Things are looking bad for the Retriever. He's past his prime, starving, and his system is growing toxic from the lack of clean food and water. The overgrown cityscape is inhospitably warm. Most of the small creatures he kills rot in the oppressive heat before he can eat his fill.
His little Rabbit friend is faring better. Some of the fruits and grasses are still nutritious, but it's only a matter of time before pollution takes hold of Shibuya Woods and forces them into a new savage area of the wild Tokyo Jungle. The little grazer has even found a mate. She's been following him everywhere since meeting up in Shibuya Station.
The Retriever could try to claim the Yamanote Line by marking territory. This would provide a safe nest for the rabbits to go about doing what rabbits do best. Unfortunately, a large Tosa is roaming the north, and his pack is fierce and strong. An old, solitary house dog would have no chance against such numbers, even with the assistance of the small, but determined, Rabbit. He moves south to Dogenzaka, the long eared couple in tow, hopeful for better food, clean air, and maybe even a mate.
* * *
You begin story mode as a Pomeranian and end it as... something else.
Another day passes in the quirky, fun, and insanely addictive Tokyo Jungle. This is easily one of my favorite titles of the year. It's not without its issues, and it's definitely not for everyone. But gamers who are captivated by the simple premise will find dozens, if not hundreds, of hours of gameplay. Humanity has disappeared and animals have returned to power. Play as over 50 different creatures, both as predators and grazers. Struggle to not only survive, but thrive in the new world.
Tokyo Jungle is a hard beast to define. It plays like a brawler, includes satisfying stealth elements, encourages exploration, and has a unique RPG-style stat system. The single player Story Mode is unlocked by playing the co-op supported Survival Mode. The story itself is nice but the missions lack animal variety. I think there's only one grazer class mission and the rest revolve around a power struggle between the Beagles, Tosas, Hyenas, and Lions. The last two missions are something special and are most definitely worth the time (and they reward you with some sweet overpowered animal unlocks).