My Love/Hate Relationship With Catherine

15
Dan Webb

Never have I loved and loathed a game as much as I do Catherine. In a way, the game’s protagonist and his love interests are a metaphor for the game itself. On the one hand, Vincent’s girlfriend, Katherine – with a K – is boring, serious, dull and a little intense, while on the other hand, Catherine – with a C – is vibrant, fun, engaging, playful and a little crazy. Obviously that wasn’t Altus’ intention from the get go – or at least I hope it wasn’t – but if I had to sum it all up in a nutshell, that’d be how I’d do it.

Rather than write a review for a game that us Europeans have only just gotten our hands on last week, but the rest of the world has had for what seems like an eternity (since July last year, in reality), I thought I’d write more of an opinion piece on it instead... You know, because I’m full of opinions.

Understanding Catherine in terms of a game is probably more complex than it should be, especially with our fascination to pigeonhole everything into specific genres these days. At its core, it’s a clumsy puzzle game that unintentionally frustrates with its difficulty levels and finicky controls, but dig a little deeper and you’ve got one of the more deep and powerful tales we’ve seen spun in video games in quite some time.

It’s easy to write-off Catherine if you’ve only spent a few hours with it, as the game’s sharp difficulty curve in its puzzle arenas is rather brutal. Heck, after stage two I was already threatening to embed the controller in the dry wall and go to town on the nearest cushion with the sharpest blade I could lay my hands-on. It’s not just about the difficulty of the puzzles though; the controls can often be as finicky and awkward, especially in the “boss” sequences that constantly sees the camera pan out to inconvenient camera angles while showering random dangers down upon the player. In fact, it’s the first game in what must be ten years in which I’ve had to drop the difficulty down to easy just to get through it. Ah, good ol’ Japan. Sure, as you play it more and learn new techniques and so on, it becomes easier, but as you near the conclusion, you’re tasked with unforgiving puzzle sections that punish every misstep. I like a challenge, but I value my sanity more. Sure, there is a game to master here, but you’re effectively on your own for long periods of time trying to hone your skills.

That said, should you get to grips with the game’s puzzle aspects, Catherine is one of the most rewarding games that you’re likely to play in recent years. It’s a clever little title as well, littered with imagery, metaphors and humorous one-liners all relating to the wonderful journey that is life. The game’s puzzle stages – which take the form of Vincent’s nightmares – are delivered in typical Japanese style with some crazy over-the-top story justification, and littered with shrewd metaphors that could very well pass most players by. Whether you’re talking about the constant sheep references – the nightmare sequences are littered with them – being a metaphor for the rat race, conformity and being a blind follower of the “herd;” or even the block climbing puzzles being a metaphor for our constant growth as people; it’s all one wonderfully written affair.

It’s as deep as games get in the 21st century too; tackling real-life problems, dilemmas and for once it’s not about saving the world. It’s about one man, his problems and his inability to settle down. It’s a game that tackles real-life issues, allowing you to put yourself in the shoes of the lead character, if only for a minute, and gives you a stark – and frankly honest – look at relationships, commitment, fidelity and the weakness and vulnerability of men. It’s one of few games in recent years that has me compelled to play through it multiple times just to see the numerous different outcomes – of which there are eight. In the space of the weekend, I’ve seen all 8 of those already, and hardly any of them disappoint.

The problem with Catherine though is that the barrier to entry is so exceedingly high that unless you feel compelled by the plot early on – which is unlikely as it takes a while to set the scene – you’re likely to put the pad down and never play it again. That right there, is a shame, because beneath its brutal and clumsy core beats the heart of a game that tackles more of life’s issues than all of this generation’s games put together. With a fresh art style, plenty of creativity and trademark Japan zaniness, Catherine is a Japanese game that could easily resonate with a Western gamer. How far you get down the rabbit hole though depends on your tolerance for pain and frustration. Again, it's another metaphor for life, albeit another rather unintentional one.

Have you played it yet? How did you get on with it? Or did the frustrating puzzles and finicky controls get too much before you put down the pad indefinitely. Sound off in the comments.

Comments
15
  • I hear tumblr is great.
  • Picked this up on release day and played it for an hour or so and I have to say, I like it. The anime is really nice to watch and is a nice change to all of the current games that I usually play and the gameplay itself reminds me of a modern, polished version of Pandemonium from PS1. This is going to be one of those games that you will actually have to plan your way through the level, think about what your doing and take note of what you have done. If anyone is looking for an easy platinum or a walk in the park game, this isn't it.
  • @2 So true my friend. This is not an easy game to plat and this is from an expert.
  • @2 and 3 this game is worth it though I thought it was actually really fun and I beat it in july its not too long but long enough that u don't feel ripped off
  • @4 true, you definitely need to play this. Is worth the money.
  • got the plat. epic game
  • Working at this plat currently, at the home stretch. Unfortunately being at the homestretch doesn't mean much, still in for a few hours of frustration. This game is fantastic I recommend it to anyone that enjoys puzzle games or in general a great,gripping plot. However If you are going for the plat, this game is NOT for the faint of heart.
  • @3, expert of what?
  • SPOILER ALERT- Dont read if you dont want plot details revealed Catherine is certainly one of the most interesting games I've ever played at the least. I was mildly intrigued leading up to the release and pre-ordered after I really enjoyed the demo. Early on I didn't mind the puzzles too much (on normal), but by level 3 the repeated failing really got to me. Its okay when a game is really hard but the controls need to be perfect. The buttons "stuck" at key points and that was absolutely lethal. Also, I agree the camera swinging around during the boss fights was the worst. That made me more angry than I ever have been at any game before. I literally had to take a break for a week the one time because I was so frustrated, it was really getting into my head. I think part of it was I just wanted to get through the puzzles to progress the story and my frustration was causing me not to focus. Still, there are many people who platinumed the game so maybe the problem was mainly me. Heavy Rain is one of my favorite games but the experience was tarnished a bit by me going through to see all the endings to get the platinum trophy. I know David Cage recommended going through just once. If it wasn't for the platinum I still would have gone through, because as a kid I would always read every ending in Choose Your Own Adventure books. However, I made a "deal" with myself that I would go through Catherine just once despite the multiple endings. Here is the scary thing- I got the ending that I think I will get in real life and I wasn't satisfied with it. I thought Catherine was alluring, the type of free-spirited girl I am usually attracted to but never make a serious move on because I know that they will not end up being what I need in a realtionship in the long run. Katherine was nice enough, but the type of girl that I'm not really drawn to. Really, I liked the waitress Erica the best! I wanted to pursue that relationship the best and I couldn't! ha ha In the end, though, I got the ending- reluctantly back with Katherine when I would have liked the true freedom- space camp ending. Its kind of scary but awesome when a game reflects real life. I'm suddenly entering my later 20's and am still single. I can't quite seem to find the girl I'm looking for and I worry that I'll end up "settling" for a Katherine out of fear of being alone or something, instead of just doing my thing and eventually waiting for my Erica. lol This might be a bit nonsensical but despite the frustrations I thought Catherine was still a fascinating concept and despite its flaws I definitely hope they make more games like this in the future.... especially considering how so many developers are afraid of making anything original anymore.
  • One of my favorite games of last year. Deluxe "Love is Over" Edition.
  • I will have to play a little bit more to really appreciate the game but life is sometime unforgiven so when I get home from a day's work I went to be entertain in a positive way not frustrated out of my wit! so hopefully there won't be too many game as unforgiven as Catherine... I still prefer games like L.A.Noire, Red Dead Redemption & Army of Two 40th day to feel like I'm walking into a different world to forget the daily routine... No Thanks Catherine!
  • @10 yeah that's on my wishlist. I found the Love is Over edition on amazon for $60.00.
  • @2 So true! Wait until you play the Rapunzel game in the bar. There are 64 levels in it that are harden than the actualy dream sequence in the game.
  • I loved the game, just found it maybe a tad too much for the plat trophy when I has so many other games I needed to play at the time. As for the Rapunzel game that can go die in a hole
  • I only got this last week but so far I'm loving it, yes the controls can be iffy on occasions but those moments a few and far between. This game is definitely not for the faint hearted or the easily frustrated as there are some really hard moments scattered throughout. Without the Stickied guides here and some vids on Youtube, it's doubtful you will ever finish it. If you like a challenge then definitely get this but even if you don't, get it anyway as it's by far the most original game I've played in years. The story is about as weird as you can get but it still holds your interest even after 13+hours :).
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