Disclosure – I was given a review copy by Fire Hose Games.
Catlateral Damage is a game in which you wreak havoc as a cat. You climb on shelves and topple objects off onto the floor below. There is an objective mode in which you are required to knock down a set amount of objects in a certain amount of time as well as “Litterbox Mode” where you can just mess around and knock objects down.
Graphics
The graphics are done in the cel-shaded style. The visuals look very nice and are a great addition and mix well with the destruction your cat creates throughout the game.
Audio
The audio is pretty basic but works well in the game. You have cat noises of course as well as the sound of items breaking and crashing to the ground. The music is also very catchy and can be quite relaxing as well.
Gameplay
The gameplay is very simple yet very fun. You can use either a keyboard and mouse or a controller. I played using an wired Xbox 360 controller. The game controls equally well with either setup. The controls are very simple. You your W, A ,S, D keys or joystick to move your cat around the level. You can then either use the right or left mouse buttons or triggers on your controller to swat at objects. The cat can also push objects by walking into them.
There are several cat toys in the levels such as scratching posts, tunnel tubes and more. Playing with these objects will generate an upgrade box. If you swat at the box and break it you earn an upgrade. You can upgrade your swat, speed, and jump abilities.
Events will also randomly trigger throughout the game. These include power outages, moon gravity, and laser pointers to name just a few. These add an interesting level of randomness to the game and can also help you achieve your goals in some cases. For example with moon gravity you can reach areas that you wouldn’t be normally able to jump to.
The game also features various achievements and unlockables. You can unlock new cats, cat photos, and additional levels throughout your time in the game.
Overall
Catlateral Damage is a lot of fun and can be played for a short or long amount of time. The gameplay is quite addictive and objective mode can be a challenge. If you like cats and want a cat destruction simulator this is the game for you. I recommend this game for those who like jump in and play sessions. If you are short on time a quick game in objective mode is right up your alley. There is something somewhat relaxing about knocking items off shelves while catchy music plays in the background.
Check out Catlateral Damage on Steam.
Here is a gameplay video I recorded: