Vanakatu

About

This is an open-world story about VAN CAT (that's his name, no affiliations with vehicles), a duduk player from a regular family, who tracks down his CULT-LEADING UNCLE through spacetime to talk him out of creating a WORLDWIDE DICTATORSHIP!!! Explore three surreal, immersive worlds swirling with music, light and color, inspired by the Ottoman Empire, Soviet Armenia and modern day Armenia to rescu…

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

93%

Audience ScoreBased on 30 reviews

music8 positive mentions

stability2 negative mentions

Incredible and unique art style that stands out with a surreal and folk art flavor.
The music and sound effects are enjoyable, adding to the overall atmosphere of the game.
The exploration aspect is fun, allowing players to discover new areas and interact with the environment.

The game feels unfinished and unpolished, with numerous bugs and a confusing gameplay experience.
Accidental presses of the spacebar can reset progress, which is frustrating for players who have made significant advancements.
Lack of guidance and hints makes it difficult to understand objectives, leading to players getting stuck frequently.

music
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
66%
9%
The music in the game is generally well-received, with players appreciating its quality and the interesting music-based mechanics involved in gameplay. However, there are significant issues, such as the lack of looping in the soundtrack when remaining in the same room and the absence of music in the main menu, which detracts from the overall experience. Additionally, some sound effects can be overly loud, overshadowing the music, suggesting a need for better audio balance.
- “The puzzles have an interesting music-based mechanic, but they can also be convoluted. You essentially find musical notes that you can play on the instrument, and if you play them in the right spot, you will gain access to a new area.”
- “I really like the art style, and the music is enjoyable. I have no idea what I'm doing, but I enjoy collecting fish.”
- “Yea, fun exploration game! Just very glitchy, so work on that, and make sure the music loops. Maybe add music in the menu; it will improve the feel of the game a lot.”
- “The gameplay mainly involves finding items and playing music, but there aren't many hints, so I got stuck.”
- “There are some issues with the soundtrack; I don't mind the music that you are using, but it does not loop if you stay in the same room. I also think you should have music in the main menu as well.”
- “The sound effects on the instrument can also be a little too loud and overlap the soundtrack too much; you probably should use something more simple than chords.”
graphics
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
56%
19%
The graphics of the game are praised for their incredible and unique art style, described as a blend of surrealism and folk art, reminiscent of child-like drawings. Many reviewers appreciate the aesthetic appeal, particularly the whimsical inclusion of cats, while also noting that the music and sound effects complement the visuals well. Overall, the art style stands out as a defining feature of the game, despite some confusion regarding gameplay.
- “Incredible art style.”
- “I love the aesthetic of this game!”
- “Very unique aesthetic, I've never seen this specific flavor of surreal art.”
- “The graphics look like they were drawn by a child; the music and sound effects are pretty good, on the other hand, but the gameplay is the most confusing part about this game.”
- “I can't say that I've ever seen an art style like that; it feels like it's somewhere between surrealism and some type of folk art. I'm not entirely sure how the cats come into the picture, but why not? Just draw as many cats as you can, and I'm sure it will have some aesthetic appeal.”
- “The graphics look like they were drawn by a child; the music and sound effects are pretty good, on the other hand, but the gameplay is the most confusing part about this game.”
gameplay
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
25%
25%
Gameplay is described as confusing and convoluted, primarily involving item collection and music-based puzzles that lack sufficient hints, leading to frustration. While the music and sound effects are praised, the overall execution of gameplay and narrative leaves much to be desired, especially considering the game's early-access status.
- “The puzzles have an interesting music-based mechanic, but they can also be convoluted. You essentially find musical notes that you can play on the instrument, and if you play them in the right spot, you will gain access to a new area.”
- “The gameplay is the most confusing part about this game.”
- “However, I don't want to be too harsh, but the gameplay and the game's narrative leave much to be desired, even considering the game is free and in early access.”
- “The gameplay mainly involves finding items and playing music, but there aren't many hints, so I got stuck.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game appears to be frustrating for players, as they express confusion and a sense of helplessness regarding gameplay mechanics, particularly with the unintended consequences of pressing the spacebar. This suggests a disconnect between player expectations and the game's design, leading to a negative emotional experience.
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users have reported recurring inventory glitches, specifically mentioning instances where items appear as white squares after interacting with doors or picking up objects. These issues indicate a lack of stability in the game's inventory system.
- “There are inventory glitches; I encountered one after entering the door with the key and picking up the next object. It appeared as a white square in the inventory.”
- “There are inventory glitches; I encountered one after entering the door with the key and picking up the next object. It appeared as a white square in the inventory.”