It is hard to digest what Kitten Squad is; it aims to showcase the cruelty of animals through bad storytelling. Sponsored by PETA, Nine Tale Digital developed kitten Squad with elementary mechanics and only appeals to very young gamers. At one point the game becomes fun to play and in no way shape or form is this game awful, but there’s just not much there. It just exists in the world with no real purpose.
Storyline
The aim of the game is to send a message to the player. Just like in our reality world, orcas are for entertainment and sheep are tools of the wool industry. It forces you to reflect about how we hold animals for our benefit. They portray animals as helpless creatures, to PETA’s defense, I can agree with that. The hero of the day, of course, is a feline and its duty is to save the animals. Each level of the game just glides through with no pay off at the end of the so-called adventure. Above all, at least it is the right message.
Gameplay
Kitten Squad has a set sky-view camera. Therefore, the feel of the game is distinct. Players spend their time shooting enemies with the right stick only. Each enemy has different move sets but is monotonous. At first, the gameplay is quite fun, but each level is a look-alike and becomes stale. Progressing through levels is reminiscent to early Legend of Zelda, you defeat enemies and then move to the next room. There are different types of weapons, but one or two make a difference.
An annoying element about the game is that when you die you have to start from the beginning. Starting from the start is discouraging for the player who wishes to advance. Side missions are available to earn points that serve to customize the player’s cat. Impressive gameplay goes out the window, showcasing a game so repetitive it just becomes fun. Spending a few minutes will not hurt anyone so that I will leave to the player.
Graphics
The game looks pretty nice because of the capability of the Prime Engine. The visuals are sufficient enough to appreciate, but there is more power to their engine. Plain laziness is apparent in each room’s design, and it’s hard to ignore. Enemy design is diverse but seeing all those enemies, again and again, becomes exhausting.
Sound
Sound design is extremely generic. All sound effects are nothing new, but you cannot hold them against it due to its small budget. A disappointing aspect of the game is that the music is always the same. There may be another track in the Kitten Squad but other than that there is nothing to hear.
Replayability
Kitten Squad has nothing to offer for those wanting to return. It is quite painful to try to play the game; strangely the game becomes quite fun after all the negatives we mentioned previously.
