* While the gameplay and any shared graphics are from my own play through, all credit for this game goes to Developper BlueTwelve Studio and Publisher by Annapurna Interactive. Go and show them the love they deserve! Stray website
Oh to be a cat!
Cats are amazing creatures who have us wrapped around their furry little paws. Sleeping all day in sunbeams. Snuggling with their hoomans. On the watch for greebles. Not to mention their agility, smart-ass playfulness and the ability to purr. The purrs!
I love cats. I love all animals, but cats are the top of my list. In my next life, if such a thing exists, I’d come back as a cat in a good home.
As soon as I saw this game I knew I had to have it.
It’s been awhile since I was excited for a game launch but I was hooked from the minute I saw the first trailer. And am I ever glad I got it! Since I’m a wanderer, it took me about 7.5 hours to play the main story. Although I didn’t complete it 100%, it is a game I will go back to again and again.
I’m used to playing open world games so the linear movement of this one kept throwing me off. I found myself wandering too much, looking in too many corners for secrets, easter eggs, etc. Every time I was confused, or missed something, was because I was thinking like an open world gamer. Once I relaxed into the the linear flow of the game it was a breeze. Not to say it wasn’t a challenge or that I didn’t die. I definitely died! But it was very straight forward story and an easier challenge.
The premise is simple: you are a cat who gets separated from your cat family and you have to find your way back to them. You end up in a forgotten city. It’s void of humans and filled with companion robots. These robots are terrorized by zurks. Creatures that live in the shadows and eat biologicals. You will be eaten too if you’re not careful! It’s up to you to help these companions, destroy the zurks and get back to your family.
The game mechanics mimic cat movement and mannerisms wonderfully. They way the cat jumps, climbs, scratches, walks on handrails, curls up on everything, does leg rubs, etc., they are purrfectly catly! The purring during loading screens is a really nice touch too. It made me want to curl up and nap. Preferably with a cat! And the meowing. Not only does the cat meow regularly, you can also make them meow on command.
Graphics are something that I really get pulled into and this game delivered. They are stunning! I took a lot of screenshots on this playthrough and would have taken more if it didn’t slow down the gameplay. There are also wonderful little nods to other games to discover. As an avid Skyrim fan, I burst out laughing at the robot who once owned a shop, until he took a screw driver to the knee! If you know, you know.
The story unfolds naturally and at a good pace. It’s interesting and keeps your attention.
But, and it’s a big all-caps-bold-italic-shouting BUT. Stop here if you don’t want a major spoiler for the end.
Seriously. You’ve been warned!
The entire point of the game was to reunite with your cat family. It’s about finding your way through the underground city. It’s about getting back to the surface. It’s about reuniting with your family. BUT YOU DON’T! You escape. You get to the surface. You see greenery and sunlight. You know you’ve made it to the surface and then… roll credits. Literally. The game ends right there. It feels like we’re missing an entire chapter of this game. It’s like the final and most important chapter wasn’t written. Maybe the studio ran out of time? Maybe it’s how they’re baiting us into a sequel?
Well it worked. Despite the disappointment with the ending I still love this game. It has far too many good points to keep me away from it. I’d play it again and I would buy a sequel. In fact, I would love a sequel. One where you find your family and then get to play and explore an open world setting as a cat. With your cat friends. Yup. I think we need that game!
Spoiler warning! The following is a full walkthrough so it has spoilers. If you haven’t played the game you might not want to see this!
* Some of these streams were part of Friday-Highday. New to Friday-Highday? Check out the first post and explanation here.
