Sudocats
Developed by Devcats Games
Published by Silesia Games
Released for Xbox One|Series (5/9/2023)
Also on Linux/Mac/PC/PS4/PS5/Switch
INTRO
Sudocats marks the first release on an Xbox platform from the cat-centric developer Devcats Games. Putting a feline spin on the classic puzzle game sudoku, the game aims to offer a simple, quick experience for that niche audience of those that love both cats and Sudoku puzzles. Published by Silesia Games, let's take a look at Sudocats and see what it holds in store for us...
PRESENTATION/GRAPHICS
Sudocats features a colorful, basic menu screen that reminds me of something from the Nintendo Wii/DS days of gaming. The visuals aren't going to blow anybody away, but the cat drawings are cute and have enough charm that the graphic style works well for what the game is trying to accomplish. The audio is sparse, featuring some relaxing piano music that might just lull you into sleep mode if you play too long. All in all, Sudocats sports some basic sound and visuals but for a puzzle game they work just fine.
In regards to the audio, this game in particular suffered from heavy popping when playing with headphones to the point I had to use the TV volume while playing. I'm not sure what causes this, but this is the only game in recent memory that I've had this issue with and it's worth noting especially for those who prefer to play with headphones. This being a niche title, I couldn't find many talking about having a similar issue so it could've just been my headset (which is getting quite old at the time of this review).
GAMEPLAY/CONTROLS
The gameplay in Sudocats consists of a basic set of Sudoku puzzles which are made up of different varieties of cats instead of numbers. If you prefer a more traditional Sudoku experience, there's an option to toggle the cats into numbers. I figured the cat images would present a problem initially, but it didn't take long to warm up to them and I wound up using them for my whole playthrough. It's easy to select which cat/number you wish to place or remove. The game also saves your progress so you can pick up from where you left off next time you boot the game up.
The main game features 27 puzzles. These range in difficulty, starting out as 4x4 puzzles, then progressing to 6x6 and ending with your traditional 9x9 Sudoku puzzles. In addition to the main puzzles, there are 12 extra puzzles and also a daily challenge puzzle, so the game does offer a fair amount of content when compared to the price point ($2.99 USD).
From browsing through the user reviews, several players stated that the game doesn't create a separate save file if you play the game with a 2nd profile on the same console. If you're the sole user of your Xbox console, this won't present an issue, but if there is a second gamertag on that system you may have to erase the other player's progress to start a fresh save. Another issue that I came across firsthand was when the game received a title update while I was playing through it. I had a single puzzle left to complete in the "extra puzzles" section, but upon booting up after the update all of my progress was erased, causing me to do all of the extra puzzles a second time in order to earn that last achievement. This was annoying and hopefully they're done updating this game so nobody else runs into this problem.
CONCLUSION
If you're a fan of Sudoku puzzles and want some on your Xbox One or Series system, then Sudocats might be a fine way to kill a few hours. If you happen to enjoy both Sudoku and cats, then you'll probably like this one even more. This one's on the easy side (which also means easy achievements) but it's not a bad way to pass a little time.
Final Verdict: Sudocats is a basic Sudoku puzzle game with a feline twist. While it's a simple game, it's quite functional, easy to play and will serve up a few hours of fun for those who enjoy Sudoku puzzles.
Store Rating: 3/5
Note
- Yes, I'll now be implementing a basic 5-star rating system. This is
just to reflect the rating that I'll submit to the Microsoft store user
review section, but you'll be better off reading the review for a feel
of whether or not the game will appeal to you more than it did me! These scores can also be more specific than the storefront allows, as you can only do solid stars on there but I can be more specific with half points on here.)
Purchase Links:
Related Reviews:
Related Links:
Devcats Games - Official Site
Devcats Games - Official Site
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