Ratty Catty Review

Introduction

Nothing is more classic than the ages long game of cat and mouse. The cat hunts the mouse tirelessly, while the mouse squeaks along in the world. Ratty Catty is an indie video game where you become the cat or the mouse. It's got some exciting additions to the classic hide and seek concept, and developers have a plan for the game's future. Still, all of this isn't quite enough to make it something special.

Concept

The concept behind Ratty Catty is very straight forward. Play as either Catty the cat or Ratty the rat. Ratty lives in a hole with his family, which is a safe zone for this player. Sneak out into the house and steal food from the kitchen. Feeding all of the babies is how Ratty wins while Catty waits around every corner, ready to pounce. When playing as Catty, the entire house is safe territory. Of course, Catty wins when Ratty is captured. Ratty Catty throws real-time physics into the mix. It also gives Ratty and Catty tons of tools for their goals and a fully interactive house. These unique twists earn 4/5 for the overall idea as an online multiplayer or puzzle game.

Graphics and Audio

Executing its concept is where Ratty Catty struggles. The environments are smart in theory but get repetitive quickly. There are merely two small maps. In the house, there's only one floor. A zen garden is even more simplistic, with little detail. Falling in the water as Ratty can do will cause a game-breaking black screen. Often, items appear through walls or float in the air. Ratty's face almost always clips into the various foods he carries. The graphics might be charming if it weren't for these apparent issues. Unfortunately, though, the simplicity here feels half-finished. The character models are especially rough. Everything about Ratty Catty graphically is kind of a mess. It earns a 2/5 as unfinished and ultimately unimpressive.

Gameplay

If glitches are a problem for the graphics, the gameplay in Ratty Catty seems completely broken when using any AI options. The AI Catty will only focus on a single Ratty, even when there are multiple Rattys in a match. Additionally, AI Catty will also attack its allies without warning or reason sometimes. Being shot at constantly by the AI makes it pretty difficult to hunt. Finally, Ratty's babies should stay safe in the hole, but often glitch out completely and appear randomly on the map. Playing as Catty without any AI is slightly better. Find weapons throughout the house like knives or pop guns. Meanwhile, Ratty uses spray cans to jump around the map. Also, avoid Catty by using different rat holes. These create a secret set of tunnels used to bring food to the babies. The mechanics here are pretty basic, but playing with friends makes the gameplay at least average at 3/5. There will be a few laughs in the multiplayer but not much other value.

Conclusion

Ratty Catty is a game that swings hard but ultimately misses its mark. The graphics and game-breaking glitches leave a lot to be desired. Playing with actual other players is about the only way that it might be enjoyable. Any AI options are mostly completely broken. One map is not playable, leaving a single level that is overly simplistic. All in all, it's probably best to hide from this hide and seek style indie title.

TL/DR

Ratty Catty is a Tom & Jerry style multiplayer puzzle game with some good basics but struggles to deliver.