Cat Cafe Manager | PC Preview
If a game features a cat, even just a single one, I’m going to bite. A self-proclaimed crazy cat lady, I was intrigued by Roost Games’ upcoming title Cat Cafe Manager. It’s been a goal of mine to go to a cat cafe, and this game allowed me to vicariously live my feline-fueled dreams through it. It’s evident that it was made with a lot of love, and it’s truly shaping up to be a special gem. Mixing a management sim with an engaging story, I absolutely can’t wait to play the full game to see how these end up meshing together further along.
The Cat’s Meow
You start the gaming learning that you’ve inherited your Gran’s land in Caterwaul Village. After customizing your character, you meet a fisherman named Bonner. He informs you that the village is full of stray cats, and suddenly three appear in front of you. He encourages you to adopt one, and it reminded me of being a kid picking my first starter Pokemon. After selecting the cat that looked the most like mine, I was left to my own devices. I started building my cat cafe, titled Coffee Meow! (this can be changed), and soon found myself to be the proud owner of a small but delightful cafe.
After opening your cafe, you’re thrown into the management sim aspect of this game. I had to cater to fishermen, a witch, and punks. The game designer informed me that you will encounter several different groups of people throughout your journey. These include a proprietor, and each will prefer certain cats over others. This is such a unique touch, and even in my short playthrough I could see when someone would become unhappy with my diva of a cat. You also start out with only being able to serve your customers water, and they are definitely not satisfied if you don’t have tea or coffee on hand.
A Cat’s Life
I absolutely adore how many cat puns are in Cat Cafe Manager. In my thirty minute demo, I busted out laughing numerous times. Couple that with being able to adopt stray cats, and I was in heaven. There will be a plethora of felines to woo and give a home to throughout your playthrough, and each has their own attitude that will appeal to certain groups of individuals. You can also rename these cute kitties if you so wish. As you progress further, you’ll be able to afford different recipes, pieces of furniture, and decor. You’ll also be able to hire and train more staff and make your cat cafe the best it can possibly be.
Catnip
I immediately fell head over heels for Cat Cafe Manager and will definitely be getting my paws on it as soon as it releases. The sheer happiness and relaxation I felt while playing was incredible, and every little inch of this game is visibly created with love and affection. The charming visuals, fascinating story, soothing score, and compelling management mechanics kept me hooked and left me wanting to play more after my demo ended. This is aiming for an early 2022 release date, and I can’t wait.
The review is based on a PC demo of Cat Cafe Manager provided by Freedom Games for coverage purposes. It’s also based on an online interview with the game designer. It will also be available on Switch sometime next year.
