[b]of mice and moggies[/b] started its life in 2019 as a game jam entry called [b]fluffensnuff[/b], created in under 72 hours for [i]ludum dare 44[/i]. the concept hasn't changed since: you're playing as an evil cat (so a cat) bent on killing every animal possible wherever it goes.
[b]sokoban-like[/b] describes the gameplay best, but instead of pushing crates around, the goal is to scare animals into places they can't escape from or won't see their imminent downfall, then pounce on them. it might sound harsh, but the presentation is really cute and there's no blood, so it [b]can be enjoyed by all ages[/b].
there are [b]100+ levels[/b] in 10 biomes and progression on the gorgeous map is non-linear, so you won't be stuck on that one level for ages with nothing else to do, and even if you do, [b]3 level skips[/b] are also at your service. they can't be used on tutorial or flagged (more challenging) levels, but the tokens can be gotten back if you solve the skipped level. figuring out marked levels adds points to your cat license and every 10 points unlocks a [b]mini-game like snake, labyrinth or sokoban[/b], each with their own progression, snake even has a leaderboard.
levels are grids of mostly empty tiles, with carefully placed rocks, tall grass to hide in, etc. and mechanics (i.e. animal behavior) can be checked in the pause menu. [b]most critters get spooked if you move next to them[/b], that's how you make them do your bidding, careful not to scare them off the level. diagonals are safe, everything including the cat only moves in four directions, and nobody cares about a carcass rotting on a tile.
mice can hide in bushes (you can't), rabbits jump over anything (unless the tile they'd land on is blocked by an object, then they just hop one tile), lizards move until they hit something or leave the level, spiders weave sticky single-use webs that make every animal get stuck, but they can be freed if necessary.
dogs can't be killed, they act as rocks for the most part, but follow you around and can be lost in high grass, which is also a good place to attack animals from. turtles serve as platforms but will leave after a bigger animal such as yourself steps on them, making that tile unavailable for movement, and they're not part of the food chain either. then there's a yellow ball to push around and even into bushes, it's basically a mobile rock. and finally, hedgehogs curl up instead of moving away when you step next to them, but they were a post-release addition and can only be found on community levels, not the main campaign.
there's always a par to beat, but solving a level in however many moves it takes is enough to progress further, and there's [b]unlimited undo[/b] as well, works even from an imminent fail state, which is great (if an animal leaves the level, you have a short grace period to undo the last move). the par is revealed before starting a level, but I'm not a fan of [b]deliberately hiding it and the move counter until the level is solved[/b]. during replays both will be on the screen, and I found it really neat that you can [b]bring up your best attempt and analyze it step by step[/b].
[b]controls are non-rebindable, but work well.[/b] wasd and arrows to move, hold to traverse multiple tiles, 'r' restarts, backspace for undo, controller works too. esc brings up the menu with all the settings, such as separate volume sliders, windowed mode with a resizable window, or animation speed. sadly, [b]window size and position don't get saved between sessions[/b].
[b]the game looks amazing[/b], lots of attention to detail and cute idle animations, too bad the levels themselves all use the same tileset instead of the colors seen on the map. audio is more of a mixed bag, most effects are okay, didn't like the music, which doesn't play while you're on a level anyway, but [b]ambient sounds are great, feels like you're in a forest[/b] (even when you're in a desert, according to the map).
I'm incompetent at sokoban and didn't manage to solve every level, let alone perfect them, but much to my surprise still got pretty close, only a handful left, so it shouldn't be too big an issue for most people, including the younger generation. and if you're done and possibly met the par on every level, you can try some [b]user-made levels[/b], if only to see the hedgehog in action, or make your own puzzles with the built-in [b]level editor[/b].
besides the small issues mentioned above, there's [b]not much to criticize, it's an excellent game[/b]. plenty of content and quality of life, good price, and a competent and dedicated developer worth supporting.
