Recommended by Texhs as part of this list.
The Cat Lady is an immediately striking game, it's monochromatic & semi-photorealistic aesthetic accompanied by an opening act that can only be described as uncomfortably candid and merciless in execution. For it's first 15 minutes or so, The Cat Lady calls to mind it's psychological horror contemporaries, however, it's the immediate swerve the premise of The Cat Lady takes after it's strong opening that lifts The Cat Lady out of its psychological horror niche and truly gives it character by placing it squarely in the realm of the exploitation film, a Silent Hill game by way of I Spit on Your Grave, a horror adventure not only about coming to grips with your trauma, but also about catharsis, of delivering justice to those who have wronged you and others like you.
What I found the most striking about The Cat Lady was its distinctly feminine attitude. Often does cheap horror use violence against women as a standard shock tactic, the standard positioning of women as a stand-in for innocence and the brutalization of their form/psyche as the ultimate "horror", quote-unquote, but rarely are distinctly feminine worries and perspectives used as a basis for tactful horror (in gaming, at the very least.) In the same way Silent Hill 3 strikes that chord of uniquely feminine fears with its focus on birth (God), the body (blood, puberty, the denial of autonomy by patriarchal organizations a la religion/The Order) and urban life (being approached by strange men in public, walking home alone at night), The Cat Lady focuses on similar topics and themes, the lead character Susan Ashworth made an immortal angel of death who enacts vengeance on so-called "Parasites", for the majority of which are men who hurt vulnerable women. These include doctors who exploit their seniority over female co-workers to enact violent and sexual fantasies upon them, repairmen who kidnap women while they're alone, and stalkers who feel sexually entitled to a woman because they tried to buy their hearts with material goods and get violent when denied.
But even outside the obvious violence, there's the more abstract forms of violence dealt to Susan: her past involving dealing with newfound motherhood alongside her misogynistic, immature husband who often made her feel like a lesser; Susan's present as a loner who's one source of joy is often criticized and threatened by the society she resides in, the entire hospital chapter that revolves around Susan and her requests/questions being denied by hospital staff despite her insistence, it's all so very purposeful in its implementation and execution. To loop back around to the I Spit on Your Grave comparison, it can feel exploitative, the way Susan and others are often victims of excessive violence to move the plot along, but the way Susan status as the player character lends our sympathies to her and gives her character and meaning, the way each parasite she takes out is firmly established as a villain and never given any sympathy or justification for their actions, it's all done to ensure catharsis, to criticize, to enact a vengeance that often goes undelivered in the real world. It makes The Cat Lady stand out among its horror contemporaries for it's shockingly mature sensibilities, despite the schlocky one-liners and cheesy soundtrack that are plenty abound.
While The Cat Lady can be quite heavy-handed in its messaging and tone (the entirety of Chapter 3 being a "DON'T HAVE A BREAKDOWN" mental health puzzle is borderline comical), it has a lot of material that resonates to this day. It's treatment of mental illness (accidentally using spoiled milk in my coffee and suffering a mental breakdown aside) is sympathetic and quite accurate to reality, and the main villain of the game's latter half being a targeted observation and take down of imageboard culture, the blackpill philosophy and the way it exploits the vulnerable into radical real-life action is something that I both was not expecting to see in a 2012 game and also still ring true a decade later. It's these touches, this sympathy and focus on catharsis and finding meaning despite tragedy that makes The Cat Lady such a thoroughly engaging experience and a genuine horror standout even a decade later.
The Cat Lady is an immediately striking game, it's monochromatic & semi-photorealistic aesthetic accompanied by an opening act that can only be described as uncomfortably candid and merciless in execution. For it's first 15 minutes or so, The Cat Lady calls to mind it's psychological horror contemporaries, however, it's the immediate swerve the premise of The Cat Lady takes after it's strong opening that lifts The Cat Lady out of its psychological horror niche and truly gives it character by placing it squarely in the realm of the exploitation film, a Silent Hill game by way of I Spit on Your Grave, a horror adventure not only about coming to grips with your trauma, but also about catharsis, of delivering justice to those who have wronged you and others like you.
What I found the most striking about The Cat Lady was its distinctly feminine attitude. Often does cheap horror use violence against women as a standard shock tactic, the standard positioning of women as a stand-in for innocence and the brutalization of their form/psyche as the ultimate "horror", quote-unquote, but rarely are distinctly feminine worries and perspectives used as a basis for tactful horror (in gaming, at the very least.) In the same way Silent Hill 3 strikes that chord of uniquely feminine fears with its focus on birth (God), the body (blood, puberty, the denial of autonomy by patriarchal organizations a la religion/The Order) and urban life (being approached by strange men in public, walking home alone at night), The Cat Lady focuses on similar topics and themes, the lead character Susan Ashworth made an immortal angel of death who enacts vengeance on so-called "Parasites", for the majority of which are men who hurt vulnerable women. These include doctors who exploit their seniority over female co-workers to enact violent and sexual fantasies upon them, repairmen who kidnap women while they're alone, and stalkers who feel sexually entitled to a woman because they tried to buy their hearts with material goods and get violent when denied.
But even outside the obvious violence, there's the more abstract forms of violence dealt to Susan: her past involving dealing with newfound motherhood alongside her misogynistic, immature husband who often made her feel like a lesser; Susan's present as a loner who's one source of joy is often criticized and threatened by the society she resides in, the entire hospital chapter that revolves around Susan and her requests/questions being denied by hospital staff despite her insistence, it's all so very purposeful in its implementation and execution. To loop back around to the I Spit on Your Grave comparison, it can feel exploitative, the way Susan and others are often victims of excessive violence to move the plot along, but the way Susan status as the player character lends our sympathies to her and gives her character and meaning, the way each parasite she takes out is firmly established as a villain and never given any sympathy or justification for their actions, it's all done to ensure catharsis, to criticize, to enact a vengeance that often goes undelivered in the real world. It makes The Cat Lady stand out among its horror contemporaries for it's shockingly mature sensibilities, despite the schlocky one-liners and cheesy soundtrack that are plenty abound.
While The Cat Lady can be quite heavy-handed in its messaging and tone (the entirety of Chapter 3 being a "DON'T HAVE A BREAKDOWN" mental health puzzle is borderline comical), it has a lot of material that resonates to this day. It's treatment of mental illness (accidentally using spoiled milk in my coffee and suffering a mental breakdown aside) is sympathetic and quite accurate to reality, and the main villain of the game's latter half being a targeted observation and take down of imageboard culture, the blackpill philosophy and the way it exploits the vulnerable into radical real-life action is something that I both was not expecting to see in a 2012 game and also still ring true a decade later. It's these touches, this sympathy and focus on catharsis and finding meaning despite tragedy that makes The Cat Lady such a thoroughly engaging experience and a genuine horror standout even a decade later.
One of my favorite games that is also a really good example of well written female characters and mental illness. For a game that is often so bleak in it looks and unforgiving in the punches it delivers it has an ending (meaning the canon ending) that is not overly happy but hopeful. Made me cry like the stupid bitch I am but also left me hopeful and with something that felt like catharsis...?
One of my few "I have it on vinyl" OSTs, too whatever that means. ;)
I don't remember the option to pet any of the cats. Kind of crime I think...!
;)
One of my few "I have it on vinyl" OSTs, too whatever that means. ;)
I don't remember the option to pet any of the cats. Kind of crime I think...!
;)
Is this a perfectly written portrayal of mental illness?
No.
Are the animation and voice acting of high quality?
No.
Do I love Susan and Mitzi with all my heart?
Absolutely.
No.
Are the animation and voice acting of high quality?
No.
Do I love Susan and Mitzi with all my heart?
Absolutely.
Susan Ashworth is literally me... I said to myself as i started playing through the game. But as the narrative kept going i kept thinking. About my life, my mental health problems, my future, my past. Is it actually true? What kind of person is Susan really? What kind of person am i? This game sure made me ponder about... well, a lot of things.
Now, having just finished The Cat Lady just a few hours ago, all i can say is that i wish i was as strong as Susan. But i think we can all find that strength within ourselves, according to my interpretation of the game's message.
Now, having just finished The Cat Lady just a few hours ago, all i can say is that i wish i was as strong as Susan. But i think we can all find that strength within ourselves, according to my interpretation of the game's message.
This review contains spoilers
an absolute feast for the senses. one of the most visually stunning games i've ever played and i love the music too.
third time playing this but i was caught off guard with how hard it hit me even with knowing what was coming. not sure if it was just playing this in context of how it can be when being alive in 2024 among other things, if it hits harder with age, or both.
another thing that i hadn't really thought about or considered before is how funny this can be at times in spite of everything else. scattered moments like Susan asking Mitzi if she was emo, the babysitter fakery, and so forth are all great moments of levity given the surroundings.
might make this the time i finally go back to Downfall (and play the original version) and then get around to Lorelai and Burnhouse Lane for the first time, hopefully.
third time playing this but i was caught off guard with how hard it hit me even with knowing what was coming. not sure if it was just playing this in context of how it can be when being alive in 2024 among other things, if it hits harder with age, or both.
another thing that i hadn't really thought about or considered before is how funny this can be at times in spite of everything else. scattered moments like Susan asking Mitzi if she was emo, the babysitter fakery, and so forth are all great moments of levity given the surroundings.
might make this the time i finally go back to Downfall (and play the original version) and then get around to Lorelai and Burnhouse Lane for the first time, hopefully.
Visually striking and emotionally difficult. You need to be in the right headspace to play it, but it's worth experiencing for what it is and what it tries to say.
Disturbing, weird graphic style that I loved so much, some just sick scenes but still with some quiet emotional moments. Never had the feeling that it was just about shocking but that the horror always served a purpose. The relationship between the two main characters really got to me. Puzzles are less challenging, it's more about story and atmosphere.
On one hand, Cat Lady is a unique and interesting labor of love. On the other, it's dull, ugly, boring and amateurish. The whole thing feels like something a very talented moody teenager made in the late-90s. There's potential here for sure, but it's got a long way to be realized.
The story is easily the strongest element. It's unique and told quite creatively, but it never really quite gets where it wants to be. Sometimes it goes to painstaking lengths to develop characters and situations, while other times it just drops stuff in with no explanation at all (ie, the Carpenter). It's hard to say more without spoiling, but suffice it to say, the story-telling is uneven.
The acting is solid and the writing not bad. Puzzles are mostly straightforward and easy - there were only a few times I was stumped for more than a minute or two. The bigger gameplay issue is that you'll spend far more of your time sitting and listening to dialogue than you will actually playing and problem-solving. I don't mind a game that's more interactive fiction than game, but there are many, MANY long stretches of time that have you staring at a near static image on the screen while VERY long conversations play out. Conversations in which you'll only have a minimum of interaction every once in a very great while. At the very least, change up the camera angles. Move things around. Make the visuals dynamic. Make something, ANYTHING happen on screen.
The other huge problem is that what does happen visually is terrible. This is simply one of the ugliest games I've ever played. I'm very sympathetic to budget limitations, and the fact that the game is going for a depressed, muted tone, but Cat Lady is about as visually miserable as a game can get, and has some of the most laughably bad animation I've ever seen.
Ultimately, this is a weak game that's not strong enough on story to justify its gameplay issues. There's a lot of ambition and potential here, but it just doesn't work.
The story is easily the strongest element. It's unique and told quite creatively, but it never really quite gets where it wants to be. Sometimes it goes to painstaking lengths to develop characters and situations, while other times it just drops stuff in with no explanation at all (ie, the Carpenter). It's hard to say more without spoiling, but suffice it to say, the story-telling is uneven.
The acting is solid and the writing not bad. Puzzles are mostly straightforward and easy - there were only a few times I was stumped for more than a minute or two. The bigger gameplay issue is that you'll spend far more of your time sitting and listening to dialogue than you will actually playing and problem-solving. I don't mind a game that's more interactive fiction than game, but there are many, MANY long stretches of time that have you staring at a near static image on the screen while VERY long conversations play out. Conversations in which you'll only have a minimum of interaction every once in a very great while. At the very least, change up the camera angles. Move things around. Make the visuals dynamic. Make something, ANYTHING happen on screen.
The other huge problem is that what does happen visually is terrible. This is simply one of the ugliest games I've ever played. I'm very sympathetic to budget limitations, and the fact that the game is going for a depressed, muted tone, but Cat Lady is about as visually miserable as a game can get, and has some of the most laughably bad animation I've ever seen.
Ultimately, this is a weak game that's not strong enough on story to justify its gameplay issues. There's a lot of ambition and potential here, but it just doesn't work.
dialogi nagrane tosterem skradły mi serce, ulubiona depression game
Originally I planned to make at least another playthrough to unlock the other endings, but I don't think that the game itself is very encouraging in that sense. Overall, though, it was pretty enjoyable. I liked the fact that unlike many other games that focus on similar themes, this one feels like an actual game, even though the mechanics are pretty simple. Visually speaking, it is pretty good, the characters feels like they are made of paper and both they and the ambience manage to transmit and aura of frailty and decay. The story itself can't be called exactly original (same goes for the characters), but at least it gets the job done, and in this type of product I guess that's a win.
My favourite game EVER.
Extremly disturbing, but important.
Extremly disturbing, but important.
One of the most interesting games I've played, gives you many insights on people with depression and suicidal ideas.
A brilliant point & click psychological game about depression and mental issues, very touching and great. Super recommended
only play this if you're in a good headspace and at least give a cursory glance over any content warnings you can find. rly fuckin good game
Not a fan of the art style, the controls can be a bit clunky, and the delivery can get a bit heavy-handed as well, but I enjoyed every single interaction with Mitzi and found her to be one of the better secondary characters in a video game.
Have you ever held a game so close to your heart that you can't bear to read negative reviews on it?
I'm not going to be the person who says "This game saved my life!", but I will say The Cat Lady did a lot for me.
I was 11 or 12 when I first watched a playthrough of this game. For the most part I was much too young to really understand the subtleties and overarching messages, but by that age I was already struggling with my mental health. I won't get into details, but I was already extremely depressed and deeply contemplating taking my own life.
I vividly remember watching the early part of The Cat Lady, where Susan wakes up in the afterlife and meets the Queen of Maggots, and it shook me to my fucking core. It scared me. It was the first time I'd been faced with the concept of suicide meaning I'd wake up somewhere bleak and terrifying and sinister and revolting, that it wouldn't be an escape to somewhere peaceful and relieving at all. I couldn't get it out of my head, couldn't stop thinking about the possibility of something like that being real - I was a kid with a very overactive imagination who often had night terrors at the slightest glimpse of a Scary Thing or piece of media, and my brain took this and ran with it.
And I was too scared to go through with it. I was, unironically, too scared to risk meeting this fucking maggot lady.
And, God, was I pissed at this game. I hated it. I was so incredibly angry that it had scared me away from what I'd been viewing as a solution. If I just hadn't watched it, if I just hadn't experienced this story, I would've been able to do it.
My memory of it and my fear faded over the years, and I would go on to indeed attempt suicide several times. The last time would be the worst, and I ended up in intensive care for two weeks with doctors trying to save my internal organs from shutting down.
And then I came out the other side. That was two years ago now, and I can now say with full honesty I don't want to die anymore. In fact, sometimes I'm even brave enough to call myself happy. I'm engaged to a wonderful fiancee, I have a solid support network of amazing friends who care about me, my confidence is growing, and I'm proud of who I've become and am becoming.
And so I played this game again.
The Cat Lady is heavy on the heart. It's not a light game you can play on stream, or sink into to take your mind off reality. It's a visceral and real look into the psyche of a depressed, bitterly suicidal woman, and it doesn't make her palatable for you. Susan is resentful, she's cynical, she's reclusive and messy and often rude. But her journey, through her mission and her friendship with Mitzi and her backstory unfurling to the player and her love for her cats and her mental health and her path to learn to live again - it's so, so special. It's really something for a game so unabashedly raw and unfiltered to leave you with a sense of genuine hope and optimism and appreciation for life when the credits roll.
At 11, I hated The Cat Lady for forcing me to live, and now at almost 24 I love it for being here while I learn to do it myself. It took us 13 years to do it, but Susan and I climbed that insurmountable cliff side by side, and for that I'll always sing this game's praises.
I'm not going to be the person who says "This game saved my life!", but I will say The Cat Lady did a lot for me.
I was 11 or 12 when I first watched a playthrough of this game. For the most part I was much too young to really understand the subtleties and overarching messages, but by that age I was already struggling with my mental health. I won't get into details, but I was already extremely depressed and deeply contemplating taking my own life.
I vividly remember watching the early part of The Cat Lady, where Susan wakes up in the afterlife and meets the Queen of Maggots, and it shook me to my fucking core. It scared me. It was the first time I'd been faced with the concept of suicide meaning I'd wake up somewhere bleak and terrifying and sinister and revolting, that it wouldn't be an escape to somewhere peaceful and relieving at all. I couldn't get it out of my head, couldn't stop thinking about the possibility of something like that being real - I was a kid with a very overactive imagination who often had night terrors at the slightest glimpse of a Scary Thing or piece of media, and my brain took this and ran with it.
And I was too scared to go through with it. I was, unironically, too scared to risk meeting this fucking maggot lady.
And, God, was I pissed at this game. I hated it. I was so incredibly angry that it had scared me away from what I'd been viewing as a solution. If I just hadn't watched it, if I just hadn't experienced this story, I would've been able to do it.
My memory of it and my fear faded over the years, and I would go on to indeed attempt suicide several times. The last time would be the worst, and I ended up in intensive care for two weeks with doctors trying to save my internal organs from shutting down.
And then I came out the other side. That was two years ago now, and I can now say with full honesty I don't want to die anymore. In fact, sometimes I'm even brave enough to call myself happy. I'm engaged to a wonderful fiancee, I have a solid support network of amazing friends who care about me, my confidence is growing, and I'm proud of who I've become and am becoming.
And so I played this game again.
The Cat Lady is heavy on the heart. It's not a light game you can play on stream, or sink into to take your mind off reality. It's a visceral and real look into the psyche of a depressed, bitterly suicidal woman, and it doesn't make her palatable for you. Susan is resentful, she's cynical, she's reclusive and messy and often rude. But her journey, through her mission and her friendship with Mitzi and her backstory unfurling to the player and her love for her cats and her mental health and her path to learn to live again - it's so, so special. It's really something for a game so unabashedly raw and unfiltered to leave you with a sense of genuine hope and optimism and appreciation for life when the credits roll.
At 11, I hated The Cat Lady for forcing me to live, and now at almost 24 I love it for being here while I learn to do it myself. It took us 13 years to do it, but Susan and I climbed that insurmountable cliff side by side, and for that I'll always sing this game's praises.
One of my favorite games of all time aesthetically. Some really nightmarish stuff was accomplished here with very little.
As far as gameplay this falls in line with some of my other favorites. Cozy feeling (not the content of the game itself of course) adventure gaming. Some of the typical trappings of messy adventure game puzzle design show up here but there's nothing too outlandish.
Not the most replayable game due to the subject matter being pretty heavy and at times hitting close to home but I'm glad I gave this another go and look forward to doing it again in a couple of years.
Mitzi is a legend.
As far as gameplay this falls in line with some of my other favorites. Cozy feeling (not the content of the game itself of course) adventure gaming. Some of the typical trappings of messy adventure game puzzle design show up here but there's nothing too outlandish.
Not the most replayable game due to the subject matter being pretty heavy and at times hitting close to home but I'm glad I gave this another go and look forward to doing it again in a couple of years.
Mitzi is a legend.
Admittedly, The Cat Lady has some flaws: Exploration feels clunky, you can't skip dialogues. The plot can be a bit slow as well and has little replay value, unless you just want to experience the story for a second time.
On top of that, it deals with some heavy themes that might not be everyone's cup of tea.
Yet, I still utterly adore this game. It provides an atmosphere of complete isolation, a sense of alienation. Every moment of happiness, human connection feels fragile and brittle, thus becoming a cherished instance of light in a sea of despair and hopelessness.
Susan's tale is not a happy one. There's not much solace to be found. At times, the surreal scenes reminded me of Kafka's works and I was reminded, again and again, of a line from A Country Doctor: “What am I doing in this eternal winter?” Indeed, playing this made me feel as if I was trapped in a November night, the last person awake, just my thoughts to keep me company. Heavy and foreboding and, at the same time, so very kind and comforting.
Just give this a shot. Maybe it won't turn your life upside down but I think it changed me a bit. I am quite sure it saved my life a tiny bit. If someone would ask me what it means to be human, I would point at this game without hesitation.
On top of that, it deals with some heavy themes that might not be everyone's cup of tea.
Yet, I still utterly adore this game. It provides an atmosphere of complete isolation, a sense of alienation. Every moment of happiness, human connection feels fragile and brittle, thus becoming a cherished instance of light in a sea of despair and hopelessness.
Susan's tale is not a happy one. There's not much solace to be found. At times, the surreal scenes reminded me of Kafka's works and I was reminded, again and again, of a line from A Country Doctor: “What am I doing in this eternal winter?” Indeed, playing this made me feel as if I was trapped in a November night, the last person awake, just my thoughts to keep me company. Heavy and foreboding and, at the same time, so very kind and comforting.
Just give this a shot. Maybe it won't turn your life upside down but I think it changed me a bit. I am quite sure it saved my life a tiny bit. If someone would ask me what it means to be human, I would point at this game without hesitation.
now i understand why it is a cult classic
also i live for susan and mitzi's friendship <3
also i live for susan and mitzi's friendship <3
This review contains spoilers
I usually start out my reviews by giving a general statement about the developer, some thoughts about this game, etc. The truth is with this one I really can't do that, because to me this is more than a game, this was an art piece. I mean don't get me wrong, it is a point and click game with puzzles, and gameplay wise you go through all of that stuff that feels kind of weird to get used to but makes sense once you do it. I'm going to be honest, I used a guide because the truth is I was told by people that it was a heavy game and I wanted to experience it without too much frustration over my suckage of puzzles because I suck with them. I'm gonna post a guide, but I'm sure there are others around as well:
https://the-cat-lady.fandom.com/wiki/Game_endings
It's solid for the most part but there are multiple endings. I'm not gonna tell you about the game's plot to be honest because this game deserves your time and it's a really heavy game. Gonna throw out a trigger warning that this game does talk about and show stuff like depression, suicide, mental illness, the male gaze, etc; there's a whole laundry list to unpack here and it does it all well and has you thinking. Instead all I can really tell you is how I felt, as someone who does deal with depression and anxiety and frankly thinks that life sucks sometimes.
It was highly visceral, poignant, and honestly relatable in a lot of ways. The whole game has you fight through Susan's mental well being while also dealing with some of the worst people in society that you could ever think of really, mixed in with warped and macabre imagery and a soundtrack that's honestly great (buy the album by the way); I legitimately think that it's on par with Silent Hill 2 in just how sad and depressing it can be, with several times where I was stunned at how thoughtful and sincere the writing. Susan struggles through this game, not only just to die but even just to go through her day; in Chapter 3 you literally spend your time trying to avoid things that would help trigger Susan and upset her in a place where EVERYTHING will remind her of her past, which is easier said than done with anyone who deals with that stuff in real life. I know a lot of people and even myself to a lesser extent also deal with that stuff and when you end up caring for a well written character like Susan (and later Mitzi as well) you WANT to make sure that she's ok. But that's what depression is, a constant struggle in which you will always fall down but you have to pick yourself back up and deal with the aftermath of it, and a lot of people can't do that but that's the point; and that's a lot of what Susan deals with. Trauma from her past, the creeping male gaze of people who want to potentially/will try to harm her even; there's multiple times where I squicked and cringed at some of the dialogue here, and for all the right reasons as this game is written really well. I think for me what really hit me and made me tear up was the final part, where spoilers if you give Mitzi the gas mask, you come back alive for the final time and confronting the final antagonist; Mitzi aims a gun at the last parasite, The Eye of Adam, with the intent to kill. Her whole backstory being that her boyfriend Jack died after Adam encouraged Jack to kill himself, and now she planned on killing him. As Susan tries to talk her down from killing him (as there are Oxygen tanks everywhere and they would all surely blow up except Susan who could come back to life) Mitzi says "I might as well kill him, it's not like I have anyone to live for!", cue the silence and one line: "I care about you". I'm gonna be honest, I don't know how to explain it well but it hit me like a pile of bricks, and it felt validating to hear such positive thinking. Now this is the Golden Ending, themes might change depending on your route but honestly to me this felt cathartic and even validating for someone who feels like sometimes no one really cares about you. It has a lot of moments like these, a couple of comedic moments sure, but a lot of moments where you're rooting for Susan and her friend Mitzi throughout their struggles. I'll even say I was f u c k in rockin out when in Chapter 4, you finally shoot the wife of the Pest Control parasite, who is himself an awful human being, with a gas mask and a shotgun after she burnt out Susan's eyes with bleach and blamed you for trying to "steal" her disgusting, pervert serial killer husband. It really knew how to make me feel in certain situations, and honestly it's too long to even really put here because again there's a lot to unpack. The only thing I could complain about plot wise is how [spoiler] they focus a bit on Joe Davis during Chapter 6, he's the main protagonist of the previous dev's game and the next game/remake Downfall, and some fan service is cool but having been aware of it beforehand it kind of felt like it was just sort of teasing a bit for the next entry, and that's cool I guess but felt kind of weird cause I never played that game and only really remembered a bit when I looked it up later.
The soundtrack is amazing and really fits with everything going on; though don't expect Akira Yamaoka, expect some somber pieces of music, some really tense tracks and maybe a mid 2000s I don't know what to call it sad rock song or two. But to me it fit perfectly for what the game was going for, and I couldn't complain about it. The voice acting can range between great and kind of off mic quality/accent wise but truth be told I wasn't bothered about it. The art style is freaky as hell, depressing and haunting even but beautiful at the same time.
I guess if I had any final thoughts to put down it would be this: again, this is an Art Piece of a game, one that I'll be straight up with you I won't be playing any time soon or possibly ever again. It's depressing as hell, deals with various themes, and with it's content alone this game to me personally stands out as timeless in a sense. But like The Heilwald Loophole, I'm gonna be thinking about this for a long time and will most likely give the developer's next two games Downfall and Lorelai from the Devil Came Through Here trilogy a shot. I don't know how to recommend this game to you, nor in which mental state to play it in; but if you even have a vague curiosity about the game or you want to play a game that tackles serious issues then yeah I would recommend it 100 percent. If I have anything to add later I'll do it in post but honestly I don't really know what to say other than two things:
As of the time of this review there's about 17 hours left for the Steam Spring Sale and it's like 3.39 so buy it.
if you're ever having feelings of depression or suicide you're not alone, and to please reach out for help wherever you need to because life is a struggle and there's no shame in how you feel. My apologies if this wasn't written the best as with everything this is free form but I'm not really sure how to go about it and worse comes to worse if I can better explain I'll edit the review later.
From Steam Reviews: https://steamcommunity.com/id/gamemast15r/recommended/
https://the-cat-lady.fandom.com/wiki/Game_endings
It's solid for the most part but there are multiple endings. I'm not gonna tell you about the game's plot to be honest because this game deserves your time and it's a really heavy game. Gonna throw out a trigger warning that this game does talk about and show stuff like depression, suicide, mental illness, the male gaze, etc; there's a whole laundry list to unpack here and it does it all well and has you thinking. Instead all I can really tell you is how I felt, as someone who does deal with depression and anxiety and frankly thinks that life sucks sometimes.
It was highly visceral, poignant, and honestly relatable in a lot of ways. The whole game has you fight through Susan's mental well being while also dealing with some of the worst people in society that you could ever think of really, mixed in with warped and macabre imagery and a soundtrack that's honestly great (buy the album by the way); I legitimately think that it's on par with Silent Hill 2 in just how sad and depressing it can be, with several times where I was stunned at how thoughtful and sincere the writing. Susan struggles through this game, not only just to die but even just to go through her day; in Chapter 3 you literally spend your time trying to avoid things that would help trigger Susan and upset her in a place where EVERYTHING will remind her of her past, which is easier said than done with anyone who deals with that stuff in real life. I know a lot of people and even myself to a lesser extent also deal with that stuff and when you end up caring for a well written character like Susan (and later Mitzi as well) you WANT to make sure that she's ok. But that's what depression is, a constant struggle in which you will always fall down but you have to pick yourself back up and deal with the aftermath of it, and a lot of people can't do that but that's the point; and that's a lot of what Susan deals with. Trauma from her past, the creeping male gaze of people who want to potentially/will try to harm her even; there's multiple times where I squicked and cringed at some of the dialogue here, and for all the right reasons as this game is written really well. I think for me what really hit me and made me tear up was the final part, where spoilers if you give Mitzi the gas mask, you come back alive for the final time and confronting the final antagonist; Mitzi aims a gun at the last parasite, The Eye of Adam, with the intent to kill. Her whole backstory being that her boyfriend Jack died after Adam encouraged Jack to kill himself, and now she planned on killing him. As Susan tries to talk her down from killing him (as there are Oxygen tanks everywhere and they would all surely blow up except Susan who could come back to life) Mitzi says "I might as well kill him, it's not like I have anyone to live for!", cue the silence and one line: "I care about you". I'm gonna be honest, I don't know how to explain it well but it hit me like a pile of bricks, and it felt validating to hear such positive thinking. Now this is the Golden Ending, themes might change depending on your route but honestly to me this felt cathartic and even validating for someone who feels like sometimes no one really cares about you. It has a lot of moments like these, a couple of comedic moments sure, but a lot of moments where you're rooting for Susan and her friend Mitzi throughout their struggles. I'll even say I was f u c k in rockin out when in Chapter 4, you finally shoot the wife of the Pest Control parasite, who is himself an awful human being, with a gas mask and a shotgun after she burnt out Susan's eyes with bleach and blamed you for trying to "steal" her disgusting, pervert serial killer husband. It really knew how to make me feel in certain situations, and honestly it's too long to even really put here because again there's a lot to unpack. The only thing I could complain about plot wise is how [spoiler] they focus a bit on Joe Davis during Chapter 6, he's the main protagonist of the previous dev's game and the next game/remake Downfall, and some fan service is cool but having been aware of it beforehand it kind of felt like it was just sort of teasing a bit for the next entry, and that's cool I guess but felt kind of weird cause I never played that game and only really remembered a bit when I looked it up later.
The soundtrack is amazing and really fits with everything going on; though don't expect Akira Yamaoka, expect some somber pieces of music, some really tense tracks and maybe a mid 2000s I don't know what to call it sad rock song or two. But to me it fit perfectly for what the game was going for, and I couldn't complain about it. The voice acting can range between great and kind of off mic quality/accent wise but truth be told I wasn't bothered about it. The art style is freaky as hell, depressing and haunting even but beautiful at the same time.
I guess if I had any final thoughts to put down it would be this: again, this is an Art Piece of a game, one that I'll be straight up with you I won't be playing any time soon or possibly ever again. It's depressing as hell, deals with various themes, and with it's content alone this game to me personally stands out as timeless in a sense. But like The Heilwald Loophole, I'm gonna be thinking about this for a long time and will most likely give the developer's next two games Downfall and Lorelai from the Devil Came Through Here trilogy a shot. I don't know how to recommend this game to you, nor in which mental state to play it in; but if you even have a vague curiosity about the game or you want to play a game that tackles serious issues then yeah I would recommend it 100 percent. If I have anything to add later I'll do it in post but honestly I don't really know what to say other than two things:
As of the time of this review there's about 17 hours left for the Steam Spring Sale and it's like 3.39 so buy it.
if you're ever having feelings of depression or suicide you're not alone, and to please reach out for help wherever you need to because life is a struggle and there's no shame in how you feel. My apologies if this wasn't written the best as with everything this is free form but I'm not really sure how to go about it and worse comes to worse if I can better explain I'll edit the review later.
From Steam Reviews: https://steamcommunity.com/id/gamemast15r/recommended/
Probably a very good game for what it's trying to do, and more so by 2012 standards, but it's just not for me, I'm afraid. I admire the atmosphere, the deliberately ugly visuals, and the story the game is attempting to tell, but old-school point-and-click (granted, that phrase doesn't apply literally here since there are no mouse controls, but it's the same sort of inventory puzzle-focused design) adventure games aren't my cup of tea to begin with, movement is painfully slow, and there's just too much technical/UI jank here resulting from being built on an ancient engine. Maybe I'll just skip to Lorelai, since at least that one is built in a modern game engine instead of AGS
This review contains spoilers
man the level where you don't know where susan's things are, but you need to make like. a cup of tea or smth. and she loses more and more energy as she can't find the milk and other items and has a breakdown if she can't make it before her energy runs out is still the best representation of depression in videogames
i remember some horror sequences well still
i liked the grim tone of the game and i thought the graphics, however limited, matched it. yeah the walk animation / speed kinda irked but not too bad
susan and mitzi's friendship was great but the susan lesbophobia moment is still so funny kdfjdfs
i remember some horror sequences well still
i liked the grim tone of the game and i thought the graphics, however limited, matched it. yeah the walk animation / speed kinda irked but not too bad
susan and mitzi's friendship was great but the susan lesbophobia moment is still so funny kdfjdfs
an indie game about... about... ABOUT... DEPRESSION!!!!!!!!!!!! :OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
The Cat Lady is one of the most unique and moving games I've ever had the experience to play.
Extremely dark and emotionally heavy with its story telling and handling of themes.
Extremely dark and emotionally heavy with its story telling and handling of themes.
One of the most unique and interesting experience in gaming for me. Absolutely loved this.
A phenomenal game with some minor issues that were largely fixed in Burnhouse Lane
surreal
people who were depressed in 2012 understand
The greatest game I have ever played in my life and most likely will never be topped.
A really interesting game at the time. So unsettling. Really shows that not all horror games nowadays need to be 3d first person jumpscare galore fnaf baits
Just try a little harder guys.
Just try a little harder guys.