I commissioned some dogs 3

I commissioned some dogs 3 is a meditative hidden object puzzle game where players commission dogs to uncover hidden items across serene, side-view scenes. As the third installment in the ‘I commissioned some…’ series, it offers a relaxing point-and-select interface with a free camera, focusing on calming gameplay for single players.

I commissioned some dogs 3: A Meditation in Canine Concealment

Introduction: The Zen of the Hunt

In an era where video games often strive for ever-greater complexity, narrative depth, and technical spectacle, a quiet revolution has been unfolding on Steam. At the forefront of this movement stands the “I commissioned some…” series, a prolific and deceptively simple franchise that has carved out a monumental niche in the “cozy gaming” landscape. Now, with I commissioned some dogs 3 (2024), the formula reaches a new peak of refined, meditative design. This is not a game about saving princesses or conquering galaxies; it is a game about looking. It is a digital “Where’s Waldo?” elevated to an art form, a deliberate exercise in perception, patience, and the quiet joy of discovery. My thesis is this: I commissioned some dogs 3 represents the absolute zenith of the hidden object genre’s potential for pure, unadulterated relaxation and artistic appreciation. It is a masterclass in minimalist game design that speaks volumes about the modern player’s desire for low-stakes, high-satisfaction digital experiences. Through a brilliant crowdsourcing of art and a flawless implementation of accessibility, it transcends its humble mechanics to become a essential palate cleanser in any gamer’s library.

Development History & Context: The Follow The Fun Assembly Line

To understand Dogs 3, one must first understand its creator: Follow The Fun. Operating as both developer and publisher under the series banner, this entity (likely a very small team or even a solo developer) has achieved something remarkable. Since at least 2022 with I commissioned some bees, they have produced over 70 titles in the “I commissioned some…” franchise, spanning animals (bees, cats, bunnies, mice, frogs, snails, butterflies, ladybugs, pigeons, unicorns, stickmen, abstract variants), with many series reaching double-digit sequels (e.g., Bunnies 10, Cats 10, Bees 15). This is an unprecedented rate of output for a consistent, commercially successful indie franchise.

The technological bedrock is GameMaker, the accessible engine that empowers small teams. Its suitability for 2D, art-driven projects is perfect here. The constraints are embraced, not fought: the game is a lightweight 100MB download, runs on Windows 7 (though officially now targeting Windows 10+), and requires a mere 2GB of RAM. The “technological constraint” is thus not a limitation but a feature, ensuring the game reaches the broadest possible audience on low-spec machines and devices like the Steam Deck.

Dogs 3 launched on November 15, 2024, for $3.99, continuing a consistent pricing model. It arrived into a post-pandemic indie scene already saturated with “zen” and “cozy” titles (Hidden Through Time, Wind Peaks), but it differentiated itself through sheer volume and a unique artistic premise. The business model is pure Steam optimization: frequent bundles (“Hidden Dogs” bundle for parts 1-5, the colossal “All Hidden Object Games” bundle with 71 items) drive volume sales and capitalize on the “completionist” urge in their niche audience. The multilingual title translations (spanning Greek, Japanese, Thai, Ukrainian, and more) demonstrate a keen awareness of global Steam markets.

Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive: The Patron’s Commission

I commissioned some dogs 3 possesses no traditional narrative. There is no protagonist, no dialogue, no plot arc. Its “story” is entirely diegetic and meta, presented in its official description: “I commissioned artists to create a fantasy world, and hide as many dogs and bones as they can inside it.” This framing device is crucial. The player is not an explorer in a story; they are the beneficiary of an eccentric patron’s whim. The developer/patron has outsourced the creative act of world-building to a cadre of anonymous artists, whose only directive is to create a “fantasy world” and pack it with 750+ dogs and 750+ bones.

The theme is therefore one of curated chaos and perceptual intent. Each of the 15 artworks is a self-contained vignette, a tableau granted to the player to decode. The dogs—representations of loyalty, playfulness, and familiar companionship—are hidden within scenes of abstract clutter (a tornado-ravaged closet), domestic fantasy (a desk buried in headphones and trinkets), and surreal landscapes. They are not always photorealistic; they range from clear cartoon pups to stylized wolves (as noted in MobyGames’ “Animals: Dogs / Wolves” group), and even abstract shapes that evoke a canine form.

The bones—simple “2 straight lines with scribbles” as one series review noted—serve as a thematic counterpoint. They are less immediately recognizable, more ambiguous. Their hiddenness represents a greater challenge, a test of acute observation. Together, dogs and bones explore a dichotomy: the joy of the obvious versus the frustration (and eventual triumph) of the obscure. The complete absence of narrative pressure, fail states, or time limits (beyond an optional timer) transforms the act of searching from a task into a meditative ritual. It is about the state of “flow” achieved through sustained, careful looking. The series-wide motif suggests an endless gallery of nature’s patterns, with each animal group (the slow snails, the buzzing bees, the stealthy cats) offering a different rhythm of concealment. Dogs 3 contributes the energetic, loyal, and often-playfully-disguised canine element to this grand bestiary.

Gameplay Mechanics & Systems: The Flow State Engine

The core loop is elegantly distilled:
1. Select an unlocked artwork (all 15 are available from the start).
2. Navigate using a free camera: pan with mouse drag or WASD, zoom with scroll wheel or arrow keys.
3. Spot & Click: Find the listed dogs and bones. A counter (e.g., “59 Bones, 61 Dogs”) ticks down. Correct clicks cause the object to vanish with a satisfying pop or disappear animation.
4. Repeat until counters reach zero.
5. Proceed to the next painting or replay any.

This simplicity is the genius. However, the systems built around this loop are what elevate it from a toy to a masterful game:

• Progression & Replayability:

  • Completion Percentage: A meta-goal drives the completionist. The “game completion percentage” feature (MobyGames spec) is the primary long-term hook.
  • “Restore” Function: This is a brilliant innovation. After completing a level, you can “restore a small number of hidden objects” randomly back into the painting. This transforms a solved puzzle into a new, often harder challenge, especially when only a few items remain. It introduces a lightweight, player-driven “roguelite” element to a static image.
  • Save Slots: Three independent save slots allow for multiple playthroughs (e.g., one for 100%, one for a relaxed session) without overwriting progress.
  • Full Reset: For the masochist who wants to experience the entire hunt from zero again.

• Accessibility & Player Empowerment:

  • ∞ Unlimited Hints: The game offers endless hints. They are implemented subtly—often a gentle glow or highlight around a missed object—preventing frustration but not spoiling the entire screen. This is the ultimate “zen” tool: help is always available, removing any barrier to enjoyment.
  • Control Parity: Excellent keyboard-only support (WASD + arrows) ensures accessibility for users without a mouse scroll wheel or with specific motor needs.
  • No Penalties: Zero time pressure (timer is purely informational), no penalty for misclicks, no game over. The only “failure” is choosing not to look.

• UI & Feedback:

  • The interface is pristine: a large central canvas, bottom panel with object counters, hint button, and restore button, top menu for level select/saving.
  • Audio feedback (a positive chime) and visual disappearance provide immediate, satisfying confirmation.

• Identified Flaws (from series pattern & sparse reports):

  • Bone Ambiguity: Bones are frequently criticized across the series for being less distinct than the dogs or other animals (like bees or ladybugs). Their simple shape can blend frustratingly into line art or textured backgrounds.
  • Potential Bugs: The Steam forum for the series mentions occasional “reappearing” objects or registration issues. While not widespread for Dogs 3 specifically (only 2 Steam reviews, both positive), it’s a known minor risk in a game handling 1500+ clickable entities on complex art.
  • Repetition: For players not engaged by the “restore” feature, the 15 artworks, while beautiful, represent a finite content pool.

World-Building, Art & Sound: The Commissioned Tapestry

The game’s soul resides in its 15 unique, commissioned artworks. The fantasy worlds are not generated; they are hand-drawn expressions of various artists’ interpretations of “hide as many dogs and bones as you can.” This yields a glorious diversity of styles:
* The Chaotic Whimsy: A closet ripped apart by a tornado, with dogs hiding among floating books, headphones, and shattered lamps.
* The Domestic Fantasy: A cozy, cluttered desk scene where a dog might be a mug, a plant, or a scribbled note.
* The Abstract: Pieces that are less representational and more about patterns, colors, and shapes, where dogs are integrated into the very geometry of the piece.

The free camera is essential to this world-building. It forces the player to become an active investigator, to pan slowly, to zoom into the intricate details—a tiny dog ear in a foliage corner, a bone disguised as a fence post. The sense of immersion comes from this player-driven discovery, not from the game’s own cinematic prompts.

Each artwork is paired with its own musical track. These are typically gentle, ambient melodies or soft piano pieces that match the painting’s mood—playful for a busy scene, more ethereal for a sparse, abstract one. The sound design is minimal but effective: the click, the pop, the soft background music. It creates an ASMR-like atmosphere conducive to concentration and calm. You can easily mute it to listen to a podcast, acknowledging its role as a functional, non-intrusive backdrop.

Collectively, the art and sound craft an experience that is emotionally resonant. Finding the last elusive object in a painting—especially after a long, careful hunt—triggers a small but genuine dopamine hit, a quiet sense of accomplishment. The worlds feel lived-in, full of secrets, and beautiful to look at even when empty.

Reception & Legacy: The Quiet Giant

I commissioned some dogs 3 exists in a unique reception space. As a niche, no-budget hidden object game, it flew under the radar of major critics. Metacritic has no critic reviews listed. MobyGames shows a “Moby Score: n/a” and is collected by only 1 player (the entry was added in November 2024). This is not a sign of failure, but of its specific, grassroots audience.

Its true reception is on Steam, where it holds a perfect 100% “Overly Positive” rating based on 2 user reviews. While an infinitesimal sample size, it aligns perfectly with the series’ reputation. The one external review found, from missitheachievementhuntress.com (covering the first Dogs game), hailed it as “Another great addition to the ‘I commissioned some’ series,” praising its relaxing nature, easy achievements, and beautiful art. Steam user tags tell the full story: “Hidden Object,” “Relaxing,” “Cute,” “Cozy,” “Casual,” “Family Friendly,” “Atmospheric.” The “Warning: Relaxing” tagline from the store page is not a joke; it’s the primary selling point.

Its legacy is twofold:
1. As Part of the Franchise: It is the third installment in the most successful specific-animal series within a universe of 70+ games. It represents the maturation of the “dogs” formula—15 artworks, 1500+ objects, and all the QoL features (hints, restore, saves) perfected in the first two games.
2. As an Industry Artifact: It is a prime case study in the “long-tail, high-volume” indie model on Steam. By creating a simple, endlessly reproducible template, Follow The Fun has built a sustainable business based on low prices, high completion rates, and strategic bundling. It embodies the “cozy gaming” boom not through marketing, but through pure, consistent product delivery. Its influence is seen in the proliferation of similar chill, art-based puzzle games that prioritize mood over challenge. The series’ multilingual titles and Steam Deck compatibility show an understanding of a truly global, portable gaming audience.

Conclusion: A Must-Play Artifact of Modern Indie Ingenuity

I commissioned some dogs 3 is not for everyone. It will not challenge your reflexes, move you to tears, or tell a gripping story. But for what it sets out to be, it is virtually flawless. It delivers precisely on its promise: “I paid more artists to hide dogs and bones in 15 pieces of artwork. Can you find them all? Warning: Relaxing.”

Its brilliance lies in its ruthless focus and empathetic design. It respects the player’s time and mental state. It offers no frustration without a remedy (hints), no content without a reason to return (restore function), and no ugly interface to mar the beautiful art. It is the digital equivalent of a beautifully illustrated, interactive mindfulness coloring book.

In the grand tapestry of video game history, it may not occupy a place of revolutionary significance. It will not be taught in universities alongside Pong or The Legend of Zelda. But it will be cherished by thousands as a perfect tool for decompression, a testament to the power of simple ideas executed with extraordinary care, and a shining example of how Steam’s open storefront can sustain utterly unique, niche experiences that mainstream publishing would never touch.

Final Verdict: 9/10. A sublime, essential hidden object experience that redefines the potential of its genre through artistic curation and impeccable, player-first design. Seek it out when you need an hour of pure, uncluttered peace.