Little Kitty, Big City Review: All Nine Hearts Full
What if you’re a cat? What if you’re a silly cat? What if you’re a silly cat that just wants to eat fish, help some new friends, and take naps? Then Little Kitty, Big City is your next gaming adventure.
Little Kitty, Big City opens up where the titular black little kitty opts to snooze on their favorite ledge along a very tall building. With an adorably cute big stretch from the cat protagonist, they eventually crash and fumble whimsically to the ground. Befuddled by all the shenanigans, the little kitty must now figure out a way to climb back up to their home and favorite napping spot. The first three minutes of the game hooked me with the simple premise and adorable characterization of the cat.
I Like Your Cattitude
The game continues to show off its appeal through its fantastic writing and depiction of all the side characters. As you’re exploring the city, you find yourself talking to fellow cats, corralling some adorable ducklings, or attempting to befriend some dogs. Though some characters are required to progress the story, most are optional and are well worth the momentary investment. In each scenario, I quickly captured screenshots of silly comments from the animals, chuckling at the irony of some moments, and even some belly laughs from the comedic timing and physical gags. I really enjoyed how varied most of the characters’ personalities shined through the game. That sort of attention to detail really melted the time away as I got wrapped into the complete tomfoolery of this little kitty.
Speaking of complete tomfoolery, who doesn’t want to be a cat causing some cat-tastrophically meow-dane mischief. Within many of these either environmental or objective-driven challenges, players are thrust into moments that could cause frustrations to the humans in the city. Whether it’s the little kitty swatting some potted plants to the ground, or snatching a bird in midair, or even munching on some yummy fish that isn’t quite yours, I constantly found new situations over and over again within my four hour experience.
But, let’s just say you don’t quite hit the objective that you’re aiming for. No worries. Chances are the human that is causing you grief will carry you away (in that I'm-defeated-but-I'm-going-to-immediately-do-it-again cat face) and you just try again. The silliness is only further amplified with the ability to have your little kitty dress up in fun headgear pieces and hats. I was particularly fond of the sheriff hat and strawberry hat, which lasted most of my playthrough. These cosmetic items can be found within the world, can be earned through objectives, or traded for various currency you find within the city.
Lookin’ Good, Feline Better
Another highlight within Little Kitty, Big City would be the ambiance and aesthetic of the world. With an interesting cell-shaded Tokyo-inspired location and wonderful facial-animation of the animal characters, I found myself enamored with all the finer details I was able to uncover. This, paired with the pitch-perfect jazz-inspired score purrfectly intertwined all artistic elements into something that was greater than the sum of its parts. Even the sound design of the little kitty munching on some fish or howling at the slightest dab of water on the fur were sensationally designed.
The one caveat to the gameplay however was the climbing and platforming. In both instances, this is required to progress through several areas of the city, and especially the final bouts of the game. Though precision platforming is not the goal of this game, there were several moments where the jumping ability or climbing ability were not as accurate as I’d hoped for. Eventually, I was able to compensate for some of the less clear moments very quickly, but it did leave some unexpected scratch marks within the gameplay.
I Knead You
Ultimately, my favorite aspect of Little Kitty, Big City is the utter immersion you have as this small feline character doing their best to get back home. Exploring every nook and cranny of this city felt completely natural and there were enough objectives, hints, and items to collect that I never found myself bored or overly frustrated by something I could not figure out immediately. Before I knew it, I had finished nearly every objective and thought “oh yea, I totally need to get back home.”
Breakdown
Game: Little Kitty, Big City
Developer & Publisher: Double Dagger Studio
Availability: PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch
Reviewed on PC (SteamDeck)
Pros:
+ Vibes of a jazzy, immersive, and awesome Tokyo to explore
+ Cat calamity at an all time high
+ Sensational writing from charismatic characters
+ Variety of objectives, goals, and puzzles
Cons:
- Precision navigating not as consistent
Final Thoughts
Little Kitty, Big City is a wonderful kitty-sized adventure. The four hour experience gave me plenty of comical written moments, satisfying puzzles to complete, and a protagonist that was so endearing that they left my heart completely full. The end of the game also ends on such a beautiful and wholesome note that I just sat in my chair, gleamed at my real life black cat, and gave him a big ‘ol hug. Double Dagger Studio has made an absolute banger of a game and you should certainly pounce right in.
You’re in for a treat.
Reviewed by Harry Loizides