Catmaze

About

"Catmaze" is a single-player fantasy platformer game with a stellar story and good gameplay, set in a beautiful world inspired by Slavic mythology. As the cat Bayn, players assist the sorceress Alesta in uncovering secrets of magical forests and battling mythical beasts, with the help of unique summoned creatures. Despite amazing visuals and soundtrack, the game is currently full of bugs.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

84%

Audience ScoreBased on 484 reviews

story126 positive mentions

stability24 negative mentions

Charming pixel art and engaging visuals that create a delightful atmosphere.
Interesting story inspired by Slavic mythology, with well-developed characters and emotional depth.
Fun gameplay mechanics with a unique familiar system that adds variety to combat and exploration.

Controls can feel floaty and unresponsive at times, leading to frustrating platforming sections.
Some bugs and glitches, including issues with hit detection and character movement.
Backtracking can be tedious, and the map does not always clearly indicate undiscovered areas.

story
366 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34%
64%
2%
The story of "Catmaze" is a surprisingly complex and engaging narrative that blends lighthearted elements with darker themes, drawing heavily from Slavic folklore. Players embark on a quest to cure the protagonist's sick mother, encountering relatable characters and emotional twists along the way, which enhance the overall experience despite some critiques regarding pacing and translation issues. While the gameplay mechanics are praised, the story stands out as a significant aspect that captivates players, making it a worthwhile journey for fans of the metroidvania genre.
- “This was one of the nicest and most satisfying games I've ever played. At first, I thought it would be a short, cute little adventure game, but the story was charming and the characters were delightful.”
- “Heart-tugging story with surprisingly complex characters.”
- “The story is a pretty tale with many funny characters along the way.”
- “The plot is a pile of melodrama I had no patience for and button-mashed through.”
- “Story is lackluster; you have a sick mom, and you gotta save her.”
- “The writing is bad and suffers from a not-great translation to English (and some weird problem where certain letters or especially apostrophes are frequently replaced by spaces?), but at least the idea of a decent story is hiding behind it.”
gameplay
168 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
66%
2%
The gameplay is generally well-received, offering a balanced and enjoyable experience typical of the metroidvania genre, with engaging mechanics and a variety of spells and familiars that enhance exploration and combat. While some players note issues with floaty controls and simplistic boss mechanics, the overall design, charming pixel art, and atmospheric music contribute positively to the experience. Despite some criticisms regarding the story and occasional bugs, many find the gameplay to be a significant highlight, making it a worthwhile adventure for fans of the genre.
- “Gameplay: 5/5 (all 12 familiars have their place except, perhaps, the last one, which is more funny than practical. Collectibles are meaningful, and moderately, but not excessively, difficult to find - and crucially, there's in-game help if you haven't found them all by the end. The autumn forest section, where you have to jump from leaf to leaf, was especially fun.)”
- “The gameplay feels great (I checked that the game had a recent update, which means developers care about enhancing the experience), moving is really satisfying and combat is good.”
- “Overall the gameplay is very solid and was easily a major hook for me, keeping me happy and satisfied nearly throughout the entire thing.”
- “Wait for a 75-90% sale, not worth the full $13 for this 5-year-old 8-bit gameplay.”
- “In the beginning, it is frustrating and monotonous, with no real NPCs, the same irritating song on loop, kind of iffy mechanics, next to no enemy variety, and restarting way back at the checkpoint whenever you die.”
- “Catmaze has a cute visual style to it, and it has solid ideas about how to do a metroidvania-style game, but its writing, gameplay, and sound design all leave much to be desired.”
music
154 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
51%
45%
4%
The music in the game has received generally positive feedback, with many players praising its catchy and atmospheric qualities that enhance the overall experience. While some noted issues with looping and occasional repetitiveness, the soundtrack is often described as fitting well with the game's environments and contributing significantly to its whimsical and fairytale-like ambiance. Overall, the music is considered a strong point of the game, with several players expressing a desire to purchase the soundtrack.
- “The music is really good in this, the same goes for story and characters/enemies.”
- “The soundtrack fit the mood of the area you're in quite nicely, and I would say the OST was more on a relaxing/calmer side of things, for a game that you may get frustrated with at times.”
- “Catmaze is a great metroidvania with beautiful pixel graphics, an unusual setting of Slavic mythology, and an amazing soundtrack.”
- “In the beginning it is frustrating and monotonous, with no real NPCs, the same irritating song on loop, kinda iffy mechanics, next to no enemy variety, and restarting way back at the checkpoint whenever you die.”
- “And sometimes there's no music at all, even in non-dramatic moments.”
- “Floaty controls, slow animations, clunky music, and main menu on death, to name a few issues.”
graphics
122 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
54%
3%
The graphics of the game are primarily characterized by a charming pixel art style that many players find appealing, with well-animated visuals and colorful environments. However, opinions are mixed regarding the character portraits, which some players feel are inconsistent or exaggerated. Overall, while the graphics are praised for their cuteness and detail, there are suggestions for improvement in animation frames and a desire for a more cohesive art style throughout the game.
- “The graphics are very well done and nicely animated.”
- “Catmaze is a great metroidvania with beautiful pixel graphics, an unusual setting of Slavic mythology and an amazing soundtrack.”
- “This game surprised me in a good way - it has very cute graphics, balanced difficulty, really atmospheric music, attention to details, quite nice fairytale-ish plot (which is very suitable for a younger audience as well) and nice gameplay variety.”
- “Biggest gripe is definitely the off-putting art style (especially in the first map which doesn't help retain me whatsoever)”
- “I don't like the art style, the music, or the experience system... I only played it for 20 minutes and it felt like nothing happened.”
- “Everything was just not quite right from the artwork to the abilities (or lack of useful ones) to the difficulty of following the story.”
stability
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is plagued by numerous bugs and glitches, including problematic controls, collision issues, and game-breaking errors like crashes during fast travel and cutscenes. While these stability issues detract from the overall experience, many players still appreciate the game's artistic design and engaging narrative, suggesting that the enjoyment may outweigh the frustrations for those who are forgiving of its indie status.
- “I knew how to complete this section, but with buggy controls and terrible collision (never jump into a wall unless you're prepared to get stuck under the map), it was too much.”
- “Not to mention game-breaking glitches like fast travel crashing the game, and I literally died during a cutscene after beating a boss.”
- “I get that it's an indie game and it won't be perfect, but there are some seriously horrible sections and glitches.”
emotional
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its unexpectedly deep storytelling and worldbuilding, which evolves from a seemingly lighthearted experience into a more dramatic and resonant narrative. Players appreciate the heartfelt themes of determination and the game's charming folklore, complemented by colorful characters and engaging music, culminating in a wholesome true ending. While some minor flaws exist, the overall emotional core is seen as a significant strength, making it stand out among other titles in the genre.
- “At first I thought this was just a cutesy, lighthearted fantasy experience (which it is, to some extent), but as the game progresses, you really get invested in the worldbuilding and the type of folklore it creates: the different biomes are a beautiful and lush fit, the characters are colorful, the music is great and has some good ambient tunes, the story is more dramatic and emotional than I anticipated and the writing is quite solid (although I found some minor typos).”
- “The story contains great depth and intrigue with some touching and profound moments.”
- “A heartwarming story about determination.”
humor
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features a blend of humor that ranges from corny to witty, with many funny characters and a charming, sometimes dark fairytale narrative. Players appreciate the unorthodox use of folklore entities, which adds a hilarious twist for those familiar with the setting. Overall, the humor enhances the gameplay experience, making it engaging and enjoyable.
- “Nice metroidvania with funny characters and sometimes dark but still warmhearted fairytale story.”
- “The story is cute, the humor witty, and it's incredibly worth the money.”
- “The entities from folklore are used quite unorthodoxically, and it sometimes feels hilarious if you are familiar with the setting.”
atmosphere
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
83%
17%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its unique blend of mythological elements, cute graphics, and atmospheric music that enhances the fairytale-like experience. Despite some gameplay issues like sluggishness and bugs, the overall ambiance and attention to detail create an enjoyable and immersive exploration experience. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to maintain a captivating atmosphere that appeals to a wide audience, particularly younger players.
- “Neat metroidvania with an enjoyable story and atmosphere that is a joy to explore.”
- “This game surprised me in a good way - it has very cute graphics, balanced difficulty, really atmospheric music, attention to details, quite nice fairytale-ish plot (which is very suitable for younger audiences as well) and nice gameplay variety.”
- “Special mention should be made of the music - it contributes a lot to the game atmosphere and creates a sense of fairytale.”
replayability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
40%
30%
Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players find it infinitely replayable due to different difficulty levels and achievements, others feel that it lacks significant replay value after completing the main content, which typically takes around 10 hours.
- “🔲 infinitely replayable”
- “12 - replayability: there are two achievements that require you to play slightly differently, and you increase the difficulty of the game.”
- “[h1] replay value [/h1]”
- “Worth a buy but don't expect too much replayability; it took me 10 hours to ace the game, and the last boss was quite challenging.”
- “There are two achievements that require you to play slightly differently, but overall, the replayability is limited.”
- “The replay value is not very high, as the game can be completed in a relatively short time.”
optimization
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
38%
50%
Overall, the optimization of the game is inconsistent, with some users reporting occasional performance issues and heavy animations. While there are no major bugs, the execution lacks polish, particularly in art quality and basic gameplay features. Improvements in performance and smoother animations are recommended for a better experience.
- “Other than that, no real bugs or noticeable performance issues.”
- “The only thing that could be improved in Catmaze is the game performance and animations, which indeed feel a little bit heavy occasionally.”
- “Now the execution is far from perfect: the quality of art is all over the place, the game has a few performance issues, and it lacks some basic features such as looking down while crouching.”
- “I managed to get to the first boss and get a ton of upgrades, progressing the story in the same amount of time it took me to throw my arms up in frustration a few months ago at the poor performance.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players note that while grinding is minimal due to the visibility of collectibles on the map in the end-game, the grinding that does exist feels arbitrary and out of place. Overall, the game effectively reduces the need for extensive grinding, which is generally appreciated.
- “It's the only real instance this game has of feeling like grinding, and it feels so arbitrary.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development is generally regarded as decent, contributing positively to the overall story, which is also well-received. Additionally, the presence of multiple endings adds depth to the characters' journeys.
- “The story is pretty good, with decent character development and multiple endings.”