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As Gone Home skillfully demonstrated back in 2013, games where you explore the lives of an everyday family can be just as memorable and thrilling as virtual adventures brimming with action sequences and special abilities. New indie Cats and the Other Lives also puts family dynamics at the forefront, but here you watch the drama unfold through the eyes of an adorable ginger feline.
It's an artsy point-and-click adventure that places you in the furry paws of Aspen, a domestic housecat. Following the death of Aspen's owner Bernard Mason, his estranged offspring return to their childhood home. As the adorable kitty, you'll explore the lives of this broken family, witnessing events and uncovering secrets to find out where it all went so wrong.
"Players will take a journey across the hopes, disappointments and regrets of the enigmatic Mason family, traversing through a rich narrative that spans over decades," reads the game's Steam page.
As well as offering an engrossing story, Cats and the Other Lives lets you fully embrace the joys of being a cat as you wander around the mysterious Mason Manor. The trailer, which you can see below, shows Aspen chasing mice, climbing trees, knocking valuable items off high places, and generally causing mischief at the most inappropriate times.
Having just pounced onto Steam, this indie is sitting proudly with a "positive" rating on Valve's platform. One reviewer writes, "Haunted house, mysterious story, beautiful pixel art, wonderful music, and you play as a cute cat...If you like any of those, this is a no-brainer." Another says, "If you like adventure games, don't miss it."
If you're a cat lover and are looking to pick this one up, you'll be happy to know that Developer Cultic Games is donating a portion of the game's profits to help cover the cost of medical operations for street cats.
Discover other great indies in our guide to the best indie games 2022.
