The Indie Informer

This game, I was told, could be finished in two hours. But I’ve spent more than double that at this point roaming, pouncing, and slinking through the joyous world of Little Kitty, Big City reveling in its unique blend of jubilant mischief. It won’t stretch your intellect or sharpen its claws on your platforming prowess, but it does capture the feeling of curling up happily for a nap after a hard day — especially if your day consists of causing cute chaos.

I played the opening of the game in a previous preview, but here’s a quick refresher. Little Kitty, Big City follows the story of a pet who, suning dangerously close to the edge of its human’s high-rise apartment, slips and falls into the bustling city below. Don’t worry, it’s okay! But now lost and unable to reach its home, the cat goes off to explore and wreak a little havoc.

Unlike Untitled Goose Game, which I maintain is the closest comparison though A Short Hike and Stray certainly show through as well, Little Kitty sets out the final goal early on. I have to locate special fish around the town to build my stamina up to the point where I can scale the intimidatingly tall structure I just fell from. It’s a good, clear motivator, but hardly the only objective.

I spent a majority of my time avoiding the golden path to accomplish other goals. Sometimes, this was because they were just too delightful to ignore — like finding all the spots a lost little kitten mind find comfortable to sleep in. Other times, I was swayed to go trophy hunting as the game revealed a reward for encouraging random people on the street to pet me. If they couldn’t be persuaded, I could simply trip them for another accolade.

Chasing rewards kept my paw to the pavement far longer than I care to admit. My favorite of these are the cutest hats you can imagine, which I earned by completing side quests, following my nose down well-hidden side streets, or paying of a crow with shiny objects.

The animal characters inhabiting this world are filled with ridiculously endearing personalities. Along my journey, I meet an influencer bug, “magic” chameleon, big-talking bird, and even a tankuni messing with space-time. This last I have to thank for a useful fast-travel system, though also — in an unneeded but very amusing world explanation — for the giant obstructing puddles found all around the city.

Of course, as a cat, I couldn’t possibly touch water. It’s so apparent that the creators have a deep love for the little fuzz balls. The mannerisms — like the too-accurate emotes showing the main character stretching or plopping down for a nap I collected by aiding NPCs — and even hidden jokes — like my cat freaking out whenever it encounters a cucumber — are perfect.

Even the way the main character chomps down on stamina-granting fish is remarkably reminiscent of a cat eating a food it knows it shouldn’t and is hurriedly trying to stuff as much of it in its mouth before being caught. That makes sense, considering I am largely stealing these fish from the humans around me in devious, but not overly complicated, ways. When I do manage to finish off these delectable dinners, my small creature gains one more bar of stamina. This allows me to climb ever-higher, and consequently the game gets more vertical as I play. It gives me a tangible sense of progression and opens up even more hidden spaces, fun characters, and smile-inducing surprises.

One last surprise at the end, after scaling the final obstacle — which satisfyingly finds a way to incorporate my previous adventures — was unexpectedly touching. The way it brushed my heart opened my eyes to how close I had become with the protagonist, though the game largely lacks deep storytelling. It’s also not quite as smooth a platformer as it could be — injecting that last climb with enough irritation to affect its overall triumphant tones.

Little Kitty, Big City, for all its adorable looks and antics, is not just fluff. Its various and interlocking reward systems, playful and genuine characters’ problems, and endlessly explorable concrete jungle gym make it a worthwhile game.