Choice of the Cat

In ‘Choice of the Cat’, you play as a cunning rescue cat navigating life with a fractured human family on the brink of divorce. This 600,000-word interactive comedy lets you manipulate owners, neighbors, and other pets to achieve feline domination—whether you crave affection, chaos, or total control. Set in a contemporary home, the game blends humor and strategic choice-making, inviting multiple playthroughs as different cat personalities.

Choice of the Cat: Review

Introduction

In the realm of interactive fiction, few games dare to ask: What if you were a cat? Choice of the Cat (2017), developed by Choice of Games LLC, answers this whimsical question with a staggering 600,000-word narrative that blends absurdist humor, political intrigue, and feline tyranny. As the longest game in the ChoiceScript catalog, it stands as a testament to the creative ambition of writer Jordan Reyne and the studio’s commitment to expansive storytelling. This review argues that Choice of the Cat is not just a quirky text-based simulator but a sophisticated exploration of power, agency, and the absurdity of human society—all through the eyes of a housecat.

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Development History & Context

Choice of Games LLC, founded by Dan Fabulich and Adam Strong-Morse, built its reputation on democratizing interactive fiction through its proprietary ChoiceScript engine. By 2017, the studio had already released over 50 titles, but Choice of the Cat marked a pivot toward experimental narratives.

Writer Jordan Reyne, a New Zealand-born musician and novelist, brought a unique perspective to the project. In interviews, Reyne cited inspiration from observing pets’ baffled reactions to human behavior, framing the game as “feline chaos theory”—a satire of human social constructs. The game’s length (over half a million words) was both a creative challenge and a technical feat, requiring meticulous coding to manage branching paths and stat systems. Reyne’s background in narrative-driven music albums, such as How the Dead Live, informed the story’s rhythmic pacing and emotional beats.

Released alongside titles like Choice of Robots and Heroes Rise, Choice of the Cat leaned into niche humor at a time when the indie gaming scene was embracing unconventional protagonists. Its development cycle of 1.5 years reflected the studio’s confidence in text-based games’ enduring appeal, even as AAA studios prioritized hyper-realistic graphics.

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Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive

Playing as a rescued cat adopted by a Mitteleuropean family on the brink of divorce, players navigate a web of relationships, politics, and petty vengeance. The game’s genius lies in its dual narrative layers:

1. The Feline Perspective:
   As a cat, your goals range from securing the comfiest nap spot to orchestrating the downfall of humanity. The writing excels in absurdist comedy—knocking over vases, weaponizing hairballs, and interpreting human gestures (like belly rubs) as acts of submission.

2. The Human Drama:
   Owners Claire and Andre are entangled in their own crises. Claire, a Green Party-esque politician, campaigns for environmental reforms in a proportional-representation system, while Andre pursues a doomed music career. The cat’s actions—destroying a crucial contract or soothing Claire’s stress—directly influence their fates.

Themes:
– Power Dynamics: The cat’s manipulation of humans mirrors real-world political maneuvering. Will you rule through affection (“soft power” purrs) or fear (shredded furniture)?
– Gender and Identity: Players can reject binary gender constructs, a progressive touch for a non-human protagonist.
– Absurdity of Human Rituals: The game mocks everything from marital discord to social media fame (e.g., becoming a YouTube sensation for “adorable” antics).

Supporting characters like Bene, the family dog, and Maddox, a scarred alley cat, add depth, with their loyalty or rivalry shaped by player choices.

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Gameplay Mechanics & Systems

At its core, Choice of the Cat is a stat-driven RPG disguised as a narrative adventure. Key mechanics include:

• Attribute System: Traits like Manipulative vs. Demanding and Feral vs. Domesticated determine dialogue options and plot branches. High Audacity unlocks destructive choices, while Affection fosters alliances.
• Branching Outcomes: Decisions ripple across nine chapters. For example, ruining Andre’s guitar may doom his career but fuel Claire’s political resolve.
• Replayability: With 28 Steam achievements and wildly divergent endings (from reuniting the family to sparking a revolution), the game rewards multiple playthroughs.

Flaws:
– Stat Overload: Juggling 10+ traits can overwhelm players, as noted in IFDB reviews.
– Repetition: Early chapters rehash similar “cat routine” scenarios (sleep, eat, mischief), though the political/musical subplots later diversify the pacing.

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World-Building, Art & Sound

As a text-only game, Choice of the Cat relies on descriptive prose to craft its world:

• Setting: A fictional European nation with proportional elections (inspired by Reyne’s time in Germany) grounds Claire’s political arc. The suburban home contrasts with the wild, territorial alleys.
• Visuals: Richard Sherriff’s chapter headings and minimalist art evoke a storybook aesthetic, letting players’ imaginations populate the world.
• Sound: While lacking an official soundtrack, the prose’s rhythm—punctuated by feline “thoughts” like “The scratching post is your nemesis. Destroy it.”—creates a darkly comic tone.

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Reception & Legacy

At launch, the game garnered a 92% positive rating on Steam, praised for its humor and depth. Critics highlighted its boldness in centering a non-human protagonist, though some found the pacing uneven.

Legacy:
– Innovation in IF: It expanded the scope of ChoiceScript games, proving that niche themes (like “cat politics”) could sustain epic narratives.
– Influence: Later titles like Tally Ho (2019) and Creme de la Creme (2021) borrowed its stat-driven romance mechanics and satirical edge.

While not a commercial blockbuster, Choice of the Cat remains a cult classic, celebrated for its audacious premise and razor-sharp writing.

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Conclusion

Choice of the Cat is a triumph of interactive fiction—a game that balances slapstick humor with poignant commentary on human folly. Its sprawling narrative and complex systems may daunt casual players, but for those willing to embrace its chaos, it offers a laugh-out-loud, thought-provoking experience. In the pantheon of Choice of Games’ titles, it stands as a testament to the power of text to transport players into utterly absurd, yet strangely relatable, worlds.

Final Verdict: A quirky masterpiece that claws its way into the annals of interactive fiction history.