyFlock
Systems: PC, Switch, Switch 2
Release Date: TBD
Haunted Paws is a “cozy co-op horror” adventure that puts players in control of two puppies that have to rescue their owner from a haunted mansion. These dogs are more conventional than Amphibian’s frogs, but they still find ways to drive cars and play video games while staying one paw ahead of some malicious ghosts.
VIDEO
Gravhounds
Developer: Octopus Panic
Systems: PC, Xbox Series X|S
Release Date: November 2
Conversely, Gravhounds leans even harder into anthropomorphic canine heroes with very human-like dogs who have been sent across the galaxy to colonize a planet. It’s unclear how these dogs were bred into humanoid beings, but they share a desire to earn a trip back home.
VIDEO
DNA Nemesis
Developer: Catalisol Limited and Aeternum Game Studios
Systems: PC
Release Date: December 2026
The third-person shooter DNA Nemesis appears to have some thematic overlap with Gravhounds. In this game, the player characters appear to be humans with animal traits genetically engineered into their bodies. Some of them even have animal heads, which may give them an advantage in combat.
VIDEO
Zoopunk
Developer: TiGames
Systems: PC, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5
Release Date: TBD
Zoopunk also seems to go over similar territory, but with more polish than DNA Nemesis. In this game, anthropomorphic animals wage a war against deadly machines in a futuristic world.
VIDEO
Stray Dog: Nobody Cares
Developer: Parry Frames Studio.
Systems: PC
Release Date: TBD
The fantasy adventure Stay Dog: Nobody Cares was announced before Gamescom, but it also continues the trend of animal titles that are coming down the line. In this case, players step into the paws of a sword-wielding dog on a quest.
