As much as I enjoy my big, flashy games with hectic boss fights, fancy weapons, piles of loot, and immersive storylines, sometimes, ya just gotta chill. To a degree, the Ace Attorney games have filled this role in my recent gaming life; however, working through their twisty-turny logic in trying to defend clients is often enough to tie my own brain in knots. There are times where I simply don’t want to think that hard with gaming. Enter in Little Kitty, Big City, a new game that sits nicely in the “cozy” gaming space where no one must fend for one’s life or save the universe. In it, you are simply a curious cat exploring a world while trying to find the way home.

*Spoilers ahead!*

Oh, and you get hats. Lots of HATS! My own cat could never stand hats, but some cats seem quite alright with them. Our titular little kitty falls in the latter camp, and getting all the hats on offer is the endgame, or something like that.

So, yes, the plot of Little Kitty, Big City is both primary and secondary. After accidently tumbling out of its apartment window, Little Kitty is stuck on the streets of the big city (one reminiscent of Tokyo, perhaps?). Turns out that it’s a long climb back home, and Little Kitty must gain strength by finding and eating fish to make it successfully. A chance encounter with a talkative crow brings all this to light, and sets the main story in motion. Of course, the crow isn’t just giving away fish; oh no, Little Kitty must work for it by obtaining “shinies,” the game’s currency. Gathering up shinies in various ways makes up most of Little Kitty’s to-do list at first. Eventually Little Kitty happens upon other creatures in the big city who need assistance; hence, Little Kitty’s to-do list begins to grow to include things like…

Eliminating jam jars for a sleepy feline.

Gather feathers for an inventive tanuki.

Buying and finding MORE HATS! (Of course.)

Locating and returning a group of missing ducklings.

Avoiding cucumbers.

Distracting annoying dogs with tasty bones.

Making soccer goals.

Y’know, tasks that any normal cat would attend to.

The to-do list, of course, leads to exploration, the game’s primary draw. At a certain point, Little Kitty obtains a city map, which does reveal it to be rather…uh, big. The map, however, only shows the world in two dimensions, and Little Kitty lives in three. Climbing up, thanks to the help of crates, cars, and other climbable items, reveals many surprises. Between exploring balconies and rooftops and numerous ground-level crevices, there’s almost no end to where Little Kitty can go! And, as we already established, the more fish Little Kitty finds, the more climbing ability is gained.

I’ve seen recent comparisons between Little Kitty, Big City and Stray, but really, the association there ends at “main character is a cat.” Little Kitty, Big City is much more like to Untitled Goose Game, both in gameplay and graphics. There is an interesting contrast between Little Kitty, Big City’s animals and the world they inhabit – living creatures, besides humans, are all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, and quite garrulous in their own witty/opinionated/curious ways (except for the barking dogs and chirping birds). Even Little Kitty has quite the formidable vocabulary! The amusing conversations that happen between cat and creature certainly help keep things lively, and is worth talking to whomever happens to cross Little Kitty’s path.

Little Kitty, Big City is a very sweet, relaxing, and entertaining game. I spent my time with Little Kitty on the Xbox through Game Pass, but you can also explore the big city with Little Kitty on the Switch and Steam. The game may not wow with big explosions or invoke the senses with tense drama, but what it does offer in calm exploration and an adorable cat-in-multiple-hats, it offers quite well.

All images, including lede, were captured by author during Xbox gameplay of Little Kitty, Big City (© Double Dagger Studio).