Cats and the Other Lives is a clever and inventive game that puts you in the paws of a hero cat named Aspen. The game takes place in a 2D pixel art world where you navigate through a mansion and witness conversations between family members as they come together at the wake of a loved one. The story is completely unique and revolves around complex family traumas and relationships. The writing and character-building are excellent, and it’s interesting to experience the story through the eyes of a cat. The game mechanics work well within the 2D world, allowing you to run, jump, and interact with objects. However, the control system for selecting objects can feel a bit awkward at first. The pixel art treatment looks great throughout, with attention to detail in the cat animations and environment.
The gameplay mechanics might be simple, but they serve their purpose, deferring to the rich narrative that truly makes this game a gem. In this 2D pixel art world, you follow the story of Aspen, the cat. His master and patriarch of the home, Bernard Mason, has died. The family has gathered and are found trying to negotiate the problems they have with each other as well as what happens to the Mason estate. Through the eyes of Aspen, we see and hear these stories, as conversations play out across the different rooms of the mansion. But Aspen can also see past memories of this house and young versions of events. Is there a cult and magical forces at play? The story of Cats and the Other Lives is completely unique. But it is also extremely absorbing as you look to find out about its complex family traumas and relationships.
The game’s pixel art treatment looks great throughout. The cat animations are brilliant, with some superb attention to detail. I love the moments found in the environment and the way the cat sees into the past works brilliantly, with ghostly figures wandering the mansion. It’s so interesting to tell a story in this way.
In conclusion, Cats and the Other Lives is a gem of a game that prioritizes story over spectacle. If you’re an enthusiast of indie games with rich narratives, this game will surely captivate you.
