I can name very few games that stuck with me in the same way as The Cat Lady. I played this game years ago, am currently replaying for the first time, but it's incredible to me how much of it I still remember. The story has been praised through many of these reviews, so I'll just say it is one of the more mature and nuanced explorations of depression, friendship and loss I have seen in any medium, let alone gaming. The writing is brilliant an affecting, and the narrative grips you all the way through. Other parts of the game are equally impressive. The art style is really astounding, and several images and sequences have stayed with me since my initial playthrough. The use of color alone is worth the price of admission. The voice acting (with a couple glaring exceptions) is also really great, and the main characters come across as believable and relatable despite the extraordinary circumstances they encounter. The puzzles strike a great balance, being both challenging and logical. Issues I have with the game are mostly related to its likely shoestring budget (while the voice acting is great, the quality of recordings are pretty poor), and one specific sequence that seems explicitly built to tie the game to the developer's next game Downfall but feels out of place and superfluous. The level of gore and disturbing subject matter will also be too much for some, although the content warnings are super clear about this. But overall I cannot recommend this game enough to anyone who enjoys story-driven games made for adults, as the emotional resonance of this experience is really something to behold.
I'm a longtime GOG customer, having purchased and played 50+ games here, but this is actually the first review I've written for the site. I'm doing it because I found this game genuinely touching and encouraging, and I want it to get its due attention. Let me first say what you've probably read in other reviews, which is that (despite my rating) this is by no means a perfect or even near perfect game. It has many clear flaws, including a clunky interface, a poor English translation, uneven voice over work, choppy animation and some cliche story elements and plot holes. But trust me when I say you won't remember any of that after playing this game. What you will remember is a truly gripping, affecting and thoughtful gaming experience that just isn't that common these days. The environmental theme provides possibly the most high stakes scenario currently in existence, and while the game does lapse into preachiness on occasion, this is a serious problem that I frankly believe we don't do enough preaching about given the potential consequences. It's refreshing to see a game take up that mantle. The characters are fleshed out, nuanced and memorable. The scientist Bent Svennson is particularly fascinating, as he grapples with perceived failures in his life's work, in maintaining his family amid the tragic loss of his wife, and with the burden of the world being suddenly placed on his shoulders after so many years. The puzzles are truly inventive and challenging, without zany adventure-game leaps of logic that would be sorely out of place. And the ending manages to be cautiously optimistic instead of either bleak or maudlin. I play a lot of adventure games, and while this one isn't as technically accomplished as some of the heavy hitters, I can say unequivocally that I will remember it for just as long. If you love the genre, plus good storytelling with a message, you owe it to yourself to give this game a shot.
