Sparky Tail Games is creating Undercat, a nostalgic, non-linear 2D action platformer that they will release for PC, Switch, Xbox One, and PS4! This goofy, fur-brained project puts you in the fuzzy shoes of a dog who rises against his feline overlords! It promises all of the good old fashioned action and goofiness from the genre, including firing yourself out of canons to solve your problems. They could use a helping paw though, so check them out on Kickstarter!
The Story
Citadel City, a once prosperous and diverse metropolis, populated by animals of all kinds, has been conquered by cats. These feline fascists have established themselves as the ruling class, treating all other species as lesser beings and keeping them on a short leash. Anyone who refuses to heel is banished, vanished, or forced into the slums. Others are subjected to mind-controlling collars.
Born and raised in one of those slums comes Chips. He may be a good boy at heart, but he’s a tough freedom fighting hound who has his hackles up over this regime. Joining the resistance movement, you will guide Chips as he battles to reclaim the city for all of animal kind and send the kitties packing. To do so, though, Chips must fight his way into the top cat’s palace.
The Game
Unlike, say, the Sonic franchise, Undercat will have some variety in its missions. It will not simply be a matter of surviving from point A to point B, but achieving specific goals to weaken the cats’ grip on the city. You may have to eliminate groups of enemies and bosses, sure, but you may be expected to rescue captured operatives, liberate neighborhoods, hunt down supplies, and act as a diversion for larger operations. Each region of the city has a set of such tasks that you need to finish in order to initiate the final battle and free that district. Among those are the Slums, the Factory Sector, and Cat Territory. The resistance itself is based in the swamps outside of the city walls and will act as the starting level.
Some Mechanics
Chips can achieve his goals a variety of ways. As each level is non-linear, the developers intend to grant freedom in how to complete each level. To facilitate this, Chips has a variety of tools at his disposal. The simplest is simply picking up stuff and hucking it at baddies. This includes objects from the environment, usable items, and even the bodies of fallen foes.
Stealth likewise features. You can hide in bushes, garbage heaps, etc. to sneak around enemies or ambush them. If you are patient and prefer a pacifist or simply sneaky playstyle, then this may be your game.
As you play, there are various environmental factors that you can utilize. Cracked walls, massive cannons, and climbable ropes can give you an edge over enemies, solve puzzles, or allow you to circumvent problems entirely. You can likewise find various secrets throughout each level that you can quite literally sniff out. Finding these grants bonuses, unlocks hidden levels and bosses, and other benefits!
If you think that a friend may enjoy this, Undercat can also be played solo, in co-op, or in PvP!
Game Demo and Further Reading
If you are curious about Undercat, then you should absolutely investigate their Kickstarter page here! There you can find more information about the game and even get a code to download a free demo on Steam. You can join the game discord server here!
