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AG Community Playthrough #34: The Cat Lady

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Total Posts: 2978

Joined 2012-03-09

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Welcome everyone to The Cat Lady AGCP!!!

This game is ranked very high my favorite AGs. It is a very unique game and one of the most special games in general you can find.It was trying for quite some time to be voted and it finally did it!

First, let’s have some small info about the game’s background history. The Cat Lady is an indie adventure game created by Remigiusz Michalski on 2012 using Adventure Game Studio. It is something of a “prequel” of another Michalski game, named Downfall, that focuses on different characters in a different timeline in the same place.

The Cat Lady is an adult game. Plain and simple. I can’t really tell you how intense a psychological horror graphic adventure game it is. With much more emphasis to the psychological than to horror. It has its scares now and then but it is the deep psychological factor that I expect will influence the inner human feelings of each and every one of you. It is a story about depression and the challenge to overcome it. The Cat Lady is perhaps the most intense psychological game I’ve ever played (mind you, that comes from someone who led the IHNMAIMS AGCP) and thus, a game to remember. I also expect it to inspire great discussion between the participants.

The graphics: Although the game uses the Adventure Game Studio, the backgrounds are simply great. Sometimes simple, B/W and catatonic, otherwise full of collors like living in a dream. The background is simply one of the best I’ve ever seen, playing with the protagonsist’s mood (and yours) like a harp from hell. Beautiful and creepy at the same time, they remind of certain famous paintings or even a mixture of Neil Gaiman’s Sandman and a David Lynch movie. The only way to trully describe them is Art.
On the other hand, the animation is pretty basic (almost nonexistant), but the tone of the game is not influenced by that flaw.

The music: The soundtrack is also an intense one and really spot on. The fact that is perhaps a bit overused into the game doesn’t change the fact that I still hear it in my MP3 player now and then. On May 4, 2013 an album was released featuring music in the game by Warmer, Siah and Tears Of Mars. Original soundtrack was created by Michal Michalski. The voice acting is tremendous and sets the tone for almost all characters, which is also one of the reasons I expect the lack of quality animation will pass unnoticed by the majority of you.

The controls: The Cat Lady is a side-scrolling third-person adventure. The controls are weird and may take a while to get used to, but in the end you will admit that they are pretty simple. The game uses only the keyboard. Using the left and right arrow keys to guide the protagonist in either direction. As you move, hotspots highlight when you pass over them, at which point you’ll use the up arrow to interact with them and can then scroll through a variety of actions (use, take, and other object-specific tasks). Once objects are added to your inventory menu at the bottom of the screen, the down button accesses it. Yes I know, the game screams for P&C, but that works too.

The riddles: The Cat Lady is an easy game. It’s riddles consist mostly on logic and inventory use, while there are also some dialog ones. All of them are really well-integrated within the storyline.

Finally, the protagonist: Susan. This game is about her and her story. She is a lonely woman who lives in her apartment with the company of her cats, suffering from severe depression. That last part is perhaps the most important one and the theme of the game as a whole. You will spent lots of time with her, travelling between her dreams, her nightmares and her real life. Her background will be unfold throughout the game thus I won’t spoil anything. I’ll just say it is the journey of her soul, full of feelings and emotions. I’ll also add that there are metaphysic ascpects within the story.

The game itself consists of 7 chapters. Some are bigger than the others, but I think that 1 week/2 chapters (thus making this a 4 week playthrough) is a pretty normal pace for the majority of us. Of course that may change depending on the pace the majority can follow.

Also: I’ll be gone on a small trip from tomorrow until the 7th of July and internet connection will be difficult for me (not unreachable though). These first days will be spent in solving any technical difficulties, or simply give you enough time to obtain the game if you don’t have it already. It is a recent game though and I don’t expect much inconvenience. Whoever has the game installed and ready to go, please confirm it below. Also, please inform if this is your first time of the game or not.

If everything goes according to plan, we will all start the game on the 7th of July

Finally, the usual and necessary request to all participants to stay on-topic, use spoiler tags whenever needed and generally join in a good-heart spirit.

EDIT: Pin the thread please.

     
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Total Posts: 107

Joined 2012-09-28

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Installed and ready to go. First time for me.

Bought this a while ago and have been hoping it would be picked for a playthrough. Unfortunately I had to drop out of the Scratches AGCP but I should be fine for the entirety of this one.

Cheers
Nod

     
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Total Posts: 7432

Joined 2013-08-26

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Still installed on my harddisk. Looking forward to replaying it.

     

See you around, wolf. Nerissa

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Total Posts: 129

Joined 2007-05-15

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I’ve got it installing now!

In the meantime, I’m going to go back and do the Faust playthrough! Grin

     
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Total Posts: 8471

Joined 2011-10-21

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Goddamnit, Syberia 2 will never win!  Angry

Tongue


That said, I really should have voted for The Cat Lady as well, since I’m really interested in playing it. I’ll try to join the CPT as best as I can. Due to severe time constraints where gaming is concerned, no guarantees. Shifty Eyed

     

The truth can’t hurt you, it’s just like the dark: it scares you witless but in time you see things clear and stark. - Elvis Costello
Maybe this time I can be strong, but since I know who I am, I’m probably wrong. Maybe this time I can go far, but thinking about where I’ve been ain’t helping me start. - Michael Kiwanuka

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Joined 2007-01-04

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I have this game installed and ready to go. This is the first time for me playing the game.

Heart

     

I enjoy playing adventure games on my Alienware M17 r4 and my Nintendo Switch OLED.

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Joined 2013-08-26

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TimovieMan - 01 July 2015 06:50 AM

Goddamnit, Plundered Hearts will never win!  Angry

FYP.

     

See you around, wolf. Nerissa

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Total Posts: 8998

Joined 2004-01-05

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All systems go. Prepared for the Lady of the Cat. 1st time playing it.

Karlok - 01 July 2015 08:22 AM
TimovieMan - 01 July 2015 06:50 AM

Goddamnit, Plundered Hearts will never win!  Angry

FYP.

Soon…  Shifty Eyed

     
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Total Posts: 5813

Joined 2012-03-24

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I’m so pleased that The Cat Lady finally got to win the vote for a CPT. I’ve played it at least a couple of times but nearly 2 years ago & still have the game installed. I’m looking forward to re-playing yet again & other players thoughts about it hoping that no-one will be put off by the very intense opening chapters as there are some wonderful lighter moments in the ones following!

     
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Total Posts: 106

Joined 2014-10-28

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Hey everyone!

First of all, thank you Sefir for this truly awesome and informative introductory post. I’m glad The Cat Lady was chosen. Even though I’ve been curious about the game for a while now, I’ve never played it. This will be my first Community Playthrough as well. Fun times!

I apologize if I ended up voting at the very last minute (it was 11:54 before midnight when I did!) but as I’ve said in the voting thread, I was unsure if I’d be able to participate because of my incoming vacation. I will start playing on Monday July 13, and will try to catch up as best I can during that week.

I am looking forward to play this with you guys! I just bought and downloaded the game, and will install it this evening.

     
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TimovieMan - 01 July 2015 06:50 AM

That said, I really should have voted for The Cat Lady as well

You should have pinned the thread as well!!
Tongue

Jade - 01 July 2015 01:19 PM

This will be my first Community Playthrough as well.

I must admit - a peculiar choice for your first AGCP. Tongue
Welcome and I hope you like it.

Jade - 01 July 2015 01:19 PM

I will start playing on Monday July 13, and will try to catch up as best I can during that week.

No worries here. The Cat Lady is pretty much an easy game and you will have no problem in catching up with the rest of us.

     
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Joined 2005-12-06

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Yayy!

I already installed my copy before the voting ended, just for good luck.

I’ll probably be a bit busy this month but I really want to keep the pace with this game, since I’m really interested about the discussions it will rouse.

     

Currently Playing: Dragon Age Origins: Awakening
Recently Played: Red Embrace: Hollywood, Dorfromantik, Heirs & Graces, AI: The Somnium Files, PRICE, Frostpunk, The Shapeshifting Detective (CPT), Disco Elysium, Dream Daddy, Four Last Things, Jenny LeClue - Detectivu, The Signifier

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Joined 2011-10-21

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Sefir - 01 July 2015 01:28 PM

You should have pinned the thread as well!!
Tongue

Touché. I thought I pinned it this afternoon. Apparently I didn’t. Fixed now.


And I installed the game and am ready to go.
As soon as I finish Scratches, that is… Shifty Eyed

     

The truth can’t hurt you, it’s just like the dark: it scares you witless but in time you see things clear and stark. - Elvis Costello
Maybe this time I can be strong, but since I know who I am, I’m probably wrong. Maybe this time I can go far, but thinking about where I’ve been ain’t helping me start. - Michael Kiwanuka

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Total Posts: 506

Joined 2014-08-01

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I just installed the game and I’m ready.

This will be my first Community Playthrough and honestly reading the premise of the game and after all the good I’ve heard about it, I think it is the perfect game for me at the moment, and perhaps the best way to start. Let me know when to press “play”.

     

” I remember. Somebody died. It was me.”
~

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Joined 2007-01-04

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I’ve been wanting to play this game and here we are! This game has won a few awards in its time and I finally get to play it!

I peeked at the game just to make sure it runs ok and it looks fabulous. Looks like we get yet another great community playthrough!

Heart

     

I enjoy playing adventure games on my Alienware M17 r4 and my Nintendo Switch OLED.

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Joined 2014-10-28

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I too couldn’t resist booting it up and checking the first area, and wow! You can cut the atmosphere with a knife in that thing! The word STUNNING comes to mind. Grin

Sefir - 01 July 2015 01:28 PM

I must admit - a peculiar choice for your first AGCP. Tongue
Welcome and I hope you like it.

Thanks! And I agree it is a rather surprising choice, given you can usually find me on the beaches of Plunder Island or wandering the forested paths of Valadilène. But I do have a dark side as well, and love psychological thrillers and even the occasional in-your-face gore. Well, anything that’s well-written, really. Grin

Sefir - 01 July 2015 01:28 PM

No worries here. The Cat Lady is pretty much an easy game and you will have no problem in catching up with the rest of us.

That is awesome!

One last thing. It’s been ages since I’ve played an AGS game and I’m a bit puzzled as to what video filter I should use, if any at all. The manual only suggests experimentation—I thought that was rather vague. Wink I have a standard 1080p monitor and tried the 2x Anti-aliasing filter, which apparently scales the game up to 1600 x 1200. It seemed fine but I only played for about two minutes so I’m not sure how consistent that filter is, or if one is even required to begin with. May anyone enlightment me?

     

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