Stray meets Metal Gear Solid in Free Steam demo where you play as a spy dog

You could never trust a life-saving spy as much as man's best friend - forget James Bond coming to the rescue, you really want someone with more bite to his bark, like Agent T.H.U.N.D.E.R.

Having had our fair share of bullish blokes that can't resist flexing their charm and testosterone when a softer touch is better served, the gaming world has begun making some fluffier protagonists that make for a well-needed change of pace.

Stray kicked things off, being 2022's cyberpunk detective with all kinds of sass, and a handful of waggy-tailed titles have followed in its wake.

From new indie Wizard of Oz spin-offs to 'Bark Souls' fantasy RPGs, the good-est boys are taking over, and now one has landed on Steam that offers everything that Solid Snake does and more.

Hardcore Barkour

Barkour is Steam's latest game to get a lengthy free taste test, with a full release coming in 'Q4' of this year.

The action-adventure is very Metal Gear Solid-coded, coming as a spy title mixed with heavy parkour elements, as you assume the role of a cunning canine armed with high-tech weaponry.

"GOOD BOY. TOP AGENT. Meet Agent T.H.U.N.D.E.R. - a highly trained special agent, master of parkour, high-tech gadgets and getting into trouble," the Steam synopsis reads.

"He may be one of M.A.N.'s finest agents, but underneath all that spy gear, he's still a (not so) ordinary dog. He wags his tail, follows his nose and sometimes lets his canine instincts get the better of perfectly professional Agent behaviour. Fortunately, saving the world sometimes calls for exactly that."

VARSAV Game Studios

In essence, Thunder is a well-trained woofer that can wall run, rail grind, effortlessly leap between platforms, and sniff out a secret passageway with silent, natural stealth abilities.

With over 30 gadgets at his disposal, the proud pet pal takes down armies of enemies in gothic castles, overgrown greenhouses, creepy amusement parks, and secret facilities, all in a bid to save the world from a deranged antagonist.

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Of course, every dog has to have a nibble of your full meal, and that's exactly the case with the Barkour demo on Steam.

Updated on August 26 to celebrate the start of Gamescom and International Dog Day, the Barkour demo now boasts more missions, new locations, weapons and gadgets, and locations, as the game continues to edge towards a full release.

While Metal Gear Solid is getting its parkour boots strapped and ready for a massive remastered 'Master Collection Volume 2' coming to PlayStation this year, it now has some serious competition. Double the legs, double the fun.