Review: Catherine

I recently purchased Catherine (PS3), ultimately getting sucked into the hype vortex that the game created. It's crazy, because about a week ago, I had no idea this game even existed. Unlike in the past, where giving into the hype did not pay off (Looking at you, Dragon Age II and Final Fantasy XIII), this time around I was rewarded with a very unique gaming experience. Having finished Catherine's story mode, I've felt compelled to write a review, because while I did enjoy it, it most definitely is not a game suited for everyone. The review is spoiler free, of course. Enjoy!

Basic Information

Platforms: PS3 & 360
Publisher: Atlus
Rating: M(17+)
Release Dates: July 26, 2011 (NA), February 17, 2011 (JP)

Storyline

The storyline follows a man named Vincent. Vincent is an ordinary guy, leading an ordinary life with longtime girlfriend, Katherine, by his side. However, Vincent's life gets turned upside down after spending the previous night at the bar, when he wakes up next to a gorgeous blonde named Catherine. You, the player, must take control of Vincent, and help him make decisions regarding his relationship and his affair, and guide him through the resulting nightmares, all while paying close attention to a recent string of mysterious deaths throughout the city.

Due to the "No Spoiler" nature of this review, the storyline section must be cut short. However, do know the storyline develops nicely, with several twists and turns.

Gameplay

The game has two styles of play. First and foremost, you have control of "awake Vincent", who must make decisions, communicate with friends, and carefully monitor his situation with Katherine and Catherine. Choices you make, and the methods of communication you employ while awake will affect your alignment gauge, bringing you towards either the side of order or chaos. This gauge will affect numerous things, such as how Vincent responds in certain situations, as well as game endings. Proper communication can also affect the fates of several secondary characters as well.

In this mode, you also have access to Vincent's cellphone, which may be used to receive phone calls, send and receive text messages and pictures, challenge previous stages, and save the game. Outgoing text messages can be customized to an extent, and will also play a significant role in Vincent's alignment gauge.

Unfortunately, while the gameplay involving awake Vincent is interesting and entertaining, it is not quite developed enough. That is partly due to the fact that the other style of play takes up most of the game. Regardless, I would have liked to see more to do while awake.

The second style of play involves Vincent's nightmares. Vincent is plagued by nightmares in which he is placed into life or death situations involving scalable walls. In these scenarios, Vincent must pull, push, and rearrange blocks in order climb them. Due to certain supernatural properties in the blocks, they can connect diagonally on the edges, allowing Vincent to create staircases.

The premise of rearranging blocks to climb may not seem that difficult, but certain combinations of movements must be made perfectly in many areas to proceed, creating situations where deep thought and analytical abilities must be used. Which brings me to the second issue: time. Sure, if you had all the time in the world to think every move over, the game would be a breeze. However, as time passes, the bottom of the wall begins to collapse, and if Vincent has not climbed enough, he will easily plummet with it to his death. "Boss Fights" add different twists to the climb that I will not spoil at the moment, but the basic premise remains the same: climb fast or die.

And you will die. You will die a lot. The massive hype surrounding this game has probably stemmed mostly from its difficulty. In fact, the game was considered so difficult that the North American release received an Undo button to use in Normal mode, whereas the Japanese release only had the Undo button available in Easy mode. The Undo button simply reverses your previous block movements, which can be useful considering the touchy areas later in the game. Regardless, do not let the notion of high difficulty scare you away from this game - it's truly addictive for a puzzle fan, regardless of how many times you die (millions!... not really).

Controls

Note: Section applies to Nightmares only - controls while Awake are not an issue

The controls were the bane of my existence while I was playing this game. While generally straight forward and simple to use, there are certain instances within the game where the controls become reversed, such as when you're hanging from the ledge behind a block. These reversed controls would be useful if the game was from a first person perspective, however, the third person perspective of the game makes the reversal awkward and tedious - not a good prospect when time is not on your side.

Aside from that, the controls can be a bit touchy at times, leading to the possibility of easy mistakes when moving blocks. This is likely where your Undo button will be used most frequently - if you're playing on Hard mode though, you lose that luxury. The touchiness likely won't be that much of an issue, but you will be faced with it at times, regardless.

Finally, the game also features a "controllable" camera. It is one of the worst cameras I've ever had the displeasure of trying to use. Luckily, it's not really needed for most of the game, and is still easily used to pan upwards to see what types of blocks you're facing. However, if you're hanging behind a block or two, don't expect the camera to be of any help - you won't be able to see behind anything to save your life - and there are plenty of situations where seeing behind blocks would save your life. It's quite stressful!

Atmosphere, Music, Dialogue, and Voice Acting,

The atmosphere in this game goes from normal to creepy as hell very fast. Without referring to any specific instances for the sake of not spoiling anything, I'm certain that most children would have nightmares resulting from some of the content in this game - it's a good thing it's rated the way it is, strong sexual content aside. The game truly manages to put something so creepy forward that you actually become eager to see how far they take it the next time around.

The music lends itself to developing that proper atmosphere, whether it be calm, creepy, or panicked at the time, and it does so effectively. One thing is for certain though - while you are climbing and attempting to stay alive against the clock, chances are you won't have much time to listen to the music attentively, no matter how enjoyable it is.

The dialogue, on the other hand, you will have time to focus on. For the most part, the dialogous is very natural, and it lends to the game's fluid storytelling. With that being said, there are some scenes, while not great in number, that stand out with dialogue that is both corny and way over the top. It's not enough to ruin the dialogue set as a whole, but it definitely stands out.

Rare corniness aside, the voice acting is perfect in my opinion. The voices seem to fit the characters perfectly, and while some voices may take some time to grow on you, as the plot progresses, the voices actually lend themselves to the great atmosphere the game sets out to create.

Bonus Content and Trophies/Achievements

The bonus content in this game is relatively plentiful, but can be considered difficult to access. First and foremost, there are many endings to the game. There are eight storyline mode endings that can be accessed through different methods that will not be outlined here.

In addition to the story mode (Golden Theater, as it's known), there is Babel mode. Babel mode is a mode in which you're presented with randomly generated walls (but in patterns) to climb. Your time is recorded, and used for online leaderboard use. In addition to this, you can also climb with a friend in multiplayer mode. However, the main issue is unlocking Babel stages - to do so, you must receive Gold Awards on storyline stages, which is done by reaching the top of the walls fast, without stopping for long periods of time, and collecting coins - it adds a whole new level of difficulty to a game that is already considered difficult by the masses.

Another mode available is Colosseum mode, which allows you to play the storyline stages competitively with a friend. Of course, since this mode involves storyline stages, it must first be unlocked.

Finally, though not technically considered a mode in the game, there is Rapunzel. Within the bar that Vincent frequents is an arcade game known as Rapunzel. Rapunzel involves the same type of climbing that is used in Vincent's nightmares, however, it eliminates the time aspect in favor for a more puzzle oriented approach - the movement of the proper blocks in the proper directions takes priority. There are many stages involved.

Finally, trophies and achievements! If you're looking for an easy clear or Platinum trophy, you're out of luck. The game is difficult enough, but the requirements for many of the trophies are out of this world. Trophies given for finishing each storyline stage and viewing all of the endings are the simple ones - they become far more devilish as you progress. Be ready for a very rough grind if you intend to finish this game completely.

Conclusion

Catherine is definitely a game worth its hype. How Atlus managed to make block climbing not only enjoyable, but addictive is beyond me - you'd think it'd get old fast, but you can't help but go back for more. What is excellent is the sense of satisfaction you get when completing a stage after countless deaths - you honestly feel accomplished, and a little bit smarter.

Pros:
-Highly addictive and innovative gameplay.
-Imaginative premise and unique bosses.
-Enthralling storyline mode with many endings.
-Effective establishment of a creepy atmosphere.
-Good voice acting creates believable characters.
-Multiplayer modes and online leaderboards add a different dimension of play.
-Provides evidence that cell phone picture messaging is mankind's greatest invention.

Cons:
-Controls can become frustratingly annoying at times.
-Camera usage may result in advanced aging and early death.
-Limited but entertaining "awake mode" leaves player wanting more.
-Spikes in difficulty can become discouraging for some players.

Final Score: 9/10