Game: Dr. Cog
Genre: Strategy
System: Steam (Windows)
Developer|Publisher: Re: ZT1 | Jungle Game Lab
Controller Support: No
Steam Deck: Playable
Price: US $ Free | UK £Free | EU € Free
Release Date: December 17th, 2024
A review code was provided, and many thanks to Re: ZT1.
Dr. Cog: A New Cog in the Works
Dr. Cog is a free-to-play deckbuilding roguelike about helping an elderly man regain his memories by assembling a special machine. While the premise may sound unusual, it’s surprisingly heartfelt, blending strategic gameplay with a story about reconnecting with the past. Though the mechanics take time to understand, fans of strategy and planning may find a rewarding experience here.
Restoring the Memories
The narrative centres on a medical machine designed to recover forgotten memories. You play as the assistant tasked with using a special device to help an elderly patient recall his life’s highlights. The story unfolds through text and illustrated stills, which depict the patient’s happier memories as well as the struggles in piecing them together. The plot is concise but heartfelt, and you can interact with the doctor to learn more about the machine and its backstory.
Gameplay: Placing the Cogs
At its core, Dr. Cog plays like a deckbuilder but with gears instead of cards. Each level presents a central cog, and your objective is to attach smaller cogs to it, reaching a target score within a time limit. Each cog has unique stats and properties, influencing the machine’s performance. Balancing clockwise and counterclockwise cogs is key to increasing the score multiplier. However, overloading the board with too many cogs can jam the machine and stop progress entirely.
Success often requires experimentation and observation. Hovering over cogs reveals stats such as the effect the cog has on the machine’s efficiency and power consumption. You can also follow the direction the cog is moving and its current level. Stacking compatible cogs can boost the machine’s effectiveness. It’s all about using the best cogs at the moment and accepting the consequences. But even if things don’t go well, there is still time to salvage the level. It’s not over until it’s over, after all. If you end up with cogs you have no purpose for, you can just recycle them. Between levels, you’ll unlock new cog types and upgrades, such as increased score multipliers or extended time limits.
Initially, the mechanics feel overwhelming, and even with a tutorial, the game’s systems only truly become clear after repeated trial and error. While this can be off-putting for some, persistence pays off, and the game becomes more engaging as you learn to navigate its intricacies. A feature that certainly helps is the ability to pause gameplay at any moment to gather your thoughts.
One downside is the lack of a save-and-exit feature. This means you’ll need to commit to completing a run in one sitting, which isn’t ideal for players with limited time.
Visuals and Presentation
The visuals are functional but not particularly memorable. The story’s stills are attractive, but the game board itself is minimalistic, focusing on cogs with basic icons. The soundtrack is serviceable but unremarkable. On the Steam Deck, the small text size makes it difficult to play comfortably, so a PC setup is recommended. I did notice that the game appears to still be getting patches after launch, so maybe the game will continue to be updated over time.
Conclusion: Hitting the Right Gears
Dr. Cog offers a unique twist on deckbuilding that rewards patience and persistence. While the game doesn’t immediately grab you, its mechanics reveal depth the more you experiment and adapt. The heartfelt narrative adds a layer of meaning to the experience, and its price, free with no microtransactions, makes it worth a try.
Final Verdict: I Like It 
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