Space Cats Tactics

[h1]Sum-Up[/h1] [h3]In-depth analysis further down.[/h3] If you’re looking for some screenshots [url=https://steamcommunity.com/id/tho545454/screenshots/?appid=1293300&sort=newestfirst&browsefilter=myfiles&view=grid]click here[/url] to view all the ones I took for this game. [table] [tr] [th]🟩 [b]Pros[/b][/th] [th]🟥 [b]Cons[/b][/th] [/tr] [tr] [td] • Optional exploration is rewarding in terms of XP, cash and hidden items to sell or use. • Most dialogues are fully voice-acted, passably enough, which is remarkable for an Indie. • Decent variety of upgrades and wares to trade or salvage around the world. [/td] [td] • Disastrous performance issues (< 20 FPS) despite its modest graphics, due to the rotten abomination that is Unity Engine. • Far too easy, without difficulty options for more experienced players. • Generic story, pummeled into narrative oblivion by an obscene amount of cringe-worthy puns, memes and ‘parody’ references. • Poor variety of unique enemy archetypes; most foes will act and feel the same to fight against - few exceptions apply. • Several upgrades are gimmicky or worse than their standard counterparts; balance and progression are a joke half the time. [/td] [/tr] [/table] [table] [tr] [th]🟨 [b]Bugs & Issues[/b][/th] [th]🔧 [b]Specs[/b][/th] [/tr] [tr] [td] • Complete lack of graphical settings except fullscreen and resolution. Unacceptable in a PC release. • Autosave-only without backups, which can lead to soft-locks if quests (or anything else…) glitch out. • Volume levels can sometimes reset when re-opening the game. • Voice acting audio may randomly stop working. • Game-breaking quest bugs can occur if players take more ‘creative’ approaches. [/td] [td] • i5 11400H • 16GB RAM DDR4 • 512 GB SSD • RTX 3060 6GB • 1080p [/td] [/tr] [/table] [table] [tr] [td][b]Content & Replay Value:[/b][/td] [td]It took me around 6 hours to complete Space Cats Tactics (SCT), taking extra time to explore all locations when possible. Two separate ending cutscenes are possible, but otherwise, all other content is linear; there isn’t any real reason to replay once finished.[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td][b]Is it worth buying?[/b][/td] [td]No. The price of around 15€ is already a bit steep for the 4-6 hours of content proposed, without replay value. Lack of actual tactical depth, weak story and technical problems further distance SCT from the games worth your time.[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td][h3]Verdict: Mediocre[/h3] [url=https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2548409603]Rating Chart Here[/url][/td] [td]Clichèd, unremarkable, shallow, with an ‘half-assed’ general aftertaste. Not even feline cuteness, as powerful as it may be, manages to drag this game out of mediocrity central.[/td] [/tr] [/table] [quote]Follow our Curator page, [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/41449676/]Summit Reviews[/url], to see more high-quality reviews regularly.[/quote] [h1]In-Depth[/h1] [h3]Writing & Worldbuilding[/h3] In a (for now) fictional future, mankind thought it would be a great idea to create feline, bipedal hybrids to act as our servants / corporate cannon fodder. As it always goes, a rebellion ensued, ending up with a peace treaty and the -on paper- independence of the feline race. You’ll play as Commander Mitzi, your stereotypical overly-eager, arrogant, excessively-confident captain - a furry version of Futurama’s Zapp Brannigan minus all the sexual harassment. Neither himself nor his ragtag crew you’ll progressively assemble by chance or necessity, will ever have any depth to their character, nor will any of the side-characters met in your space journeys. The game doesn’t focus at all on their backstories, relations to each other or personal development; they’re little more than tools with a crude history to them. The plot isn’t much better, consisting in your standard sci-fi fare involving poorly-understood experimental technology and megacorps wanting to abuse it. 404 pathos not found. The setting consists of a heavily-colonized Milky Way, with all the accessories expected from that - pirates, space creatures, mercenaries, the works. Despite the presence of various factions, most locations feel generic and uninspired, save a few that stand out either artistically or story-wise. The feeling of exploration you’d expect from a space-based title is completely absent due to the linear nature of its level progression. [h3]Exploration & Secrets[/h3] Each scenario is a self-contained level with borders, and a finite amount of loot, enemies, resources. You’ll be able to travel to the next stage once objectives are completed and you acquired enough Purranium (ugh…), your ship’s fuel to engage FTL travel, usually scattered around in asteroid form. Fog-of-war prevents you from seeing the whole map, and gives some sense of mystery much-needed to keep the exploring part interesting. Despite that, you’ll soon realize that all you’ll ever find in “side-areas” will be more copy-pasted enemies and of course, resources to sell or use on your ship. It’s not ‘bad’, but also won’t surprise you in any real way, as there aren’t truly unique, secret encounters you have to stray off the beaten path to witness. It’s a linear process that becomes repetitive fast, but keeps you interested nonetheless because ‘you never know what’s next’. On a side-note, making out-of-combat exploration turn-based is an unnecessary annoyance; real-time would’ve been a better choice. [h3]Combat System & Bosses[/h3] Fights play out in a turn-based fashion, with your ship always having 10AP to spend on both movement and actions. All your crew members have proficiencies with specific systems, so assigning them to the ‘correct’ rooms inside the vessel, will have the chance to give you a free action that won’t consume AP in that turn. A handy preset tool allows instant swapping between five custom layouts, without manually fidgeting with the crew positions. Think of a system similar to Faster Than Light, but much more simplistic and ‘casualized’; in fact, there won’t be localized module damages or even the possibility to attack specific parts on any ship - enemies can, rarely, board your vessel but you can’t do the same with them. Each fight is, mostly, a trade of blows where the highest DPS wins; the go-to tactic is kiting enemies around and using your mostly superior range and mobility, other than special weapons, to wear them down consistently. Should you die in the fairly-easy fights, you have a staggering nine extra lives that allow you to instantly respawn with partial health and shields - you really need to screw up big time to get a game over. Boss fights, save a few that actually have some unique mechanics to them, follow the same logic as well. Bigger ships, with bigger pew-pews, but in essence the same drag. The final boss itself was nothing more than a mediocre ship I easily blown away with late-game tech and upgrades, a rushed mess. You’ll end up -not-using half of the upgrades and alternate modes because… they suck. For instance, the “upgraded” laser beam is actually worse than the base one, same goes for the missiles - I already paid for them before testing anyway! [h3]Quests & Dialogues[/h3] There won’t be any side-quests, only main ones are present and work in a linear way. You’ll mostly have either to get enough fuel to travel to the next area, or do something for the local space station commanders to strike a deal, have safe passage, have information and so forth. The archetypes of missions are regular fetch quests or assassination tasks without any particular uniqueness to note. Dialogues normally don’t have choices, exception made for the “text-rpg” segments rarely found during missions; interesting little bits where you have multiple choices on the course of action taken by your crew members during unique events - sadly, there are very few of them, as they’re one of the better parts of the game.

Guys I can't. I tried so hard. I like cats, I like FTL, and this is crap. It's poor controls, jokes aimed at 4 year-olds, and tropes. If you like tactics games, own cats, and you want to see your cats fight stuff in space, then you're the target audience. HOWEVER, you might find yourself disappointed.

Steam really needs neutral rating. Game is roughly only about 6 hours long. Lots of minor/annoying bugs. Sometimes you have to click on a different weapon and then back to get the weapons to work. Some upgrades don't actually do anything. With that said, while it is on sale for $6 it would be up to you to decide if a 6 hour game with above issues is ok for the price.

Pros: space, cats. Or specifiacally casual space. Not bad. Especially for one man dev team. Sad that steam has limited Yes/No ratings. This game is something: try if you like... Maybe its too simplified: research tree, story, global map, combat. Maybe not. try if you like.

Playtime: ~7 Hours (Completed Campaign) After sinking around 7 hours into Space Cats - Tactics and seeing the credits roll, my primary feeling is one of disappointment stemming from unmet potential. I kept playing, holding onto the hope that the game would eventually introduce more complexity or deeper mechanics, right up until the final boss simply vanished and the game ended. The Good (Sort Of): Charming Theme: The "cats in space" concept is inherently fun, and the game leans into this aesthetically. If you're a huge cat lover, the visual theme might offer some initial appeal. Potential Entry Point (Maybe?): For someone who has literally never played a tactics game before, the extreme simplicity might serve as a very gentle, non-threatening introduction to the absolute basics of the genre. The Disappointing: Overly Simplistic Gameplay: The core issue is the profound lack of depth. The game operates at a level I'd expect from a title aimed at very young children. The tactical layer is paper-thin. Minimal Challenge: While there are "tactics" involved, figuring them out is trivial. There's no real strategic puzzle to unravel, which removes much of the satisfaction typically found in tactical games. I won't spoil the specifics, but discovering effective strategies is far from a rewarding experience. Missed Opportunities Galore: The premise screams potential! Imagine boarding enemy vessels, developing your unique "catonauts" with RPG-like skills or traits, or facing enemy AI that employs clever counter-strategies. Unfortunately, none of this exists. The enemy AI is basic, and features that could have added significant depth are completely absent. False Hope of Progression: The game's initial look and feel might suggest a simple starting point that will evolve. You push through the first half expecting things to ramp up, then the next quarter, until the realization dawns that the simplistic loop you started with is all the game has to offer. This leads to a rather anticlimactic finish. Conclusion: Space Cats - Tactics feels like a concept stretched thin over a very basic framework. While it offers a few fleeting moments of charm thanks to its theme, the gameplay is far too shallow and repetitive to hold interest for long, especially for anyone with prior experience in tactical games. It constantly hints at a more engaging experience that never materializes. I finished the game primarily because I'd already invested the time, but promptly uninstalled it afterward. Unless you are an absolute beginner to the genre and prioritize cute cat themes above all else, I cannot recommend Space Cats - Tactics. Experienced tactics players will likely find it tedious and unrewarding.

The visuals are stunning, and the music perfectly enhances the epic feel. The characters are charming and distinct, making the game even more engaging. If you love tactical RPGs and thrilling space adventures, this game is a must-play!

Recommended on sale for fans of space and tactics games who don't mind some rough edges. You should also check out Cobalt Core, Homeworld, Star Control Origins, Star Traders, Into the Breach, FTL, Breachway, Everspace, or Space Rogue which all have a bit more longevity. +Visuals, UI +Cats in space +Voiced dialogue for main characters +Turn-based battles +FTL-style rooms, crew +Music +Some events, choices +Characters +Space atmosphere +Ship/room modes, upgrades +Impressive solo dev -No rebinding -Barebones options -Autosave only, no manual saves -Only 9 retries for the whole game -Unclear direction at times -No mini/map -Some balance issues -No difficulty options -Very limited healing/repair -Damage persists between levels -Fairly short, only a few hours

hmm.... also erst mal das positive: game macht spaß und sieht recht gut aus. stresst auch nicht den man kann seine züge in ruhe planen (klassische hex taktik) und sobald mann die waffendynamik durchschaut hat ist es recht easy. und jetzt der grund warum ich es nur bedingt empfehlen kann. nach 5h war es vorbei und nach 9h hatte ich alle errungenschaften. und das für 15€ ist ein no go für micht. muss aber jeder für sich entscheiden wieviel er breiet ist für einen abend spielspaß auszugeben. wären es mehr missionen würd ich sagen es ist jeden cent wert aber so höstens im sale kaufen aber großes lob an den entwickler solo so ein spiel zu machen da können sich die großen studios noch paar scheiben abschneiden. keine störenden bugs nur paar fps einbrüche (ab 2h spielzeit) die verkraftbar waren und nach nem neustart des games für die nächsten stunden weg waren da bin ich von EA & co schlimmeres gewohnt :) kleiner tipp wenn ihr abspeichern wollt erst in den nächsten sektor springen sonst müsst ihr die letzte mission nochmal machen

Its quite a fun little game which combines cats, FTL and hexfield strategy, feels a bit like that boardgame Battlestations! Only downside: its a bit short with 5 hrs of play. Maybe there will be more missions in the future.

TL:DR Good Graphics, Cute turn based strategy game with adorable felines for all you murderous cat enthusiasts out there A fun blend of turnbased comat, space, and lighthearted story featuring CATS. The gameplay mechanics are simple enough to feel like you already know how to play but offer just enough variety that you can enjoy. This game is very well animated and story is written well enough to provide engagement. I will say, the storyline is one the shorter side. Anyone main quest given is going to plow through in 5ish hours max. Somewhat limited replay ability probably limited to 2/3 runs. Overall Cats is fun enough to warrent its 15 dollars but you could always do better waiting for the sale to get your moneys worth