Finding Polka is all but guaranteed to keep interested players hooked for each hour that it lasts, and that’s quite an achievement for a game with zero dialogue and relatively simple gameplay.
Finding Polka comes from Japanese solo developer Shinnosuke Kumazawa, working under the studio name lidlocks alongside publisher Parco Games. Its story begins when lead character Frendy spots a dog that looks just like Polka, a dog from her childhood, and sets off to track her down. She has her current dog Jazz by her side throughout what becomes an emotional adventure.
It’s a simple premise, and on paper, it’s a simple game. But once you’re actually playing it, minutes quickly turn into hours, which says a lot for a title that skips nearly every flashy convention modern video games are known for.
Finding Polka is visual treat, especially impressive once you realize that it’s all hand-drawn. The game’s puzzles and minigames themselves are rarely a stout challenge, though the game’s routes can be a little frustrating for players who haven’t previously dabbled in puzzle and exploration games. But it will feel that much more rewarding when you figure out the solutions required to get past the game’s mild hurdles and advance to the next beautiful scene.
The Good:
- Wonderful hand-drawn art breathes life into the game
- Simple gameplay is engaging and encourages players forward
The Bad:
- It’s a pretty short and straightforward experience
Review Details:
- Reviewed on: PC
- Platforms available: PC, Xbox, PlayStation
- Official release date: August 11, 2026
Finding Polka is a simple game that gets under your skin
Finding Polka has just one word ever spoken through its length, and that’s the name of its titular dog: Polka. Player character Fendy says it first when she spots the dog, and then again when she notices the dog running away. We never hear another bit of dialogue in the game, and yet our review found that Finding Polka delivered bountiful emotion through its unspoken narrative, wonderful art, and considered sound design.
Anyone who loves animals will feel a particular pull here. As you search for Polka, the environment can make things difficult with traffic signals, heavy machinery, and dark tunnels set in your path, creating hurdles wherever Polka is. It’s hard not to start worrying about what could happen to Polka if you don’t find this darling dog soon.
If you’re too anxious, and the game can trigger those emotions pretty reliably, we’d recommend slowing down. Moving fast is just going to make you run into obstacles that much more often. Finding Polka is best explored by taking your time.
The title does have some minigames and side activities waiting to be found, and they can distract players who want to stop and explore.
If you’re genuinely invested in finding Polka, you may feel motivated to skip past most of them. You don’t necessarily need to explore the varied side activities in order to finish Finding Polka, but in our playthrough, we found that these little distractions added some real flavor to the experience.
Initially, we did find ourselves running hard to chase down our lost dog, so much so that the varied routes through the game’s environments began to feel confusing. We quickly realized that proper exploitation is the way to go here, and the fruits of it are actually tied to the game’s outcome. We recommend really focusing on exploring, since the game ends too quickly anyway. Making friends along the way with the game’s characters can really pay off.
Watching Finda Polka’s gameplay, one might think it to be something of a high-art walking simulator. But that undersells what the game actually asks of the player.
Progress rarely comes from just picking one direction and strolling forward. You’re constantly reading the environment for a route that isn’t so obvious, tracking down a specific object needed to clear a path, or taking action to unlock a shortcut through a cluttered scene.
You’re never really stuck, even if you may at times feel like it. Hail an aerial tram or hop onto a rail cart, and you’re back on the right trail in seconds.
Mapping out the game’s routes and working you way through them does carry with it some puzzle elements, and it’s possible that those who want to focus more on the game’s excellent art and its emotional arc may at times feel flustered. None of it is overly complex, but it does require paying attention and sorting your way through.
Visually, Finding Polka is a real treat. All of the game’s art is entirely hand-drawn, and it’s genuinely surprising just how warm and lived-in this world feels. Most of the game is rendered in the same monochrome sketch style, which makes the rare moments where color and shape suddenly swirl in feel particularly striking.
It takes a little time to fully slip into the game, but once you do, the hours will begin to roll by. Which makes it all the more disappointing when Finding Polka ends quicker than you might expect.
There’s no fast action here, and the game’s puzzles aren’t so complex that they’ll have most players feeling vexed. Finding Polka is really about appreciating the journey and taking in its creator’s lovingly rendered artwork.
The Bottom Line: Finding Polka is a game filled to the brim with love and care, from its hand-drawn art to its warm-hearted narrative journey.
Score: 8.5/10
