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Catherine (PS3)
by stacey10304
As I've said in previous reviews, im not a big fan of the current games market, so I am always on the look out for something new to try which is a little out of the norm. This game is definitely that!
Whats the story?
You play through the game as a character called Vincent. A man who is happy with his girlfriend ... Katherine, until she starts talking about commitment. At this he starts to panic as commitment is something he has always tried to avoid, so he joins his friends in their local bar for a few drinks. After his friends go home Vincent remains in the bar - and is joined by a beautiful and mysterious girl called Catherine (not Katherine his girlfriend). The next thing he knows he's waking up in his flat next to Catherine, unable to remember the events of last night.
Full with guilt about what he might or might not have done, Vincent doesnt know what to do. His worries about his worries, fears, doubts and guilt follow him into his dreams, and manifest themselves into grotesque and terrifying monsters which he must try and escape from.
Meanwhile strange deaths have been happening all over the city, people being found in their beds apparently terrified to death. Rumour has it that they are men who have cheated on their girlsfriends and are being punished. Have these people been having the same dreams as Vincent? whats causing their deaths? and does Catherine have anything to do with this?
Gameplay...
This is essentially a puzzle game, not what you might have expected right? By day you play as Vincent in his awake state at the Stray Sheep (his local bar), here you can talk to his friends and other patrons of the bar, and pick up clues in regards to the unknown curse thats causing other unfaithful males to die in their sleep. You also recieve text messages from Catherine/Katherine which you can reply to on his phone, you can choose multiple replies and responses and this can effect the ending of the story (yes this is a game with multiple endings based on the decisions you make and the way in which you treat the K/Catherines).
When Vincent goes to sleep you are transported into his dream/nightmare world in which he has become a sheep (wearing boxer shorts) as have all the other men who are suffering from the same nightmare who also appear in your dream. In order to be able to wake up again in the morning, and not join the long list of dead unfaithful boyfriends, Vincent must solve block puzzles. Each puzzle is basically a tower of blocks, you have to navigate Vincent to the top of the tower in order to survive. Sounds easy I hear you say? Its really, and I mean REALLY not! Its a race against time, and you have to manipulate and move blocks around in order to get to the top, the other sheep in your dream also try and knock you off (oh yeah if you fall, you die), some blocks can't be moved and other's have spikes which spring out and kill you. There are also explosive blocks and crumbling blocks, slippery ice blocks or blocks that move on their own. All these hamper your progress in getting to the top of the tower, to top it all off you are being persued by some crazy grotesque manifestation in Vincents nightmare that is also trying to pull you down and kill you.
There is also a waiting area before you start a new puzzle, in which you can talk to other sheep and share hints and tips on hwo to solve certain arrangements of blocks and move them to your advantage. Before you start a new puzzle you also have to enter a confessions box and answer a question, your answers to these questions affect the outcome of the story.
So, to summarise...
Catherine is another crazy Japanese game that is highly addictive and incredibly fun to play. I think that the graphics look stunning and the way the game plays is highly unusual and a great change from the norm, it keeps it interesting. The storyline is very interesting and thought-provoking, and you might not think it but also realistic, dealing with common adult themes (but with a anime/horror twist).
The gameplay is very addictive, and also very difficult - but it keeps you coming back for more. My only criticism here is that it can be very frustrating at times to the point that it makes your angry! But I loved it, I loved the challenge and thats what want from a game.
Overall I would give the game full marks, its something different, its highly addictive, its thought provoking with stunning visuals and its difficult! I would definitely recommend trying the game, although I realise this might not be everyones cup of tea. However it can be picked up for around £15-£20 now its been out a while so for the price you should definitely give it a try!
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