Dig Dog is a fast-paced, perfectly-pitched rogue-lite, offering an addictive slice of nostalgia The main gameplay here is straightforward enough to explain quickly. Each level is maybe one-and-a-half screens wide, and three or four screens tall. You (as the titular Dog) start at the top, and have to make your way to the single bone contained underground, somewhere near the bottom. Dig towards it, in various directions; avoid the enemies and static hazards; touch the bone, and progress to the next level. Time and time again, I find myself facing some kind of ‘mini-puzzle’, a certain arrangement of enemies, fixed hazards, and terrain that actually has to be solved, rather than merely traversed. That these arise from procedural generation is a testament to the level of detail that must have gone into planning whatever rules determine the layout. I think, above all, it’s the enemy detail that makes this game so challenging. In the same way that Pac-Man’s ghosts were both simple in their rules, but apparently complex in their resulting behaviour, Dig Dog’s enemies serve their purpose very well. There’s enough variation and unpredictability here to ensure a certain level of skill is absolutely necessary. You can’t just blaze through these levels, however much it seems like you should be able to. And the varying enemy behaviour means there are no easy options: there doesn’t appear to be any kind of reliable pattern that you can dig in to guarantee safety. Ultimately, Dig Dog depends upon the appeal of honing tactics, improving reactions, and determination to tackle the same kind of challenge again and again. Difficulty level is, therefore, key, and prospective buyers should beware that there is a chance they’ll either complete the key challenge quickly, or become frustrated at the face of a difficulty cliffside.