Indie games are unpredictable. Some overflow with creative storylines, unforgettable characters, or even a stimulating gameplay experience. However, there are numerous indie titles in the world that make you question the developer’s sanity, along with your own for playing it in the first place. Sometimes, you find yourself even enjoying them. With that stated, I take it upon myself to dig deep into the dark and quirky nooks and crannies of the video game community. This is The Odd and The Indiescribable.
While scrolling through a never-ending list of games, I happened upon Cat Show. In this brief experience, I had the leisure of disguising myself as a cat to partake in a Cat Talent Competition. Because, you know, prize money.
Cat Show, developed by Tom Astle in 2012, simulates a more perturbing experience than anything else. You’re a nude human dolled up like a cat in hopes of convincing everyone that you’re genuinely a feline. You're asked a series of questions accompanied by three responses to pick from. Be sure to choose wisely, as some of the answers are built-in tricks. If all goes in your favor, you gain the prize of 10,000 cat dollars…whatever that is. If you fail to keep your disguise hidden, the cops will arrest you for all sorts of disorderly conducts – for good reason.
Seeing as you’re starring in a Cat Talent Competition, participating in contests is part of the gig. However, the three events you partake in as a human cat aren’t particularly exciting. One of the events drops you from an unknown location and requests that you land upright on your hybrid feet. It’s a lot harder than you may think and results are typically disastrous. The eating contest may take the cake for most complex though. Button prompts bedazzle the screen as you swipe your paws at the food bowl in an awkward motion. Regardless of how terrible your cat skills are, the end result is still somehow the same. As a human cat, you skedaddle away with your big cat bucks and a deranged mind. End scene.
Not only is the fact that you dress up as a cat disturbing, but the art style truly highlights the unsettling atmosphere. The 2D visuals are simple, but comical. Cat Show’s melody resembles a broken disco record but remains fresh in your mind for days. Every component that molds Cat Show into the erratic experience that it is will have you either a) rocking back and forth in a corner, questioning everything you thought you knew, or b) shrugging at its freakishness and carrying on with your day. Are you up for taking the risk?
If you’re curious about Cat Show, the game is free to download and the Cat Talent Competition doesn’t take long to complete whatsoever. You know, as long as you outsmart the judges and avoid jail time. Nonetheless, its whimsical style is worth sharing with the world, even if it temporarily haunts your dreams. Be sure to head on over to Tom Astle’s game page to check out more of his unique creations. I don’t know about you, but my curiosity may just get the best of me.
Spoiler alert: it got the best of me. Stay tuned!
Cat Show was played on PC with a copy downloaded from itch.io.
What are your thoughts on Cat Show? Do you have a game in mind that you would like to see covered? Let us know in the comments below!