There's a lot to unpack in that headline, so let's start with the dogs. Appropriately named Rover's Tale, this new metroidvania from Team 17 is all about the dogs. Well, specifically those who are *sob* no longer with us.
Handily in Rover's Tale's version of reality, shown off as part of the Future Games Show Spring Showcase powered by HyperX, any good doggos that do cross the rainbow bridge get their consciousness transferred into robots (aptly named Laika Rovers) who go into the cosmos to catch and research creatures they find, and also take on their abilities.
That's where the creature collection comes in, but also the Metroidvania part. Your mission is to help a human explore the unknown planet of Tera II. You'll have a variety of tools and upgrades to utilise to traverse the terrain, capture exotic creatures, and bring them back to your home base.
You'll be able to find other Laika Rovers, wake them from their slumber and help them to recover their memory tapes, and probably cry a bit to be honest.
Beyond the mysteries of space-faring dogbots, you'll also have to uncover the mystery of the Anomaly. Ancient temples give hints of a previous civilization, but where did they go? Sounds like there's going to be tonnes to discover this one, and I for one have immediately added it to my wishlist. Even if I don't feel emotionally ready.
Rover's Tale is due to launch sometime this year on PS5 and PC. You can wishlist it right now on Steam.
If you're looking for more excellent games from today's Future Games Show, have a look at our official Steam page.
