Dim the lights, bring out the scented candles, pour a glass of wine and get ready for a HOT evening of speed dating, with PUGS! Trust me, it’s just as amazing as it sounds. Or, if you’re thinking “Hm, dates with pugs… definitely not my thing” worry not, it’s not a dating sim. If anything, it’s more like a procedurally-generated-conversation-crawler, kinda, where the only goal is to get as many laughs as possible before time runs out. My expectations were pretty high when I started this game but even so, it exceeded them by far!

It’s very simple, you just ask questions and enjoy the responses. Every now and then you’ll get to answer some questions as well and have the pleasure of being mercilessly judged / enthusiastically encouraged by an adorable pug!

The game is free or pay-what-you-want over at it’s creator George Batchelors website, so go ahead and spend some time with these wonderfully sassy pugs. (While the pop-culture references are still fresh!) Get some life advice and ask the important questions like “What is your ideal starting pokémon?” and “Are you a fan of recent episodes of The Simpsons?”. There is no winning this game, no right questions to ask to win your favourite pugs favor (all pugs are identical). The pugs might profess their love for you one minute and tell you to take a hike the next, the game is not about that at all. It’s actually pretty relaxing to be completely at the mercy of unpredictable whims, you never have to worry about what to say to them. The responses are cleverly randomized to give you fresh answers almost every time, even if you would insist on asking the same question over and over. When time is up and all the pugs have gone home your only reward is a screen saying “YOU’RE THE BEST” but really, it’s pretty clear the pugs are the best.