[Terukazu Yoshida's Picture Diary] A heartwarming reunion with my dog… but every time it's oddly off. “Finding Polka”

This time, we’re playing *Finding Polka*, developed by lidlocks and published by PARCO GAMES! This interactive adventure follows a protagonist who spots a dog in the city that looks exactly like his beloved former pet, “Polka,” and races around the city in search of that dog.

[Terukazu Yoshida’s Illustrated Diary] “They’ll notice! No, they won’t!” The satisfying camouflage that blends into the background in *Meccha Chameleon*—I tried multiplayer with its star-studded creative team | Game*Spark - Domestic and International Gaming News Site

If you love indie games, you’ll be amazed by the incredibly star-studded lineup playing *Meccha Chameleon*!

https://www.gamespark.jp/article/2026/06/26/168463.html続きを読む »

I’d actually played “Mecca Chameleon” with the developer, s.kumazawa, for my illustrated diary series as well. When I greeted him before starting the game, I realized that I’d actually featured his previous title, “Kuro Ni Kyō (Chronicle),” at a past event. Since that game has a completely different atmosphere from this one, I hadn’t realized they were from the same developer.

[Terukazu Yoshida’s Report & Sketch Diary] Three Recommended Indie Games I Found at the “DREAMSCAPE” Indie Game Support Project! | Game*Spark - Domestic & International Game Information Site

I attended the “DREAMSCAPE” indie game creator support project event held in Osaka on April 26!

https://www.gamespark.jp/article/2024/05/08/141036.html続きを読む »

◆ In Search of My Beloved Dog from Childhood…

Friendly was having a happy dream about going on a picnic with his beloved dog, “Jazz.” Then, beyond a field of flowers, he spotted his former dog, “Polka.” But Polka chased after a butterfly and disappeared somewhere.

When he woke up, Polka was gone, of course. Only Jazz was sleeping peacefully in Frendy’s bed.

In Friendly’s childhood memories, Jazz and Polka were always there.

When people talk about parting with a pet, they usually think of death first, but that’s too sad—I really hope it’s just something like leaving them at a pet hotel or something like that…!

When she went out into town with Jazz, there was the butterfly she’d seen in her dream. And right beside it was Polka.

As Frendy froze in shock, Polka chased after the butterfly and disappeared. Was that Polka the real one, or just another dog that looked exactly like her? Frendy and Jazz’s adventure began—all to see Polka again.

The goal is to make your way through a warm, ballpoint-pen-drawn field and find Polka. Since the forks in the road are blocked by things like road closures, I guess it’s basically a straight path.

Across the field, you’ll find people in trouble—having lost something or become stuck—and if you help them, they’ll become your friends.

You can only interact with people who are in trouble; you can’t talk to most of the people drawn on the field. But even those background figures aren’t just mobs standing there idly.

Whether it’s someone wrapped in bandages about to get a huge shot or a tough-looking muscleman blocking the path of someone walking while looking at their phone, you can sense a story behind each one, so you can’t help but get drawn in, wondering, “What are these people up to?”

As I make my way through the city looking for Polka, I come across a little “gift” left by a dog. Since I can examine it properly, this might actually be something Polka left behind.

Friendly takes a closer look while picking it up. Could this really be Polka’s…?

For example, with the cats at my house, the size and shape of their droppings are completely different, so I can tell at a glance which cat left what. Pet owners are just naturally equipped with that kind of special ability. I’m sure Friendly is also convinced that this droppings came from Polka.

Polka’s “gifts” come in all sizes—not just the big ones, but the small ones too. If you find one, splash some water on it to flush it away. It’s basic pet owner etiquette.

Since the cats in my house have specific amounts and spots where they pee, just like with the “big one,” I can tell which cat it belongs to.

After passing through town, I arrived at a farm. It was amusing to see chickens playing shogi just like humans.

As I ventured further in, I spotted Polka again. He was fast asleep, sandwiched between two moles. I chased after him right away, but it seems he had moved on to another spot while I was taking a detour.

The next time I spotted her, she’d been picked up by a mole and carried off on a mine cart. Every time I run into her, the situation just gets weirder and weirder.

When Freddy finds Polka, a voice line plays where he calls out, “Polka!” In the early stages, that “Polka!” seemed to convey the joy of finally finding her.

However, when I see Polka wrestling with the locals or being crucified by a mole in the Underground Empire, it sounds more like, “Polka! (Seriously, what are you doing!?)”

Could it be that Polka is just having a bit of fun with these bizarre reunion scenarios?

I was able to beat the game in about four hours. There are still some collectibles I haven’t found yet, so it looks like I’ll be able to enjoy it a little longer.

As I mentioned in the main text, everything was so well-crafted—from the characters in trouble to the background characters who don’t speak to you—that it was fun just to watch them.

Just when you think it’s a laid-back, cute world, there are psychedelic touches here and there that really add a nice accent.

The artwork was simply amazing, so I really want some large-sized merchandise—like big posters of the townscapes or desk mats!

I’d recommend this game not only to dog lovers, but also to anyone who enjoys exploring a unique world drawn with ballpoint pens or taking detours to discover little surprises along the way.

“Finding Polka” is now available for PC (Steam).

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