The Barkless Doctrine is an incredibly witty journey into the post-apocalypse. Its satire is familiar but well executed, the dialog options it presents largely proving texture over substance. I would've liked to see the branching narrative complicated some (a bit more choose your own adventure than chose your next irreverent reply) but it's well-written and oddly sentimental all the same. Very much reflective of our moment but also more profound in its observation than expected. A great, albeit incredibly short, soundtrack as well. Definitely worth the $6 on Playdate, even if the gameplay execution isn't nearly as compelling as the prose itself.

Reviewed on Sep 13, 2023


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