The best video game dogs, except as cats

How claw-ver

This year, video games finally figured out the majesty of Dog. You don't need a degree in marketing to notice that including a dog in your game (or even just in a trailer) leads to instant player love, especially when the dog's heart-meltingly cute. Man's best friend has been a part of games for years, but their innate wonderfulness is finally being fully realized.

Of course, things could have easily gone differently. Gaming is almost inexorably linked to the internet, and what does the internet love? Cats. Cats inherently make just about anything better through a combination of cuteness and heinous black magic, and gaming isn't absent their influence. It makes you wonder how gaming would be if all its best dogs were envisioned as feisty felines, with all the appropriate changes in personality. The end result is hilarious for us, but maybe not so great for their servants--I mean protagonists.

D.D. (Diamond Dog) from The Phantom Pain

As a dog: Growing from an adorable puppy into a still-adorable killing machine, D.D. helps you track enemy combatants, sniffs out supplies and weapons, and will absolutely knife someone on command if you arm him properly.

As a cat: Diamond Cat may like the thrill of the hunt, but focuses almost entirely on small desert creatures to the detriment of the team (and refuses to share his spoils). He also has a habit of sleeping during the day, only to sprint frantically through a enemy base and alert all guards during night missions. He will, however, still definitely knife someone, but it'll probably be you. Why just puke in your shoes when he can murder you instead?

The Dog (Dinki-Di) from Mad Max

As a dog: After losing a fight against Max (and knowing what's good for it), The Dog quickly makes itself useful as a mine-sniffer, helping Max dismantle landmines hidden in the wasteland's most attractive scrap heaps.

Riley from Call of Duty: Ghosts

As a dog: A K-9 with the Ghost squadron, Riley is as much a trained soldier as anyone else on his team. Decked out with a bulletproof vest, he is often sent in ahead of his human teammates to attack unreachable enemies, do reconnaissance, and find secret paths his allies can take during stealth missions.

As a cat: Riley is an expert at infiltrating enemy camps and barricading himself in a bathroom by closing the door and pulling opening an adjacent drawer. He then uses his ultimate distraction tactic - clawing at the enemies' hands as they try to get the door open with a coat hanger - allowing American soldiers take the camp unnoticed. He doesn't do it on purpose of course. It just kind of works out that way.

Dogmeat from Fallout 3

As a dog: A bit of a lone wanderer himself, Dogmeat joins the Lone Wanderer when they cross paths in the depressing and barren wasteland. He helps guard the Lone Wanderer from enemies, but is even more effective as a tracker, disappearing for days on end to uncover items at his master's request.

Angelo from Final Fantasy 8

As a dog: Angelo serves as Rinoa's loyal companion and primary weapon. All of her special limit break attacks incorporate the canine in some way, and Angelo can serve as everything from an emergency medic to an oversized projectile.

Chop from Grand Theft Auto 5

As a dog: Originally trained to be an attack dog, Chop is left in Franklin's care by impulsive gangbanger Lamar, and turns out to be the world's biggest sweety. He regularly goes with Franklin on car rides, and can help defend Franklin in times of need.

Koromaru from Persona 3

As a dog: The most quadrupedal member of the Persona team, Koromaru is a loyal and highly intelligent animal that loves movies and hanging out in the team dorm. He's also fearsome in battle, and has taken down Shadows without an evoker, using only his intellect fancy knife skills.

Hewie from Haunting Ground

As a dog: Fiona's canine escort, Hewie acts as her primary means of defense. But more than just commanding him to attack an assailant or fetch items for her, Fiona can train Hewie into an obedient, loyal, and courageous guard dog intent on keeping her safe.

The unknown dog from Resident Evil 4

As a dog: This cute fellah is already pretty cat-like, since you only see him for a second or two before he darts away into the forest, only to be found when he's good and ready. But his dogly nature comes out after Leon saves him from a bear trap and, out of gratitude, the dog helps Leon fight El Gigante.

Duck Hunt Dog from Duck Hunt

As a dog: Easily one of the most despised characters in gaming history, Duck Hunt Dog has no qualms about rubbing your nose in even the slightest failure. He's all cheer and happy faces when you shoot down his dinner, but let a single fowl get away and expect to get a good, long look at his overly-amused mug.