[b]nine lives[/b] is a cat-based isometric puzzler with excellent voxel-based presentation from the developer behind the amazing [url=https://steamcommunity.com/id/dohi64/recommended/1113690]senna and the forest[/url], among other things. I'm not a fan of cats (to put it mildly) and I think they're seriouly over-represented in video games, as they are in real life, but in this case their presence is justified because of the whole nine lives thing.
the cat starts with a single life and has to earn the rest by completing various trials. it's basically [b]one of those cloning and timing games[/b] where you have to do something, then create another iteration of yourself, then do something else while the first one retraces your steps, etc. or in this case, kill the current cat and start moving another while the previous one's ghost does its thing. movement uses energy, which I found unnecessary at first and it won't be an issue for quite some time, but comes into play later. and of course grabbing more lives in later areas won't let you use them in earlier ones to trivialize those puzzles.
besides stepping on pressure plates, there are shooting plants, mice to catch (if spooked, they move between bushes of the same color, ghosts don't block them, nor can they catch them), stingy objects that only disappear for a while after touching them and they have an area of effect attack, and areas where ghosts can't enter. cats can be drowned in water and ghosts will serve as bridges or rafts, and mad cows have to be distracted and moved away from pressure plates. or lured in front of shooting plants to block their shots. no animal is safe here.
simply putting boxes in their place comes surprisingly late in the game, but it's a trickier venture than it sounds. not only are you slower while carrying one, but it consumes more energy and after a while the cat dies from exhaustion and the next one has to take over. then there's reverse movement: stepping on an inverted pressure plate will reproduce movements backwards, letting you use ghosts behind no-ghost barriers. the whole cloning business is already way above my brain capacity, but this is something else, especially when combined with all the other stuff.
the [b]80+ levels[/b] are grouped into 9 packs, unlocked with coins, but you don't have to complete every level to get enough for the next pack, and there's usually more than one level to try at any given time. wasd, arrows and the mouse are used for movement, mouse wheel to zoom (not really necessary), space to end the cat's current life and restart the cycle with a new one. backspace brings up the undo screen to take back any number of lives, or all of them, effectively resetting the level. separate volume settings, resolutions, windowed mode and anti-aliasing options are available as well.
it's a bit clunky sometimes, but despite the cat theme it's [b]just as charming as the developer's previous games, but a lot more difficult[/b]. varied, colorful presentation and lots of clever mechanics, my favorite being the chaotic final level pack. too bad I hate this cloning/timing-based puzzle type, so I passed on most levels, but wanted to support the developer and put the game on the radar for those who enjoy this sort of thing but might've missed it otherwise. you can try it for yourself, a [b]demo is available[/b].
