The Purring Quest is a 2D Platformer that has us take on the role of a cat named Kimchi. Upon booting up the game we are introduced to a cutscene explaining the plot involving its owner’s dead wife and a grief stricken old man. He suddenly wanders off after visiting his wife’s grave and it’s up to us to find him across five levels. It’s an unexpectedly dark theme for a game about cats and that theme of sorrow is carried out throughout the whole game. There is humor here and there to lighten up the mood a bit.
Starting off we can choose from one of two jumping methods to use. Either a high jump or a double jump. Whichever you pick doesn’t matter much. Walking around the levels you will encounter enemies such as mice and pigeons which you can destroy with your claws or ignore completely. Combat is abysmal and enemies take a bit too many hits to bring down so the latter is the option I most frequently went with. Dogs will be your main foe throughout. Be it a Chihuahua or a larger breed if they so much as touch you, you’ll be sent back to the last checkpoint.
You can take up to 7 hits from none dog enemies or objects before you are sent back to the last checkpoint. There is a stealth system that allows you to hide behind certain objects however it is so easy to jump over them and avoid them that it is more of a gimmick than a feature. You’ll also unlock a box early in the game that allows you to hide anywhere though since the stealth is unnecessary until a few sections of the last level it is something you will not be using much. Regardless of how many times you die there is no losing in The Purring Quest and will always be sent back to your last checkpoint so it becomes more of an experience than a skill based game.
The platforming is solid and there are a ton of collectibles scattered everywhere in order to motivate you to explore. Fish bones, trapped cats and one random object are to be found in all 5 levels though collecting them gains you nothing other than a Steam achievement. Each of the levels have a different theme such as skyscrapers, graveyards or a town in the sunset that do a good job at making each feel unique. It is a very short game, clocking in at under 1 hour to complete and the only replay value being to go back to collect what you missed. I can see this being a turn off for many considering the price of the title.
Alongside your simple jump you will also have a climb skill that requires you stand in a very specific place from what you need to climb. It is an odd mechanic that won’t allow you to simply jump on an object to climb it but force you under it before it registers your input. There are a few physics based puzzles thrown in on rare occasions to mix things up from the usual platforming. Finally, we have the bosses, there is one found at the end of each level and can be hit or miss depending on whether you fight it or simply run from it.
The ones that require you to run are entertaining but due to the awful combat and hit detection, fighting one is a drag. In the 4th level you will be required to partake in a rather lengthy Guitar Hero like mini game that lasts far too long as well as comes out of nowhere. Anytime it tries to do anything more than platforming and collecting stuff, it seems to fall flat on its face unfortunately. The artstyle on the other hand is very nice and the environments full of detail. Music is appropriately somber and the shining point of the game in my opinion. All in all, The Purring Quest is not a bad game, just a really mixed bag. If you are looking for an experience over a fun game, then this may be a title you’ll want to take a look at.
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