Copycat

About

"Copycat" is a single-player game with a deep, intriguing story centered around a sceptical shelter cat named Dawn who meets her new owner, Olive, a lonely older Aussie mourning the loss of her previous cat. Together, they explore themes of family trauma, abandonment, and the true meaning of home through a journey that intertwines beautiful visuals, delightful music, and an emotional rollercoaster of humor and heartbreak.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

82%

Audience ScoreBased on 808 reviews

story218 positive mentions

stability8 negative mentions

Emotional and heartfelt story that resonates with pet lovers.
Beautiful graphics and charming cat animations enhance the experience.
Engaging gameplay with fun mini-games and a unique perspective as a cat.

The story can be overly dark and may not resonate well with all players.
Limited choices that don't significantly impact the narrative, leading to a feeling of linearity.
Some technical issues and clunky controls detract from the overall experience.

story
694 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
63%
5%
The story of "Copycat" is a poignant exploration of themes such as abandonment, belonging, and the emotional bond between pets and their owners, told from the perspective of a newly adopted cat. While many players found the narrative to be deeply moving and capable of evoking strong emotions, some criticized its execution, particularly regarding the linearity of choices and the abruptness of the ending. Overall, the game is recognized for its heartfelt storytelling, though opinions vary on its effectiveness and the messages conveyed.
- “The game's story puts you in the life of an adopted cat and sells the story so well that you become invested in both humans and felines alike.”
- “This game has a beautiful story and beautiful graphics, definitely will have to do more runs of this game!”
- “The story is beautifully written with a roller coaster of emotions the entire time.”
- “But I believe this game fails to create the heartwarming story it wanted to portray.”
- “The 'options' you get to choose from are barely options in most circumstances and makes it feel like you truly have no say over how the story progresses, which directly works against the idea of having decisions in the first place.”
- “The story is poorly written, all of the characters are unlikable, the main character quite literally develops Stockholm syndrome over the course of the game, as later on she begins wanting to return to her owner who abuses her repeatedly throughout the game.”
emotional
371 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of "Copycat" is a significant highlight, with many players reporting intense feelings ranging from joy to heartbreak throughout the game. While some found the narrative deeply moving and relatable, particularly for cat lovers, others criticized the writing as shallow or forced, leading to mixed reactions about the emotional impact. Overall, the game is described as an emotional rollercoaster that effectively evokes empathy and reflection on the bond between pets and their owners, making it a memorable experience for those willing to engage with its themes.
- “Oh my god, I cried like a baby at this game.”
- “This game made me an emotional wreck.”
- “Copycat is a heart-wrenching, narrative-driven indie game that will stay with you long after you play.”
gameplay
146 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
66%
12%
The gameplay of "Copycat" has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its simplicity and repetitiveness, often likening it to a walking simulator with minimal interaction. While some appreciated the engaging story and charming graphics, others found the mechanics clunky and the gameplay lacking depth, leading to a feeling of hollowness despite the emotional narrative. Overall, the game is seen more as an experience focused on storytelling rather than a robust gameplay offering.
- “The gameplay is engaging and easy to follow, with a story that's both heartwarming and exciting.”
- “With its engaging gameplay, adorable graphics, and heartwarming story, Copycat is a must-play for anyone looking for a fun and entertaining game.”
- “The mechanics are simple, but enough to make the game an enjoyable experience.”
- “It's a shame, then, that the cozy but limited gameplay and even more limited choices aren't really enough for me to enthusiastically recommend that everyone take home a copy for themselves.”
- “The gameplay is repetitive and actually pretty boring; the choices have absolutely no impact on anything (I played the game twice just for that and all you will get is like 2 different sentences through the whole game).”
- “Unfortunately, the story was over very quick, the gameplay was somehow repetitive and you could not really influence the story.”
graphics
93 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
39%
9%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the beautiful, painterly aesthetic and charming animations, while others criticize the dated visuals and technical issues like stuttering and janky animations. Many players appreciate the colorful and whimsical art style, particularly in outdoor scenes, but note inconsistencies in quality, especially during dream sequences. Overall, while the graphics are generally considered decent and fitting for an indie title, they fall short of being stellar, with some players feeling that they detract from the immersive experience.
- “The graphics are beautiful, especially when scenes take place in the afternoon.”
- “The visuals are charming and colorful, with an intuitive control system that truly captures the feeling of being a mischievous cat—knocking over objects, climbing fences, and meowing at everything.”
- “With stunning visuals, deep storytelling, and emotionally charged moments, Copycat invites you to experience the bond between pets and humans in a way that is both magical and heart-tugging.”
- “Voice acting, awful, presentation, awful, pacing, awful, visuals, eye-bleedingly terrible.”
- “The graphics are subpar, the models are janky, and controls are lacking (for a cat you sure turn awfully awkwardly).”
- “The game has weak graphics in some spots, animations are very janky, controls are wonky and the gameplay doesn't offer a lot.”
music
62 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
48%
5%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its emotional depth and ability to enhance the storytelling experience. While some find the soundtrack charming and well-suited to the game's atmosphere, others criticize it for being generic or out of place. Overall, the music is noted as a significant aspect that contributes to the game's appeal, despite some players expressing dissatisfaction with certain tracks.
- “The sound effects and music are equally delightful, with a playful and upbeat tone that complements the gameplay perfectly.”
- “The music adds a lot to the whole experience the makers wanted to convey; played with headphones and it paid off.”
- “The music was especially charming and should be nominated for whatever awards there are for video game music.”
- “The music was annoying; I didn't understand the primal side of things when it's just supposed to be a house cat that got abandoned.”
- “I hated the music (it was either generic emotional music or out of place/tonal whiplash jungle music), so I ended up turning off the music and instead put on a Spotify playlist.”
- “It is clunky with its animation and repetitive at times with its music.”
humor
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
96%
13%
The humor in the game is characterized by a mix of witty narration and amusing cat-centric moments, often juxtaposed with emotional themes. Players appreciate the funny insights into cat behavior and the humorous interactions with human characters, although some find the writing lacking. Overall, the game successfully balances humor with poignant moments, making for a varied emotional experience.
- “I do like the bits where you also learn about cats' natural behaviors in a funny way when you progress the game.”
- “Mostly, the game is quite humorous with a cheeky narrator that acts as the cat's thoughts and conscience, and a cast of human characters who interact with the cat throughout the three-hour story.”
- “In what almost always leads you on a most humorous turn of events, the lovely narrator loves to present you with fascinating facts about felines, as well as their more wild-natured habits.”
- “Not funny.”
- “The jokes fell flat and felt forced.”
- “I expected more clever humor, but it was mostly cringeworthy.”
stability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, the game's stability is mixed, with users reporting occasional glitches and buggy controls that can disrupt immersion. While some players experienced a smooth experience without significant issues, others noted that the bugs were noticeable enough to affect gameplay, particularly with animations and control responsiveness.
- “The controls can be a bit buggy here and there, but overall it was a nice few hours.”
- “The only negatives I have to say is it's a little buggy.”
- “The game has a few glitches here and there where I was getting stuck and would have to reload, but that didn’t affect the gameplay much.”
atmosphere
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
29%
43%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its captivating storytelling, immersive music, and stellar voice acting, which together create a vibrant and emotional experience. However, some critics feel that the atmosphere can occasionally lean towards forced sentimentality, detracting from the overall pacing of the game. Overall, it effectively captures the emotional highs and lows of the journey, enhancing the player's connection to the narrative.
- “The music and atmosphere of the entire game are wonderful.”
- “A beautiful story about belonging that hits deep, becoming increasingly atmospheric and immersive as the journey progresses.”
- “I feel like some of the atmosphere was used to evoke a forced sentimentality, over what is ultimately a tedious game that cannot figure out its pacing.”
- “Very few titles use solid storytelling and captivating atmosphere to attract an audience.”
- “The music, too, adds a lot to the atmosphere, making the world feel alive as you guide your cat through her journey.”
replayability
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
Overall, the game has limited replayability, primarily offering nostalgia and the opportunity to unlock missable achievements. While some players note that different choices could enhance replay value, the lack of a chapter select option and minimal variation in outcomes diminish the incentive to replay. The game is relatively short, taking about 3-4 hours to complete, which further restricts its replay potential.
- “There is some replayability to get the other achievements, and they aren't too hard.”
- “There are choices which might offer some replayability - I haven't tried yet to see if you could deal with a second round emotionally.”
- “Also, games like this need a 'chapter select' option, even only for achievement hunting, since once you know what happens there's not much else in the replayability department, and there are many missable achievements.”
- “Not much replay value; I wish choosing different things would have different outcomes.”
- “Maybe someday - even though there is no real replay value other than nostalgia.”
- “Also, games like this need a 'chapter select' option, even only for achievement hunting, since once you know what happens, there's not much else in the replayability department, and there are many missable achievements.”
grinding
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
14%
71%
Players generally find grinding in this game to be tedious and often frustrating, especially when the story fails to engage them. Many express that the need to replay the game for achievements adds to the monotony, making the experience feel like a slog rather than an enjoyable challenge. Overall, the grinding aspect detracts from the game's enjoyment, particularly when the narrative does not compensate for the repetitive gameplay.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Usually this only works when the story is the strong point of the game; otherwise, these games would be extremely tedious and boring.”
- “Playing through it twice just for the achievements can be quite tedious.”
- “This game is a tedious slog with a downright dangerous message ('go back to your abuser if they say they need you').”
optimization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
17%
50%
Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with users reporting significant stuttering and performance issues even on lower graphical settings, particularly on the Steam Deck. While some players noted that performance was generally acceptable and appreciated the native ultrawide support, many expressed frustration with the lack of adjustable settings and overall poor optimization.
- “Performance is fine; it seems the game has native ultrawide support, but you can't adjust anything regarding that.”
- “Had some performance issues, but it didn't really ruin the game.”
- “Graphical struggles - I noticed significant stuttering in my game despite my gaming laptop being set to the lowest graphical settings and with V-Sync on.”
- “Somehow it still manages to be very unoptimized.”
- “My only complaint is the performance; it's bad, especially on the Steam Deck.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
150%
Character development in the game is noted for its evolution throughout the story, with initial choices reflecting darker themes that ultimately contribute to a deeper narrative. Players appreciate how these choices, despite being difficult, enhance the overall character arc, particularly for the cat character.
- “It was a quick play-through with a good story and evolving character development.”
- “I was initially really sad at the start of the game that there were no positive options when you first go into the house—like the options were 'bite' or 'scratch.' I didn't want to do either, but I can see this was important to the story now, and I appreciate the cat's character development.”
- “I was initially disappointed at the start of the game because there were no positive options when I first entered the house. The choices were limited to 'bite' or 'scratch,' which I didn't want to choose. However, I now understand that this was important for the story, and I appreciate the character development of the cat.”
- “The character development feels very shallow; I expected more depth and growth throughout the game, but it seems like the characters remain static and unchanging.”
- “I found the character arcs to be predictable and lacking in substance. There were moments that could have been impactful, but they fell flat due to poor development.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect of the game is criticized for creating a misleading sense of choice, as it ultimately presents a linear experience akin to a storybook walking simulator, which detracts from the overall enjoyment and pacing. Users feel that the game's atmosphere is leveraged to evoke sentimentality, possibly reflecting the developers' advertising background.
- “The advertisement delivers the illusion of choice in what turns out to be a storybook walking simulator with a couple of mini games.”
- “I feel like some of the atmosphere was used to evoke a forced sentimentality, which makes sense since the writers worked in advertising, over what is ultimately a tedious game that cannot figure out its pacing.”