In The Building: Cats 2

In The Building: Cats 2 is a charming hidden object puzzle game where players explore various houses to find all the cute cats concealed in unexpected spots. Interact with everyday items like pillows, nightstands, and toilets to search every corner of the rooms in this relaxing point-and-click adventure from Laush Studio.

In The Building: Cats 2: Review

Introduction

Imagine rummaging through a cozy, cluttered apartment, lifting cushions and peeking behind toilets, not for lost keys or secrets, but for the sheer delight of uncovering fluffy, mischievous cats in their most improbable hiding spots. In The Building: Cats 2, released in December 2022 by indie developer Laush Studio, captures this whimsical essence in a sequel to its predecessor, cementing a niche legacy in the burgeoning subgenre of feline-focused hidden object puzzles. Building on the surprise success of In The Building: Cats earlier that year, this title refines a simple formula inspired explicitly by A Building Full of Cats, delivering 265 cats across five houses and a bonus rooftop level. As a professional game journalist and historian, my thesis is clear: while derivative and unapologetically minimalist, Cats 2 excels as a bite-sized paean to relaxation and cat adoration, embodying the accessible joys of 2020s micro-indie gaming amid Steam’s casual explosion—flawed yet irresistibly charming for families and feline fans.

Development History & Context

Laush Studio, spearheaded by solo developer Laush Dmitriy Sergeevich (often credited under his full name), represents the epitome of modern solo-dev hustle in the indie scene. Operating out of what appears to be a one-person (or very small-team) operation based on credit listings from MobyGames, the studio leverages Unity’s accessible engine to churn out rapid-fire releases in the “In The Building” series. Cats 2 dropped on December 19, 2022, for Windows via Steam at a budget price of $1.99 (frequently discounted to $0.55), hot on the heels of the original Cats (2022) and ahead of Cats 3 (2023), showcasing a prolific output that mirrors the post-pandemic indie boom.

The creators’ vision is straightforward and self-admittedly derivative: as noted in the Steam description and MobyGames entry, development was “motivated by” A Building Full of Cats (2022, by Hiding Spot Games), a surprise Steam hit that popularized room-by-room cat-hunting in a multi-story building. Laush Dmitriy Sergeevich iterated on this, expanding to bedrooms alongside halls and bathrooms, adding 265 cats (up from the original’s implied fewer count), hints, and a roof bonus. Technological constraints were minimal—Unity’s 2D tools enabled hand-drawn visuals and point-and-click interactions on modest hardware (minimum specs: 2.3 GHz Dual Core, Intel HD 4000, 160 MB storage)—perfect for quick prototyping.

The 2022 gaming landscape was flooded with casual indies amid Steam’s algorithm favoring low-price, high-engagement titles. Post-Among Us and Vampire Survivors, players craved short, stress-free experiences; cat games tapped into internet culture’s obsession (think Nyan Cat’s enduring meme legacy). Cats 2 arrived in this fertile ground, but accusations of plagiarism surfaced early in Steam discussions (e.g., direct comparisons to A Building Full of Cats), highlighting ethical tensions in a scene where inspiration blurs into imitation. No major patches are documented on MobyGames, but community guides and bug reports suggest minor post-launch tweaks for freezing issues.

Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive

In The Building: Cats 2 eschews traditional narrative for pure interactive discovery, a deliberate choice that amplifies its thematic purity: the unadulterated joy of feline companionship and the thrill of the hunt. There is no plot, no protagonist beyond the implied “you” wielding a cat-paw cursor, no dialogue—silence reigns, broken only by satisfying clicks and mews. Instead, the “story” unfolds across five distinct houses (framed as multi-story apartments or floors), each a self-contained diorama of domestic chaos: cluttered halls with strewn pillows, steamy bathrooms hiding felines in cabinets, and newly introduced bedrooms stuffed with laundry and nightstands.

Characters? The cats themselves—265 unique, hand-drawn cuties in poses ranging from playful peeks to impossibly contorted squeezes. No anthropomorphism or lore; they’re archetypal: tabbies under beds, siamese in toilets, calicos atop wardrobes. Themes emerge organically: exploration as mindfulness, where pixel-peering fosters zen-like focus amid holiday-themed vignettes (e.g., festive decorations noted in reviews); the unpredictability of joy, as cats defy logic by wedging into teapots or vents; and community in simplicity, echoed in Steam guides like “100% All hidden cats” that foster player camaraderie.

Subtler layers critique consumerist clutter—rooms brim with movable objects symbolizing modern hoarding—while the unlimited hints underscore accessibility over frustration, theming education (tagged genre) in observation. Compared to predecessors, Cats 2 deepens intimacy via bedrooms, evolving from voyeuristic searches to “personal space” invasions, a nod to cat owners’ real-life anecdotes. In historical context, it echoes early edutainment like Where’s Waldo? digitized, prioritizing thematic warmth over scripted depth.

Gameplay Mechanics & Systems

At its core, Cats 2 is a pristine hidden object loop: enter a room, scan for visible cats (click to collect), interact with hotspots (pillows lift, drawers open, toilets flush) to reveal concealed ones, exhaust the space, and progress. Five houses form the spine—each with hall, bathroom, and bedroom—culminating in a rooftop bonus, totaling ~1.7 hours (HowLongToBeat/Steam data: most finish in 23-51 minutes). No combat, progression is linear yet replayable via achievements (11 total, e.g., “House number 2 Hidden: Find all the hidden cats,” all at 100% unlock rate per TrueSteamAchievements, indicating ease or low playerbase).

Innovations shine modestly: cat-paw pointer for thematic immersion; unlimited hints (a glowing arrow to next cat) praised in 9% of reviews for mercy; score attack mode (implied via tags/achievements) for replay; partial controller support. UI is minimalist—clean 2D side-scroller interface, cat counter, hint button—family-friendly with no timers or penalties. Flaws abound: pixel hunting frustrates (7% reviews), with cats in illogical spots (e.g., pixel-perfect edges); some “hidden” vs. “not hidden” distinctions confuse (Steam discussions); technical glitches like freezing controls (reported Dec 2023) and popups halt flow.

Progression lacks depth—no upgrades, levels, or meta-systems—but achievements encourage 100% hunts, blending casual clicker vibes with detective logic. Relative to Cats 1, improvements include more cats/rooms and holiday variety, though it retains point-and-select purity. For completionists, guides mitigate flaws; for casuals, it’s addictive flow-state mastery.

World-Building, Art & Sound

The “world” is a quintet of hyper-detailed, hand-drawn houses—vibrant, cluttered microcosms evoking lived-in apartments worldwide. Atmosphere drips coziness: warm lighting filters through windows, holiday trimmings (Christmas trees, pumpkins) add seasonal whimsy across floors. Visual direction is chef’s kiss—stylized 2D art (10% reviews rave “cute art style”) with colorful palettes, expressive cats (wide eyes, fluffy fur), and interactive depth (objects animate smoothly). The cat-paw cursor is genius, transforming clicks into paw-taps, enhancing immersion.

Sound design is sparse but effective: soft ambient hums (implied cozy rooms), triumphant ding on finds, subtle meows—minimalist to preserve relaxation (9% reviews). No bombastic score; silence amplifies discovery’s ASMR-like satisfaction. Collectively, these forge a hypnotic bubble: visuals invite lingering gazes, sound soothes, world-building via object lore (vintage radios, family photos) hints at untold stories. In Unity’s hands, it’s performant even on Steam Deck (1% playrate), contributing to “family-friendly” appeal (9% reviews).

Reception & Legacy

Launch reception was quietly positive: Steam’s “Very Positive” (84-85%, 73 reviews per Niklas Notes/Steambase, updated 2025) lauds relaxation, kid-friendliness, hints, and brevity, but dings pixel hunting (7%), bugs (4%), and “lack of originality” (7%), with plagiarism threads (e.g., “direct copy” of A Building Full of Cats) marring discourse. No Metacritic/MobyGames critic scores—zero reviews—befitting its micro-indie status; RAWG rates it unrated (2 user votes). Commercially, $0.55 sales sustain Laush’s series (dozens of similar titles like Hamsters, Crabs).

Legacy evolves from “cash-grab clone” whispers to cult cozy staple. It influenced Laush’s ecosystem (Cats 3, 100 Hidden Dogs), spawning cat-hunt clones amid 2022’s “Building Full of…” trend. Historically, it exemplifies Steam’s long-tail casuals—Unity solo-devs flooding niches post-Unpacking (2021)—preserving pixel art traditions while democratizing “edutainment.” Community endures via guides (e.g., xocobo12’s 100%), but low collection (1 MobyGames user) limits canon status.

Conclusion

In The Building: Cats 2 distills hidden object gaming to its cutest core: 265 purr-fect finds in cozy chaos, bolstered by adorable art, merciful hints, and brevity that punches above its derivative weight. Flaws—frustrating hunts, bugs, unoriginality—temper ambition, yet its relaxing allure endures for families and cat lovers. In video game history, it claims a footnotes-worthy spot as a 2022 indie archetype—proof solo devs can thrive on whimsy amid Steam’s deluge. Verdict: 8/10—essential for cozy queues, a purring testament to simple joys. Play it, find ’em all, and feel the zen.