After spending lots of time with the sordid tale of Catherine and putting down my controller to reflect on the experience, I felt refreshed. For all of the old, tired ideas that plague our industry, it was really nice to play something authentically different. And I mean really different, because Catherine is in no way, shape or form like anything you've ever played. But what's even more exciting about Catherine is that it's one hell of a game, too, and is wildly successful in most of what it attempts to do.
Catherine, from the minds at Atlus' Persona Team, tells the story of a man in his early 30s named Vincent Brooks. Vincent spends his days toiling in the tech industry and his evenings getting blasted with his friends at a local bar. He also has a girlfriend of several years, a nagging-but-caring woman named Katherine. Yes, that's Katherine with a "K." Katherine has been pushing Vincent as of late to take their relationship to the next level, prodding him to solidify their bond. But Vincent's unsure of what he wants to do.
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His decision is initially made easier when another girl unexpectedly enters his life. This girl's name is Catherine -- that's Catherine with a "C" -- and after a drunken night of debauchery, Vincent wakes up in his bed to find this buxom blond bombshell naked next to him. Immediately filled with regret, Vincent's quest is to get out of the sticky situation he's found himself in, even if he's doubtful about his future with Katherine and mildly curious about what a girl like Catherine would possibly want with him. And worse yet, the situation has plagued him with chronic sheep-filled nightmares that threaten to kill him in real life (these nightmares make up the core puzzle gameplay of Catherine, but more on that shortly).
Does this plot sound unusual for a video game? It no doubt is, and it's Catherine's strongest point. Sure, the game looks really nice and has an awesome accompanying soundtrack, but it's the fact that the game deals with two issues in particular that gaming pretty much never broaches -- a fear of commitment and cheating on your loved one -- that lends to its uniqueness. But when you get into the nitty-gritty of how the game plays and how you explore the story, you'll realize that there's a lot more to this game than just plot. There's difficult puzzle gameplay, plenty of conversation to partake in, choices to make, and even a morality system to keep an eye on that gives the game inherent replay value.
9.5 Presentation Catherine’s story is one of the most unique ever told in gaming, and while it’s a little hokey, it’s still a hell of a lot of fun.
8.0 Graphics The anime-style cutscenes and in-game content both look great. There are certainly prettier games out there, but you shouldn’t play Catherine because of how it looks.
9.0 Sound I really adored the soundtrack, and while the voice-acting is at times overdone, it’s still extremely fitting.
8.5 Gameplay Once you get the hang of the puzzle gameplay, it will become second nature to you. Those who aren’t gluttons for punishment may be turned off, though.
9.0 Lasting Appeal Really skilled players could get through the game in under 15 hours, but it'll take more than that for most others.
Catherine Review
