The Caty Lady is a very melancholic game. That needs to be said immediately. The game opens on the protagonist, Susan Ashworth, committing suicide in her home. This begins a very bizarre journey where we see exactly what kind of disgusting beasts humans can be and why, exactly, Susan was so ready to end her own life. Along the way there are plenty of puzzles to be solved and decisions to be made!
This game has a very interesting art style. It follows a game made a few years prior(I believe), called Downfall. These games are not really related so do not feel compelled to play that one first. This game is very gritty with its jagged sprites and harshly contrasting colors. Much of the game's world is entirely monochrome with only bits of color popping out here and there. While this is very apparent and jarring at first, it quickly becomes familiar as we are better acquainted with this grim universe.
The gameplay is extremely simple. This entire game can be played with the 4 directional keys, or WASD if preferred. It feels a bit clunky at times when you have to repeatedly cycle through the menus but it's not really a deal breaker. The simplicity is welcoming in a world filled with non-stop action games. This is one where you are supposed to stop and think about things rather than trying to brute-force your way through them.
The puzzles in the game range from very straightforward to somewhat obtuse or obscure. One might immediately get one and have to spend a few minutes on another. I can safely say, however, that if you have trouble, stop and look around the area. You might find new items or hidden solutions; keen observation can go a long way.
There's not much to say about story and characters. Susan is not your typical hero archetype. She's a very flawed individual. A lot of the story allows the player to choose how the story unfolds through dialogue choices. A touch that I found most interesting. There are a lot of things you can simply choose to do or not do as you go through the game. It is surprisingly open-ended.
If I had any complaints I would say that some audio was a bit messed up and the subtitles did not always match the spoken dialogue. These are minor bits. The voice acting was perfectly adequate. There was one major bit involving the fog which caused the entire game to come to a total crawl. I almost thought it had frozen. If you encounter that problem, this thread here might hold a solution: Possible Fix. Fortunately, this was a very tiny portion of the overall game.
Conclusion
This game was not exactly what I expected. At times it is utterly gruesome and at others, very touching. There is a lot of dark symbolism present all throughout this game which represents the depression of the protagonist and her perception of the world. It is not a nice world. It is dirty, and filled with pain. The puzzles are creative and often employ some of these dark elements, too.
I will admit I did not grind through this game. I only played it when I was in the mood; if that makes any sense. It is not even a very long game. A couple of extended sessions could get most people through it. It's a unique gaming experience. One that I would likely not see replicated anywhere else. I enjoyed every bit of it, too.
Recommendation
Yes, I would recommend this. Like I mentioned, however, it is not a happy game. There's a lot of grotesque imagery and themes all over the place. If you like solving puzzles and seeing where a story with this strange of a premise might go, then look into it. If this sounds like it's too much for you, then maybe skip it.
This can be bought on Steam as well as GOG if you are interested.
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