Cattails

About

Cattails is a single player open world role playing game with a romance theme. It was developed by Falcon Development and was released on December 1, 2017. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

Become a cat! Cattails is a unique animal simulation RPG. Hunt for food, fight invading cats, explore to gather herbs, and socialize with other cats in an expansive open world. Get married and raise a family of kittens, befriend your neighbors, and learn to live in the dangerous wilderness!

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96%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,497 reviews

story124 positive mentions

grinding86 negative mentions

Adorable and charming pixel art with cute characters and relaxing music.
Engaging gameplay with hunting, fighting, foraging, relationship building, marriage, and kittens.
Open world exploration with dynamic seasons and multiple cat colonies to interact with and claim territory.

The main story and character dialogue are limited and can feel repetitive.
Gameplay can become grindy and repetitive especially when completing achievements or late-game content.
Controls and combat mechanics can be clunky for some players; some UI and quality of life features could be improved.

story
572 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
72%
6%
The story in Cattails is generally described as simple, light, and somewhat brief, focusing mainly on a loose main quest to restore the forest guardian. While it provides a charming backdrop and introduces player-driven narratives through relationships, colony building, and exploration, many players find the main storyline underdeveloped, repetitive, and lacking depth or urgency. Ultimately, the game emphasizes open-ended, player-created storytelling over a tightly woven plot, making it enjoyable mostly for those who appreciate sandbox experiences or create their own narratives.
- “The story is super cute, the characters are adorable, and it's altogether a very relaxing, enjoyable, and fun experience!”
- “The story is very original, and I love that there are so many things to do in game (from making your own cat and customizing it, to joining a colony, befriending colony cats, finding and courting a mate—I'm so happy that you can romance same-gender cats!—polishing your hunting, going to seasonal events, exploring, mining, swimming, fighting or progressing through the main story, there's always something fun to do).”
- “You can do quests or follow the main story line, run your own clan, have a husband and kittens, focus on mining or forging. The story and graphics are good; hunting and romance systems are good as well.”
- “The main quest is just a repetitive cycle of collecting things; there is barely any story whatsoever, and there is barely any personality to the characters. It's more like an early release.”
- “Lack of depth, strangely quick story beats, not enough buildup for any kind of reveal, and an all-around confusing sense of direction.”
- “The intro story is horrible and it is very upsetting.”
gameplay
276 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
63%
6%
Cattails offers a charming and simple gameplay loop centered around hunting, foraging, socializing, and territory control, drawing heavy inspiration from games like Stardew Valley but with a unique feline twist. While the mechanics are accessible and engaging, featuring relationship-building and skill progression, the gameplay can become repetitive and grindy over time, with limited variety and depth added as players progress. Overall, it provides a relaxing, open-ended experience ideal for those who enjoy sandbox-style RPGs focused on exploration and community rather than a structured or narrative-driven challenge.
- “Over time, players build relationships with other cats, forming friendships, rivalries, and even families, which adds a social dimension to the survival mechanics.”
- “The territory control mechanic is also interesting and a unique addition to this genre.”
- “The gameplay is charmingly simple and there's a lot of variety in all the activities you can do as well as a big world to explore!”
- “The hunting can feel like a drag, and it's a huge game mechanic.”
- “The gameplay gets old very quickly.”
- “The gameplay can get boring eventually, as there's not a whole lot of innovation as you proceed in the game.”
graphics
193 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
53%
2%
The game features simple yet charming pixel art graphics that evoke a warm, nostalgic, and approachable atmosphere, with adorably designed cats and environments that fit its relaxing and cozy gameplay. While the visuals are not highly detailed or realistic, many players find their quaint, storybook-like style endearing and well-matched to the game's tone, though some note occasional roughness or lack of polish. Overall, the graphics are praised for their unique, expressive aesthetic and harmonious integration with the game's music and themes.
- “The pixel art style is simple but expressive, giving the world a warm and approachable feel while still conveying the challenges of life in the wild.”
- “The pixel artwork is gorgeous, the dialog is so endearing, and the music is really great (I absolutely love the hints of jazziness in several of the tracks).”
- “It is the most perfect little game with the cutest graphics.”
- “The graphics are not that aesthetic to me personally and I guess that's the dealbreaker for me.”
- “It's very unpolished, and I find the art style very ugly.”
- “But there is no excuse for the shoddy graphics.”
music
188 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
45%
2%
The music in this game is widely praised for its calming, soothing, and charming qualities, often described as jazz-influenced and perfectly complementing the relaxing, cozy atmosphere. Many players find the soundtrack memorable and enjoyable both in-game and on its own, with seasonal and situational variations that keep it fresh and immersive. While a few mention occasional repetitiveness or personal dislike, overall the soundtrack is considered a standout feature that greatly enhances the game's appeal.
- “The music is absolutely gorgeous and definitely worth getting the soundtrack.”
- “The soundtrack is charming, with jazzy and soothing tunes that perfectly complement the relaxing atmosphere and gameplay.”
- “The music changes with seasons, times of day, and weather, adding depth and preventing repetition while fitting the game's cozy and immersive vibe.”
- “The music is also so bad I need to play with it off.”
- “The music also has started to irritate me.”
- “Its cutesy, but the music gets a bit repetitive.”
grinding
99 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
3%
10%
87%
Grinding in the game is a significant aspect that often feels tedious and repetitive, especially when pursuing achievements, hunting rare creatures, or completing fetch quests. While some players find the slow-paced, cozy progression enjoyable and reminiscent of farming sims like Stardew Valley (but with hunting instead of farming), others criticize the lack of variety, story depth, and reward for effort, which can make the grind feel unrewarding and sometimes frustrating. Overall, the game appeals to those who enjoy relaxed, exploration-focused gameplay with an emphasis on community interaction, but may not satisfy players averse to grind-heavy mechanics.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “There is no farming, but the kitty can grow herbs once they expand their den.”
- “Despite not farming, the reason I find this game still has that farming sim feeling is the way you interact with your community.”
- “Every single quest in this game seems to be a tedious fetch quest with a story that is not even well-written.”
- “Despite that though, there are a couple of negatives that come to mind, mainly that it can come off as rather 'grindy' at times in that there is little actual challenging content outside of artificially boosting up the difficulty (which serves to merely increase how hungry your cat gets, how expensive items are and how much damage enemies deal) and that the gameplay cycle can eventually get rather repetitive after a full year of going through the game's four seasons, albeit this is mitigated somewhat by this game's take on stardew's festivals via it's own seasonal festivals that occur at the end of each season, hosting it's own minigame and rewards to boot, so it largely depends on whether you enjoy the usual hunting/foraging/fighting system as you gradually get better at it and begin to take over more territory for your colony as your feline improves as a wild cat over time.”
- “A number of the main quest items are rather grindy, but there's a good deal to do, regardless.”
emotional
35 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
97%
3%
The game delivers a heartfelt, emotionally impactful intro that often moves players to tears, setting a touching tone before transitioning into a wholesome, cozy, and addictive sandbox experience. While the story may feel light or lacking depth after the powerful beginning, players develop strong emotional attachments to the cat characters, enjoying the game's peaceful and charming atmosphere. Overall, it is praised for its cuteness and emotional warmth, though some find the narrative and tutorial somewhat restrictive or brief.
- “The start is heartbreaking if you're an emotional wreck like me, but the game overall is absolutely wonderful.”
- “You play a cat who's been cruelly abandoned in a forest (an emotional punch to the gut of a game intro if ever there was one) and joins a colony of other cats there.”
- “You develop an emotional attachment to these cats, and want to see them happy.”
replayability
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
55%
15%
The game offers notable replayability through its multiple colonies, varied cat interactions, and different story paths, appealing to players who enjoy exploring relationships and raising kittens. While some find lasting value and multiple ways to play, others feel the experience becomes repetitive after completing major content. Overall, replay value is appreciated but may be limited once all achievements and storylines are completed.
- “Played this for years and it still has replayability thanks to the different colonies and stories you can create.”
- “I loved the different interactions with the separate cats in my colony and the others, and there's a lot of replayability value in joining the different colonies and romanticizing different cats.”
- “Great replay value though, and I'm looking forward to raising kittens.”
- “I thought that the game would have some replayability, with each clan you can join offering a new aspect of the game, but no, they're all basically the same.”
- “Doesn't have a whole lot of replay value once you've done everything, you'll want to take a break and come back.”
- “After you have done everything there is to do in the game, there is not much left for replayability.”
humor
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
94%
6%
The game is widely praised for its humor, featuring funny dialogues, quirky characters, and amusing cat-related antics that add charm and relaxation. Players find the comedic elements engaging and integral to the entertaining adventure experience.
- “The game has a lot of really funny dialogues and I was excited about everything this cat had to say.”
- “Cattails is a super fun game with really interesting and really funny (looking at you Krampy) characters, fairly decent leveling mechanics, and an amazing and soothing soundtrack to go behind it.”
- “The graphics are simple with funny characters (well, characters with characteristics you would not see on a cat in the real world).”
atmosphere
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
53%
7%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its charming, cozy, and relaxing vibe, blending survival elements with a sweet, whimsical world reminiscent of cozy farm sims and warrior cat stories. The peaceful ambiance is enhanced by a delightful soundtrack and lovable characters, though some players note occasional inconsistencies in style that can detract slightly from immersion. Overall, it offers a fun, soothing experience that many find deeply engaging and enjoyable.
- “One of the game’s strongest aspects is its atmosphere.”
- “Though there's enough excitement to keep things interesting, the general atmosphere is so peaceful, complemented perfectly by a stunning soundtrack.”
- “It blends survival elements with the charm of Stardew Valley and has a nice cozy atmosphere.”
- “World building is like the developer couldn't decide between Warrior Cats-inspired clans or Stardew Valley-inspired humanized cats. Why do wild cats hunt prey and kill rivals to survive in the wilderness, yet have access to LED lights, carpets, giant wooden task boards, etc.? Details like this kill the atmosphere. The game should have stuck to one style because it has failed to capture the charm of both the Stardew Valley game and Warrior Cats books.”
stability
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is generally stable with few glitches that rarely impact overall gameplay, making it enjoyable and easy to play for hours. However, some bugs like item loss, character disappearance, freezing during certain actions, occasional lag, and game freezing on exit have been reported, which can sometimes disrupt the experience. Despite these issues, the game's charm and fun factor remain strong.
- “I notice small issues/glitches, but it comes up when holding an item and interacting with something. I drop the item and it doesn't appear on the ground, thus it is lost (huge shame with rare items).”
- “However, a bug I found while playing the game is when you take one of your kittens out to hunt, but every now and then (pretty rarely) when the kitten pounces, the prey in your sight freezes.”
- “I like this game so far - it's very fun, however there is a lot of lag when going into certain areas and sometimes my cat glitches and I can't control where they go.”
optimization
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
28%
43%
The game is generally well optimized, running smoothly on a wide range of devices from older laptops to high-end systems. However, performance can drop significantly in full-screen mode, causing stuttering issues, though windowed play remains stable. Overall, optimization is good with minor hiccups.
- “It's incredibly well optimized to the point where there is very little difference in its functionality between an old, unmodified run-of-the-mill Gateway laptop and the brand new Lenovo Legion Y7000 I replaced it with.”
- “The graphics are good, runs smoothly on most devices.”
- “Only negative for me: in full-screen mode performance drops to an unplayable level, but playing windowed is just fine.”
- “- Some stuttering, not too bad but I added it as a con anyway.”
- “[th]performance[/th]”
character development
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
Character development in the game is generally seen as basic and limited, with minimal NPC dialogue, though the charming and adorable character designs receive consistent praise. While the concept is appealing, it lacks the depth and richness found in similar games like Stardew Valley.
- “The character designs and interactions are adorable, and you get to live out your fantasies of hunting down smaller animals.”
- “Amazing art and character designs.”
- “Speaking of which, I really love the character designs.”
- “Lacks character development and NPC dialogue is very limited.”
- “I think it's a really charming concept that is based heavily off of its older cousin, Stardew Valley, but lacks a lot of important things like character development, which Stardew Valley does so well.”
- “Character development is cute though fairly basic.”
monetization
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
The monetization approach is praised for having no pressure from microtransactions or gambling mechanics, creating a stress-free experience without pay-to-win elements. However, some users criticize misleading marketing comparisons and express a desire for more depth in aspects tied to romance and friendship, which could have been enhanced without relying on in-app purchases. Overall, the absence of ads and in-app purchases is seen as adding to the game's challenge and integrity.
- “No pressure or stress to unlock things or play a punishing game mode/difficulty, no being harassed by microtransactions or gambling mechanics.”
- “No in-app purchases adds more challenge to the game.”
- “The problem with ads these days is they show you a completely different game than what you bought.”
- “No pressure or stress to unlock things or play a punishing gamemode/difficulty, no being harassed by microtransactions or gambling mechanics.”
- “No in-app purchases add more challenge to the game.”