Catherine Demo Hands On

We’ve heard a lot about Atlus’s crazy new title called Catherine, now that the demos out just how good is it?

I like many of you probably have been wondering a lot about this title. Thanks to Atlus great advertising campaign were still in the dark on many things, with the demo out today just how many things are answered?

Find out that and much more in this hands on impression!

Basic Demo Information

Free on Japanese PSN, and is 930 MB

Cut scene heavy.

Covers 1 normal stage, and 1 nightmare stage.

No battling is featured, same with towns/store/choices/worlds/really anything past how it plays, and the phone elements.

Difficulty can only be set to “Easy”

Story

Let’s start this with what everyone is wondering… What is Catherine about. Sadly the story elements featured in the demo explain the base skeleton of the game. Relationship with Katherine, “stray sheep” bar and friends, how you get with Catherine, the strange deaths that are occurring. Think of the story featured in the demo as less of news, and more of a linear explanation of the various PV’s we’ve seen. Sadly the game does stop short of Catherine doing anything in the bed, and ends with you just noticing her there. This means the mysterious scene IE the one the PV’s cut off at, remains mysterious.

The story here however does a good job in bringing less active gamers to the same page as the ones who followed all the videos. After you complete the demo you’re given a montage of various things and events to expect in Catherine, some are world functions, mini games, and of course choices.

Gameplay

If you never looked into the gameplay of Catherine it looks like this.

The game has the simple task where you must make it to the top as fast as possible. Like most things in life it sounds a lot easier than it is, the key is to move various blocks in a way you can either move up, or they can fall down. Causing blocks to fall can result in the ending door falling off the map, thankfully you can undo your actions. The main thing that comes into play is NOT the difficulty in figuring the puzzles out, but the time you have do pull it off. With all stages you have a timer, nightmare stages are naturally faster paced.  So making it to the end is less about completing the task but how well and fast you pulled off said task.

You should face no difficulty pulling off early normal stages, as the gameplay elements are far less harsh. Nightmare stages however add new elements of difficulty. Its not enough to make it to the top, but you must do it with more or less random blocks turning to heavy stone. This will obviously slow you down, there is also someone chasing you who can cause you a headache if you dont get some space. While it might sound bad, you are given some tools to help like 1 extra block to use as you see fit. Sadly in the case of the last puzzle you face in the nightmare race, it will be of no use.

Closing

Catherine is a very unique game, its got a good mix of puzzle and platforming. Sadly if you cant think fast the game will destroy you! The demo thankfully gives you a very clear picture of what you will be doing in the game, and shows us a rather unique twist on the puzzle genera. Despite the difficulty in the demo, I do strongly suggest you give Catherine a look, it has all the makings to be an amazing game.