Little Kitty, Big City
A cute cat game inspired by Untitled Goose Game and Sim City is about to hit Steam Early Access, and we played the demo ahead of time to find out more.
Little Kitty, Big City is all about causing havoc. The player assumes the role of a mischievous (and, perhaps, playful) little black cat who can meow, knock things over, and stretch. That’s all the player really needs to wreak some minor havoc in a city that kind of resembles New York. However, the player needs to be careful; just because the cat can knock things over doesn’t mean it should, because it might knock over a cup of coffee that means someone on the other side of the road some scalding hot ill-will for their morning commute.
The demo begins in an amusement park and offers two quests – one to play a game of soccer, another to pick up litter and recycle it. Neither quest is very difficult, but they highlight the things cats do. In the soccer quest, the player needs to whack the football into the net. Initially, this task is rather difficult, as when the player flicks the controller button to kick, the cat will sometimes not follow through and drop the ball on the ground instead. But after watching some gameplay by the developers and doing some practice, the controls become much more responsive, and it is learned that the player can tell their adorable furry friend to hop up on the net so they can give the ball a boot from a safer distance.
In the litter quest, the player needs to walk up to bits of litter on the floor, hover over them with their cursor for a moment, and then pick them up. Doing this a few times will fill up the litter bag, allowing the player to return to a rubbish bin for their reward. Depending on the type of litter, the player will earn a carrot (no), a fish (perhaps), or a toy car (definitely). These three items sit in a bowl next to the litter bin, so perhaps the player is supposed to get all three at once, but it is possible to be greedy, gluing the gaze to it and guarding against any potential cat-thieves.
The two quests offered in the demo are cute and fun, but what really pricked up the ears when Little Kitty was first heard about was the realistic animations the developers have built to accurately portray a cat. When playing Untitled Goose Game, it’s the little things that make that game feel like an accurate depiction of a bird’s life. The way the geese waddle, the way they nestle up to each other, the way they nimbly hop about on one leg – it all adds to that feeling that you’re part of a realistic setting.
Little Kitty is just as bird-like as Untitled Goose Game, at least when it comes to the animations. Rather than create some fantasy depiction of a cat (which would be great, too), the game instead tailors animations to the movements and ways cats use their bodies, such as scratching to sharpen claws, batting around balls and catnip, and stretching to wake up. It’s so good, even the pouncing on unsuspecting birds feels right. It wasn’t possible to get the cat in the game to dive-bomb a pigeon, but while playing with a cat nearby, it was observed how they lunge at birds, pounce on mice, then lazily lay on the floor as if to say ‘yeah, I did all that’.
Other aspects give off a Goose Game vibe too. In the second part of the demo, the player returns to the familiar setting of the amusement park along a quiet little street lined with bars and apartments. There’s a sense of quiet serenity to it, and despite the danger of pedestrians on their way to work, exploration feels safe and doesn’t leave the player vulnerable to attack. Other than the odd dog, the biggest risk when exploring the city – and perhaps the biggest threat to residents – is water. Puddles are constantly seen while walking around, and while these aren’t representative of real cat behavior to avoid water sources because they’re lazy and don’t want to clean themselves, the little kitty in real life still refused to walk through the puddle right in front of the apartment door because he’s a knob.
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