The extra polish that went into the design of Paws and Effect was evident from the opening title through every scene once this light-hearted game had begun. As the game advertises, the main plot really begins when the protagonist's two pet dogs suddenly transform into human versions of themselves. I enjoyed the humor and perspective of the two dogs, observing the world in human form still from a dog-like perspective. I enjoyed the writing because it was obvious the writer was having fun with the concept and knew it was funny without trying too hard to make it so.
I felt like there was a balance between choices in the game that altered events and choices that had only a few different sentences ascribed to them. I played through different situations several times, picking different choices. Sometimes only a few references were made briefly to my choices, yet in other situations, an entire sequence with new characters occurred. There are 3 possible endings, which each have their own separate outcome, and I liked the menu options to restart from different branches and change previous elements so I could try everything.
I found the game very enjoyable and light-hearted, with a contrast between the realism of every-day life and the supernatural. This made the game relatable and intriguing, because I wanted not only to see how the protagonist would handle the dog people and their antics, I also wanted to know why it all happened in the first place. I'm glad the answer didn't feel like an afterthought. Paws and Effect had great presentation, style, flow, and just the right amount of comedic seasoning to make it fun to play through on a lazy afternoon. Thanks, Shimmersoft!