Bark

Bark is a challenging psychological survival, stealth and horror game told from the perspective of a small Jack-Russell Terrier in an abusive household. You manage the dog’s needs and instincts—barking, sniffing, chasing and finding treats—while trying to escape. The game focuses on the emotional experience of an abused dog’s life, and asks you to think and plan carefully to survive.

Survive the house

You must get through three days and three nights in your owner’s house. During the day, you can play; at night, you need to keep noise to a minimum. Your owner is easily agitated by barking and may come looking for you if you bark too loudly or too often. He has a good ear and a good eye, so staying quiet and hidden can help you avoid him.

Barking can scare nearby cats and earns points, but it makes significant noise and gradually agitates your owner and other nearby threats. You can use a special sense to see auras that indicate guidance and danger. Sensing takes effort, cannot be used indefinitely and prevents you from barking. When someone or something runs away from you, you automatically chase it; chasing and marking your territory also earn points.

Hide from threats

You are not a fighter, and hiding is usually the safest response to danger. Running is fast but noisy, and threats may stop to listen for movement. If one stops, stay still: even slight movement can reveal your location. Hiding places can become unsafe as threats move around the environment.

Larger dogs roam the neighborhood. They are not drawn to your presence, but approaching them or doing something they see as a challenge can lead to your death. Noise is another danger: anxiety and fear can bring hallucinations and involuntary actions. You cannot control your reactions to nearby sounds, but how you handle them can affect your chances of survival.

Escape the neighborhood

If you survive to the final night, you can try to escape into the neighborhood. You are free to roam and explore, but not every place is safe, and the world beyond the environments you know holds unfamiliar dangers.

Shape the story

Your play leads to one of three endings, only one of which is true. How you progress through the final chapter determines two endings; finding the third may require revisiting selected chapters to uncover what you missed. Points from barking at cats, chasing cats or squirrels, marking your territory and collecting treats are tallied at the end of each chapter and provide boosts to improve your abilities.

The main campaign takes about 2–3 hours. Completing the campaign and all endings takes about 3–4 hours, while finding all extras as well can take 5–10 or more hours.