Feline role-players have more places to create mischief in I Am Cat with the addition of a garage, garden, street and more to explore in VR on Quest and Steam.
Creators of I Am Cat revealed a look at the new areas and interactions in the game during the UploadVR Showcase, available from today in the Quest and Steam versions of the game. Here’s the official description on the Meta Horizon Store for Quest headsets:
In the full release of I Am Cat, your furry clawed paws can pounce around new environments, including a cluttered garage, a bustling butcher location, a sprawling big outside garden, and lively streets. Each new location comes with its own quests to complete, unlocking even more areas and deepening the game’s narrative. Along the way, you will encounter a diverse cast, including The Butcher, a mischievous Dog, a resourceful Mechanic, and a wise Grandpa, each adding unique interactions and quests.
The initial release of the title earlier this year was met with chart-topping interest, and I tasked UploadVR’s Don Hopper with becoming a kitten for a few hours to explore the expanded playground. He reports back that there’s a cluttered garage to explore, a bustling butcher shop filled with meaty treats, a sprawling garden full of hidden secrets, and a lively street scene that even has every cartoon cat’s nemesis, an overly muscular bulldog to contend with.
The areas each come with quests that encourage interaction with hidden items to discover and tasks to complete. The game uses arm-swinging locomotion, popularized by games like Gorilla Tag and No More Rainbows, and here it makes you feel like a virtual feline that can climb, jump, and sneak around the game’s environments while also providing an exhilarating sense of freedom. While this movement scheme is generally more immersive, especially in games like this, it does come with a few drawbacks. The energetic movements can become tiring, and some players may find themselves wishing for traditional stick-based free locomotion. The turning is set to snap by default and there are no options to change it.
The addition of smooth turning would be very welcome as there is a lot of movement in the game, so for those who prefer comfort, a swivel chair is highly recommended. This also allows players to pivot and turn without further wearing themselves out as they explore their new surroundings.
Character customization is another major addition in the full release. After accessing a secret room, players can personalize their virtual cats, adding a distinctive and personal flair. Appearance options include clothing, fur type and adding accessories to your cat’s outfit.
The omission of comfort settings may limit the enjoyment some players feel, especially those who might struggle with the current physically active locomotion mechanics.
The game so far in early access has a very high score of 4.9 stars from over 51,261 ratings and nearly 9,600 reviews on the Meta Store. We’ll be curious how it is received by Steam’s audience as developers explore a hand-tracked version on Apple Vision Pro as well.
As players finish the currently available quests, they’ll notice several areas on the map that remain locked, hinting at possible expansions while also instilling a sense of excitement for what lies ahead.
Keep an eye out for I Am Cat’s latest trailer in the UploadVR Showcase embedded below:
And be sure to tune into the VR Gamescast next week as we discuss all the cats being let loose on the street, as well as our Behemoth graphics comparison.
This article was originally published on uploadvr