Hidden Cats in Tokyo Review

Hidden Cats, Hidden Cats in Tokyo, Silesia Games

The hidden object game genre is one that has grown exponentially in the last few years. And with that, the hidden cat games have really taken off. Across all consoles and PC, the "˜Hidden Cats' and other copycat (pun intended) games have reached all platforms in an ever-growing number.

I've played all the cat hunting games I'm aware are available on Xbox, including all of the city games - London, Berlin and New York to name but a few. Spin offs have included other smaller titles I have reviewed such as Hidden Cat Outlaws, Hidden Kittens: Kingdom of Cats and Cats and Seek: Dino Park. The latest city that the pesky kitties have ventured off to the capital of the Land of the Rising Sun, Tokyo.

This is the largest "˜cats' game I've played including 15 stages and almost 1,300 pussy cats and many other objects we're tasked in finding. But does big mean better? Here's our review of Hidden Cats in Tokyo.

Gameplay – What’s New Pussycat?

If you've played any of the "˜cats' games before, then you'll know what to expect with Hidden Cats in Tokyo. There's no new gameplay innovations here as we're once again looking around some wonderful environments to find cats, special items and Japanese cultural icons - including Mario, Cloud and so many, many more.

Filling our screen with colour as we find required objects

For those who are yet to play any Hidden Cats, these are hidden object games which play out on beautiful backgrounds that fill with colour as we find hundreds of kitties. A similarity I've used in other reviews would be to Where's Wally / Where's Waldo.

This is the biggest cats game I've ever played and the developers have managed to ensure the quality remains across all 15 stages. In Tokyo we're hunting cats across an array of stages that showcase the cultural powerhouse that is Nihon.

Video game arcades, pachinko machines, robot and technology factories are all available to us. Like previous Hidden Cats titles, the developers have included so many cameo appearances calling upon icons from Dragonball, sumo wrestling and Final Fantasy. There are even imitations of the Sega Mega Drive (Genesis) and other consoles hiding those pesky kitties:

One issue I have with Hidden Cats and not just this entry, are the stages where we need to find over a hundred people rather than cats. They're far more frustrating than fun as we're only able to click on up to 5 people at any time, this needs to be at least doubled.

Visuals - Cherry Blossoming

Tokyo, much like the other cities in the Hidden Cats series, is gorgeous. Drawn cities that fill with stunning colour as we complete our objectives, the delight is the same as it ever has been.

However it really feels like the art designers have upped their game with Tokyo. On most stages the series beloved art style returns, such as the below video game conference stage. Arcade machines, pinball and so much more, this place looks like a nerds dream night out:

The most beautiful depiction of Tokyo Games Show

Though what caught me off guard when it loaded was the Ancient Village stage. It uses its own unique art style that looks more Japanese that is simply beautiful, and could have easily been called Hidden Cats in Sekiro:

Story - A Plague Tale of Cats not Rats

Occasionally the cat hunting games have a backstory, and they're never particularly interesting. Hidden Cats in Tokyo story is centred around a mysterious plague which has spread across Tokyo and is affecting the city's felines. A team of superhero cats are tasked with finding an antidote and saving Tokyo's cat population.

At the start of each stage a short cutscene plays out as we learn more of the troublesome situation. The whole story about the plague is frankly uninteresting and unnecessary. I'd be surprised if any series fan would be upset if they removed the stories for future games altogether.

Hidden Cats in Tokyo’s story need not exist

Audio - Not Quite the Life of a Japanese Karaoke Party

Certainly not a strong point of an otherwise strong series entry, outside of the dull cutscenes the soundtrack didn't capture the vibe of Japanese music. Still, the game has peaceful and upbeat music that always matched the stages they were paired with.

The ever-adorable cat meows and sounds of finding items return in Hidden Cats in Tokyo. As a huge fan of these games, I don't think I'll ever get tired of hearing them

Conclusion - A Refreshed Litter

Having played all the console Hidden Cats games and spinoffs, I'd started to burn out a little. However, Tokyo is a return to form as the expanded title provides more stages than ever but never drops the quality.

Possibly the best environments and drawing I've witnessed in the series made sure my 6-7 hour 100% completion (including all achievements) was an enjoyable time.

Whether you're a returning series fan or someone looking to try their first cat-hunter, I recommend Hidden Cats in Tokyo.