Political Pawsibilities: The Absurdist Premise of Cat President
American politics has been a whirlwind recently and here in the UK we have watched it all unfold with a steady eye.
It’s featured comebacks from someone who we thought was dead and buried, includes the involvement of the richest man in the world taking sides, and the beginning of a whole new world chapter. No matter whether you are for or against it, we now live in a world where nothing surprises.
But what would you think if I told you a cat was running for president? That’s the premise of the visual novel game Cat President: A More Purrfect Union. I went on the campaign trail to see what it was all about.
Photo-Novel Style
Oh, a Rock! Studios who have made this game specialise in wacky off-beat visual novel games that basically run as photo stories that you follow along. I have played and reviewed The Pizza Delivery Boy Who Saved the World before, enjoying the simple gameplay and the mad story.
My feelings haven’t moved that much with Cat President: A More Purrfect Union. You need to turn off your gaming brain and embrace the madness with this one. Only then will you have a good time.
Feline Candidates and Campaign Chaos
So the story set up goes something like this.
In America 20 years ago before this event, the supreme court ruled that humans can’t be trusted to rule anymore so they decided cats would run for the highest office in the country. Luckily, cats can talk and go on campaign trails and do such a good job that now it’s the status quo and no one wants to change it.
You play a young adult who is down on her luck, heading off with her friend to presidential debates where several candidates are presenting their cases to a live audience. She ends up being randomly selected to ask a question to the candidates and the result is that they all want to take her on in the campaign team.
So the first choice for you in Cat President: A More Purrfect Union is to select the potential cat president you want to work with. The game then has a series of chapters relating to that presidential contender’s story and how it plays out. When you finish you can go back and choose another to play through.
A Purr-fectly Peculiar Roster
Amongst your choices, without spoiling things, is Frisky, a cat who is charming but has a thing for the ladies. There is Thunderpaw who rocks a blond wig and might remind a little of someone else in power at the moment. There is also Rover who is hiding a secret.
There are six different storylines to follow, taking around 30 to 45 minutes each; at least if you can read fast.
You see there isn’t much to the gameplay except reading, following the narrative and making choices that affect the three different endings per cat’s story. It is a fun and wacky journey but also has some biting satire about recent – and present – politics across the world.
Homemade Charm: Visuals, Audio, and Atmosphere
Cat President: A More Purrfect Union uses real pictures of people, cats and backgrounds, that I guess have been borrowed or set up to allow for humorous shots. It all has a nice homemade charm, very much like that which was found in their other previous work. You should know though, you’ll either be totally into it, understanding the vibes, or you won’t. I very much doubt there will be anything in between.
For me, it’s the particular tone and style that I enjoy. There isn’t any voice-over, but there are plenty of sound effects and bits of music here and there. And of course you’ll be treated to plenty of cat noises.
A Wacky Political Satire with Feline Flair
So, will you like Cat President: A More Purrfect Union? Well, personally I think it’s important to have games like this on the Xbox. It harks back to a time from years gone by in which gaming experiences never took themselves too seriously.
You’re right, this isn’t a game that is going to break any records or win too many awards, but it will make you laugh, and there are lots of different stories to follow and a host of endings to unlock; at least if you have the time and patience.
Could a cat become president of the USA? After the last couple of years, anything is possible.
Your Furry Links
Meow Is the Time! Cat President: A More Purrfect Union Lands on Xbox – https://www.thexboxhub.com/meow-is-the-time-cat-president-a-more-purrfect-union-lands-on-xbox/
Become a Cat President on Xbox – https://www.xbox.com/en-gb/games/store/cat-president-a-more-purrfect-union/9PDN9L1GMCKS
