[Preview] Copycat

• DEVELOPER: Spoonful Of Wonder
• PUBLISHER: Neverland Entertainment, Nuuvem Inc, Spoonful Of Wonder
• PLATFORMS: PC
• GENRE: Narrative Adventure
• RELEASE DATE: 2024.

A small indie studio based in Australia, consisting of just three developers: Samantha, Kostia, and Kiwi, has recently unveiled a demo for their upcoming narrative game, Copycat. While it might seem like just another cat-themed game at first glance, Copycat delivers more than anticipated. Throughout the hour spent exploring this demo, we were captivated by the game's visuals, aesthetics, and storyline, even though the actual gameplay elements left much to be desired. Nevertheless, Copycat holds promise to improve, with the complete version expected to be released later this year.

Speaking of the story, in its first chapter, Copycat explores the special bond between people and their pets, that is, the game takes us through the complex emotions of people. We follow Dawn, a shelter cat who would rather be in the wild (that's where the different images of Africa come from) than rehomed. But when she meets Olive, a lonely old woman suffering from the disappearance of her pet, Dawn changes her mind. Through their togetherness, Dawn and Olive become close friends, helping each other to heal and find a new beginning. However, when Olive falls ill, an unknown cat takes Dawn's place, forcing her to leave home. Therefore, as players, we will try to help Dawn as she wanders around the city to find her way home. It is the first chapter that tells us why the other cat "came back".

The game made me wonder how fragile we humans are, because it perfectly portrays an old woman who is close to death, and you will be even more shocked by the fact that she is lonely, because her family is no longer there for her, and she has to take care of herself. This is where the issue of the nursing home comes into play. Moreover, Copycat best conveys emotions with the help of voice acting, and not so much with the appearance and movements of the characters. I don't want to lie, but I really don't like how Olive looks graphically. I simply lack some ardor, some detail that will bring me closer to her. Of course, this is a matter of personal impression.

What particularly impressed me was the possibility of choosing the appearance of our cat, although it is not possible to customize it in detail, but we choose from the offered models. This selection holds a special significance because it not only affects the appearance of our cat, which remains unchanged throughout the act, but also provides insight into the unique nature and behavior of each cat. Upon arrival at Olive's house, the story at the beginning remains unchanged; Dawn refuses to open up to the old woman, despite Olive's good intentions to make her feel welcome. Many choices, especially at the beginning, are limited by Dawn's character, so don't expect a lot of different choices, but similar ones, with slightly different consequences.

However, I enjoyed the gameplay from the first-person perspective more than playing from the third-person perspective, mainly because in first-person we can immerse ourselves in the whole story better. But it is precisely the third-person perspective that allows us to experience a cat's life; we will explore the house, steal food from Olive, break household items, hide from her, etc. In addition, we will climb various trees and explore the old lady's garden. The gameplay has its difficulties, around the movement of the camera, the strange way the cat moves to its interesting jumping, that is, sometimes the game will not even register that you want to jump to a higher place or it will make the cat jump straight into a wall.

Dawn's true goal is clear: escape, leave her current life, and return to the free life of a stray cat. Every day, Dawn carefully plans and elaborates her escape. She adamantly does not want to stay with this old woman, which is why she is initially hostile. Dawn craves independent advancement, like a wild cat in Africa, as opposed to humans who need companionship. However, this dynamic of the relationship changes gradually rather than instantaneously, where a certain consciousness is implanted in Dawn, turning mistrust into trust. Dawn begins to notice and understand her owner's needs, sympathizing with Olive.

The central theme of the game revolves around exploring the duality between dreams and reality. Dawn is frequently envisioned as a predator, allowing players to immerse themselves in her feline desires and fantasies. This not only adds depth to the narrative but also establishes a connection between wild and domesticated cats. Spoonful of Wonder has excelled in both the artistic and technical aspects of the game, showcasing numerous strengths. However, despite the impressive narrative, the gameplay falls short of standing out.

Of course, we won't rush because this is the first chapter that introduces us to the basic mechanics of the game. I look forward to the idea of what this game can offer us in the future. It is clear that the developers are faced with limited resources, but this does not prevent them from creating an impressive narrative adventure in which the soundtrack, aesthetics, graphics and atmosphere fit perfectly with each other. As I mentioned earlier, the performances of the voice actors hold the reins of the game, and the change between the ordinary cat and its wild predatory instinct is especially intriguing.

Copycat will be available sometime this year for PC, Mac, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch.