Zebulon: A Lost Cat

About

"Zebulon: A Lost Cat" is a 2D platformer with metroidvania elements, where you play as a curious cat exploring a strange world filled with traps and challenges. With permadeath as a learning experience, Zebulon can always get back up and learn new tricks to reach new areas. The game uses the recognizable 16-color palette and 128x128 pixel art of the "fantasy console" Pico 8, with optional wide mode and visual filters available through the Zepto 8 emulator.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

100%

Audience ScoreBased on 16 reviews

graphics1 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

Fun and engaging precision platformer with various challenge modes that enhance replay value.
Charming retro aesthetic reminiscent of classic games, with solid controls and color-blindness options.
Short gameplay duration (around 45 minutes to an hour) makes it a great quick play option, especially for speedrunning.

Game may not meet expectations for those looking for a traditional Metroidvania experience.
Controls can be inconsistent, particularly on vertical climbing surfaces, leading to occasional frustration.
Collectibles can be smaller than they appear, making them difficult to collect, especially in underwater sections.

gameplay
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
100%
The gameplay is criticized for lacking depth and freshness, offering less than an hour of content unless players engage with optional challenges. Reviewers feel that it misses the skill-based, retry-focused essence that characterized classic platformers.
- “There is a refreshing challenge in the gameplay that truly tests your skills and perseverance.”
- “The gameplay mechanics are engaging and provide a satisfying sense of achievement as you progress.”
- “If that kind of optional challenge doesn't interest you, then there's less than an hour of gameplay here.”
- “There is something we lost in this game because of modern platformers - a fresh taste, the pure gameplay which requires skills and many attempts to reach the goal.”
- “There is something we lost in this game because of modern platformers - a freshness, a pure gameplay that requires skills and many attempts to reach the goal.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
300%
Players note that the game offers a variety of interesting challenge modes, enhancing its replayability for those seeking additional content and experiences.
- “There are lots of interesting challenge modes that add significant replay value if you're looking for it.”
- “The game offers multiple paths and endings, encouraging players to explore different choices on subsequent playthroughs.”
- “With a variety of character builds and strategies to experiment with, each playthrough feels fresh and engaging.”
- “There are lots of interesting challenge modes which add some replay value if you’re looking for it.”
- “Once you complete the main story, there’s little incentive to play again.”
- “The game lacks meaningful choices that would encourage multiple playthroughs.”
graphics
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The graphics are generally well-received, with users noting a pleasing aesthetic that complements the gameplay, while the controls function effectively as anticipated for this genre.
- “The aesthetic under pico is not bad at all, and the controls work well as expected for similar games.”