An Airport for Aliens Currently Run By Dogs review – surrealist humour in ruff packaging

PC, Xbox Series S/X; Strange Scaffold
The joke wears a little thin, but there's more to this indie title than internet dog gags and fetch quests

As someone who has missed flights in the past at great personal expense, I'm not sure why I was so keen to review a game about running through airports. I suppose that's less of a mystery than why the surreal airports in this new indie title are operated by spacefaring dogs, or why I am one of only two people left alive. The other survivor is my better half Krista, with whom I catch up in airport lounges scattered across the galaxy.

This is a joke game, obviously, and the traditional problem with joke games is that the thrill of the absurd premise has to give way to something more substantial, which can be a struggle. Dog Airport Game - developer Strange Scaffold is happy for everyone to abbreviate it so - inevitably flirts with this risk. The main joke here is that you are navigating a world populated by floating stock photos of dogs. The sight of these is absurd enough, but then some of them have elf ears, or bodybuilder arms stuck to the sides, and they generally speak in Reddit-friendly internet patter. If you don't find the idea of a dog called Jimmy Doughnuts who sells doughnuts intrinsically farcical, this probably isn't the game for you. But if you'd smirk at a husky with Ziggy Stardust eyes called David Bonie, then welcome in.