Cat Museum

About

"Cat Museum" is a 2D side-scrolling puzzle-adventure game featuring visually stunning, reimagined classical artwork. As the new manager of a museum in the middle of nowhere, you must repair the museum, uncover hidden clues, solve puzzles, and deal with a mischievous cat. The game delves into the protagonist's mysterious childhood memories, hinting at a frightening truth as you progress. The game is surreal, bizarre, and full of curious discoveries.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

95%

Audience ScoreBased on 328 reviews

story50 positive mentions

grinding8 negative mentions

The game features stunning and unique art that captivates players, blending grotesque and cute elements beautifully.
The story is emotionally impactful, addressing themes of trauma and grief, which resonates deeply with players.
Despite its short length, the game offers a polished experience with enjoyable puzzles and a whimsical atmosphere.

Many puzzles are overly simplistic, which may disappoint players looking for a more challenging experience.
The game lacks a chapter selection feature, making it difficult to replay specific parts without starting over.
Some players found the narrative disjointed or confusing, making it hard to fully grasp the story's meaning.

story
182 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
68%
4%
The game's story is a poignant blend of whimsical and dark themes, often exploring grief and trauma through a surreal narrative that captivates players. While some find the storytelling disjointed or simplistic, many appreciate its emotional depth and the way it intertwines with the unique art style. Overall, the narrative is described as both beautiful and heartbreaking, leaving a lasting impact on those who engage with it.
- “The narrative is wonderfully strange but progresses into an evocative and meaningful story that really holds the player’s attention.”
- “The visuals captured and charmed me with the bizarre and surrealistic art, the music and sound effects were on point and got me jumping a few times, and the story had me sobbing and smiling.”
- “Highly recommended for its poignant story about the traumas of our childhood, unique art style, and general polish.”
- “The story is disjointed and indecipherable, the puzzles incomprehensible or tedious, and overall it has terrible game design.”
- “See, the story just doesn't make any sense.”
- “For me, I regret spending the 3 hours on it because, well, the plot is simple and boring, and the riddles are easy.”
graphics
122 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
62%
35%
2%
The game's graphics are widely praised for their unique and captivating art style, which blends colorful, surreal, and sometimes grotesque elements, creating a dreamlike atmosphere that enhances the storytelling. Many reviewers highlight the charming and bizarre visuals, often likening them to a paper-puppet animation style, while also noting the emotional impact of the artwork. Overall, the graphics are considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's appeal, despite some criticism regarding gameplay depth.
- “The art style is by far a stand-out feature of the game and is accentuated by the eccentric subjects depicted within.”
- “The visuals captured and charmed me with the bizarre and surrealistic art, the music and sound effects were on point and got me jumping a few times, and the story had me sobbing and smiling.”
- “Beautiful game, amazing graphics and good story (makes you quite emotional...)”
- “The graphics are of a type seen before; you either like it or hate it.”
- “Though I don't recommend this game, and I regret spending 3 hours on it (even 2 hours is fine), I don't regret buying this game because I appreciate your efforts and I respect this game as an artwork.”
- “It has some creepy character design and a weirdly ominous aesthetic all filled with random cats, so prepare to be squeamish every time you see them because the way these sweet, innocent cats meow is just (*teardrop noise*).....I can't.....”
emotional
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is widely described as a beautiful yet heartbreaking experience that evokes strong emotions, often leading players to tears, particularly at the end. Reviewers highlight its touching story, captivating artwork, and the surprising depth of emotion it conveys, making it a memorable and heartfelt journey. Despite its short length, the emotional impact resonates deeply, appealing to those who appreciate poignant narratives.
- “This is a beautiful yet heartbreaking experience.”
- “The end made me cry; if you want something short to take your mind off things, I recommend playing this!”
- “The story is heartbreaking; given world events, I couldn't help but feel tremendously sad during portions of this game.”
music
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
28%
9%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising its haunting quality and ability to enhance the atmosphere, while others find it unremarkable or even off-putting. Many appreciate the cohesive integration of music with the game's rich visuals and storytelling, noting that it contributes to the overall experience, though opinions vary on its effectiveness. Overall, the soundtrack is seen as a significant element, with some players enjoying its engagement and others feeling it falls short.
- “The soundtrack is haunting and I have enjoyed playing this unusual creation.”
- “Beautiful artwork, engaging, fun music, excellent puzzles, and a bit (sometimes more than a bit) dark and twisted.”
- “The art, the animations, the lighting and music, simply everything.”
- “Wasn't a fan of the music and the noise.”
- “The music, on the other hand, was unremarkable.”
- “The sound design and soundtrack made the game scary.”
gameplay
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
55%
15%
The gameplay is characterized by a mix of mini-games and puzzles that are generally enjoyable, though some players find the timing and unclear mechanics can detract from the experience. While it doesn't innovate within the genre, the game's surreal art direction and charm help it stand out, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of similar titles. Overall, it offers a linear puzzle experience that balances fun gameplay with a unique, unsettling atmosphere.
- “As for gameplay, you'll come across a lot of mini games and puzzles that feel fun and enjoyable.”
- “The mini-game and puzzle-driven gameplay are more entertaining than pixel hunting, but there's also the fantastic art direction and grotesque nature of the whole game.”
- “For such a low price, the graphics and gameplay were incredibly profound.”
- “The timing required for a lot of puzzles and achievements (especially when the mechanics are often unclear) makes the game less enjoyable.”
- “It's a weird little point-and-click 2D adventure with some bizarre, surrealistic environments and characters that doesn't break any new gameplay ground, but has enough twisted charm and good artwork to overcome the sense that you've played games very similar to this before.”
- “No, it's a linear puzzle game; if it were any more focused on the mechanics, I feel it would have taken away from the unnerving tone.”
atmosphere
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
30%
30%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its strange, grotesque, and creative elements, which create a unique and engaging experience. While the short runtime limits world-building, players find the odd and humorous scenes captivating, leading to a mix of laughter and emotional depth. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature that compensates for the simplicity of the puzzles.
- “I really loved the strange atmosphere of this game.”
- “Then I stayed for the grotesque and creative scenes, characters, and the utterly odd atmosphere oozing out of each inch of digital canvas - it was funny to look at those unfamiliar creatures and laugh about how weird everything was, diving deeper into this peculiar freak show, until eventually, after the first spark of enlightenment transformed rapidly into a firework show of revelations, cascades of tears and uncontrollable sobbing.”
- “I really liked the atmosphere and world of the cat museum, but at a 90-minute runtime, the game doesn't allow any type of world-building or anything of that nature.”
- “I really liked the atmosphere and world of Cat Museum, but at a 90-minute runtime, the game doesn't allow any type of world-building or anything of that nature.”
- “Then I stayed for the grotesque and creative scenes, 'characters', and the utterly odd atmosphere oozing out of each inch of digital canvas - and it was funny though, really, to look at those unfamiliar creatures and to laugh about how weird everything was and to just dive deeper into this peculiar freak show, until eventually, after the first spark of enlightenment showed and transformed rapidly into a freaking firework show of revelations, cascades of tears and uncontrollable sobbing.”
- “Short game and the puzzles aren't very difficult, but the atmosphere makes up for it.”
grinding
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and boring, with puzzles that are often difficult to understand and execute. The overall game design is criticized for being disjointed and lacking engagement, leading to a frustrating experience rather than an enjoyable challenge.
- “Other than some nice hand-drawn artwork and a somewhat sad story, the game itself is tedious and boring.”
- “The story is disjointed and indecipherable, the puzzles incomprehensible or tedious, and overall it has terrible game design.”
- “They weren't scary, just tedious.”
humor
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is described as a blend of the bizarre and the beautiful, featuring an array of odd characters and surreal scenes that evoke laughter amidst a backdrop of eerie vibes. Players appreciate the clever use of Easter eggs from famous artwork, which adds to the whimsical yet grotesque atmosphere, creating a unique experience that oscillates between hilarity and emotional depth. Overall, the humor is both strange and poignant, inviting players to embrace the weirdness while also provoking deeper reflections.
- “It's funny, it's weird, it's sad, it's beautiful, it's got cats.”
- “It gave an eerie vibe with funny easter eggs of new and old famous artwork here and there.”
- “Then I stayed for the grotesque and creative scenes, characters, and the utterly odd atmosphere oozing out of each inch of digital canvas - and it was funny though, really, to look at those unfamiliar creatures and to laugh about how weird everything was and to just dive deeper into this peculiar freak show, until eventually, after the first spark of enlightenment showed and transformed rapidly into a freaking firework show of revelations, cascades of tears and uncontrollable sobbing.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
Character development is marked by a unique and unsettling aesthetic, featuring creepy character designs and an abundance of ominous cats that evoke a strong emotional response from players. The juxtaposition of the cats' innocent meows against the eerie atmosphere contributes to a memorable, if unsettling, character experience.
- “The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with any of the characters.”
- “The characters are one-dimensional and their arcs are predictable, leaving little room for growth or surprise.”
- “There is a lack of meaningful choices that affect character development, making the experience feel linear and uninspired.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is reported to have excellent stability, with users noting the absence of glitches or major issues.
- “No glitches or any major issues.”
- “No glitches or any major issues.”