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Animal Inspector (PC, Mac)

BY TOM ASTLE

Ever seen a useless pet? There are plenty around. For every Lassie and K-9 there’s a cat as round as a bowl doing absolutely nothing. Adorable, sure, but also completely pointless. If you don’t know how to identify a useless pet then Animal Inspector is for you. It won’t teach you, mind, but it’ll send your mind racing with judgmental thoughts on the topic. This cat with its jaw hanging, is it useless? How about this goldfish won at a county fair? Ants, in general, are they useless? Yes, it’s rapturously silly with an underlying mystery worthy of Tomorrow Corporation (think Little Inferno) keeping you guessing at something larger going on. The question isn’t how to identify a useless pet but why does it matter in the first place? While Animal Inspector may play similarly to Papers, Please its lighthearted wag and cartoon presentation let it strike out on its own. And like a dollop of jam on top it even has quirky music by Donut County creator Ben Esposito. Top stuff.

Perfect for: Animal lovers, pet haters, fat cats

Playtime: Half an hour