Have you ever wondered what exactly is going on inside your pet’s head?Copycatis Australian developer Spoonful of Wonder’s debut into the indie scene, with a creative team of only two involved in the development process. This narrative adventure is a love letter to pet lovers, featuring the relationships between pet and owner, mother and daughter, and one’s self. The game follows Dawn, a reserved shelter cat, who is adopted by Olive, an expressive elderly woman. Not only is the relationship between Dawn and Olive tested, but so is Dawn’s ability to battle her inner critic.
I’ll be good. I’ll be the best house cat.
Tackling Loneliness and Belonging in Pet-Centered Suburbia
Copycatis a game with an incredible amount of heart, the majority of which stems from the strong narrative at its center. Dawn, the skeptical cat with a traumatic past, is the protagonist and playable character. When Olive, an older woman who recently lost a cat of her own, adopts Dawn, Dawn is determined to escape the confines of the house and explore the wild. Dawn is stubborn, hesitant, independent and distrustful of strangers; she’s hatching a plan to get out halfway through her first day at the house. Olive’s suffocating affection and desire to bond with Dawn poses an issue between the two, but Olive’s persistence eventually begins to melt Dawn’s defenses. After the two become close, Dawn is kicked out of the house by Olive’s daughter. When she tries to find her way back inside, Dawn realizes that Olive’s previous cat has found its way home and taken Dawn’s place at Olive’s side.
The remainder of the game is an emotionally driven tale of family, forgiveness and connection, as Dawn has to face her inner demons and decide whether she should fight for her place at Olive’s home. Although there are physical altercations featured throughout, the majority of the conflict revolves around Dawn’s shame, anger and guilt after trusting Olive and being kicked out. The story wraps up nicely at the end, although some may feel disappointed at the quick resolution of Dawn and Olive’s relationship issues.
Beware of Dogs, Cats, and… Toilet Paper?
The gameplay inCopycatis loads of fun, featuring minigames, a sandbox-like house environment, and quick-time events. I never felt bored at any stage of the game, instead occupied by mundane activities (like playing with a feather toy or clawing away at toilet paper). These minor activities feature either button mashing or reaction games, making the most lighthearted parts of cat ownership an interactive experience. There are two major types of departures from the typical walking simulator gameplay at the heart of the game: an endless runner minigame and a boss fight involving quick-time event combos. The endless runner portion of the game happens twice, most notably when Dawn is on the run from an angry dog. The boss fight isn’t life or death, but there are situational aspects that make you want to hit those buttons correctly. The highest combo that I noted was ten different buttons on a short timer, which made me sit up and start paying a little more attention to what was happening in the game.
While the inclusion of minigames truly elevated the gameplay experience, the overall game tends to be more buggy than stable. I somehow clipped through the garage door on my first day at Olive’s house, leaving me to wander through a half-programmed neighborhood with no way back into the house. It took me a few attempts to reenter the house to confirm that it was most certainly a bug, so I had to return to the main menu to load my last save. Some of the outdoor grass textures seemed to appear as gray tiles instead of patches of grass, through which my curiosity led me to fall endlessly through the floor until I returned to the menu. The biggest technical issue I faced was my game freezing and crashing at a key moment in a later cutscene. I tried to reboot it, but it had erased all of my save data. To their credit, the developers were responsive and helped me out with a temporary fix as they investigated the underlying issue.
Subtle Vibes and Lots of Meowing
Copycat’s soundtrack accomplishes the most in its subtle moments, choosing to underline the everyday rather than sensationalize the unusual. There isn’t a sweeping score present throughout the game, rather a quiet melody that reflects the themes being tackled at different points in the narrative. Sure, the music does amplify some of the most heartfelt moments, but it doesn’t feel forced or separate from the experience as a whole. The sound design is delightful, with common noises ranging from meowing and purring to the sound of claws catching fabric. Every little audible moment in this game feels authentic and representative of what most cat owners hear on a daily basis.
The voice acting is truly superb, with each character having their own particular nuances transmitted through audio alone. Olive is lonely and tired, which comes out in sighs and a desperate tone when discussing her relationship with Dawn. Olive’s daughter and the concern regarding her mother is characterized by frustration and anger, the majority of which Dawn faces the brunt of. Dawn’s inner voice, the Wildlife Expert, reflects Dawn’s guilt and mistrust in his frequent outbursts throughout the story. Although the cast isn’t large, the voice actors that are present go above and beyond in their character work.
Warm Colors and Lived-in Homes
The art direction succeeds at amplifying the emotion already present at the heart of the narrative. The environment around Dawn is warm and welcoming in the first half of the game, lifting the player’s spirits and setting the stage for some feel-good moments with Olive. Olive’s house feels natural and lived-in, with a perpetually turned-on television, utensils in the kitchen, various knickknacks on the tables throughout and handwritten cards on display. Conversely, the second half of the game utilizes cold hues and darkness to simulate the doubt beginning to creep into Dawn’s mind. Shadows always seem to be near, while the junk-filled streets cause a feeling of unease and concern. Between the detailed writing, emotional score and multifaceted art,Copycatsucceeds at drawing the player into Dawn’s mind at every turn.
Having Fun, Talking About Pawsome Stuff with the Copycat Developers
We got a chance to chat with Samantha Cable and Kostia Liakhov, founders of Spoonful of Wonder, about their upcoming game Copycat.
Closing Comments:
Copycatperfectly encapsulates the feeling of self-doubt, fear and hesitance that comes with building a close relationship with another individual. Although the narrative is told through the eyes of a cat, its message is universal and urges players to accept love and nurture one another regardless of differences. The technical side of the game was buggy at certain parts of the story during my playthrough, but the game truly flourishes when it centers around storytelling.
Version Reviewed: PC
Copycat is a narrative-driven indie game that follows Dawn, a skeptical shelter cat who dreams of escaping to the wild. Follow Dawn’s journey from shelter to a forever home, facing inner insecurities and becoming the cat she’s meant to be.
