100 Forest Cats Review (PC)

In light of the 100 Cats roaring success and all-round popularity among point-and-click fans, the inception of 100 Forest Cats just feels right. Without doubt, it was the most plausible scenario for 100 Cozy Games to branch out to—an idyllic forest that would keep the colorless canvas intact, but also pave the way for yet another hundred-plus feline companions for players to find.

The idea hasn’t changed since its initial release, I’ll admit, but somewhere in between familiarity and predictability idles an unbreakable root that deserves all the nutrition that comes with it. And here, in the latest installment to the bottomless world of kitten catching, a peppering of familiar DNA reveals the things that we’ve come to know and love about the point-and-click saga — mesmerizing hand-drawn visuals, harmonic sound effects, and enough hidden gems to keep you emotionally invested for hours of mindless play. That’s all here and “more.” The only difference between this and, say, 100 Aztec Cats, is the location. But other than that, what you see is what you get: a colorless art book that’s as equally elegant as it is wholesome.

Of course, you could quite easily bundle just about every chapter that 100 Cats has written into the one litter box and then take your pick. Suffice it to say that, although each entry in the anthology has its own world for you to pot around in, most, if not all of the games will provide you with the same experience. That isn’t to say that you should give 100 Forest Cats the cold shoulder, mind you. Oh no, if you’re actively searching for an substitute for Cats & Seek: Tokyo or Cats Hidden in Georgia, then you’ll definitely want to keep your claws buried in this woodland grotto. Not convinced? Stick with us.

If You Go Down to the Woods Today

100 Forest Cats transports you to the latest chapter in its multi-world anthology—a classically crafted point-and-click series that tasks you with one simple goal: to locate upwards of two-hundred kittens over two levels for the sake of fleshing out a journal. Unlike the first couple of entries in the series—games that were initially designed to accommodate a single level with just the introductory hundred hidden cats—Forest has a little more meat on the bones, so to speak. With the generous addition of a second level and twice the feline population to unearth, Forest doubles down to adopt more locations, more scenarios, and even more capture-worthy moments to enjoy long after the final companion fills out the final page.

The art style here remains simple, yet true to the long-lasting format that 100 Cats has been chalking up and hashing out for a little over two years, give or take. It isn’t quite as intricate as Cats & Seek, mostly due to the fact that it favors bolder line work, wider spaces, and a particular style of liminal expression as opposed to a traditional Where’s Waldo cutout. That said, even with a simpler, less chaotic canvas to display its inner workings, there’s still a tremendous amount of beauty embedded within the black and white portrayal of this surprisingly elegant locale. To say that’s it‘s cute feels like a cheap compliment. But honestly, that’s exactly what it is: a cute, entry-level search-and-find puzzler with no strings attached.

Melodic Meows

100 Forest Cats is still as easy as ever to navigate, with the game sticking to that increasingly common scrub-and-select mechanic that allows players the flexibility to ponder and carefully analyze each location on the map at their own pace and tackle obstacles in a free-flowing manner. Like before, Forest also features a nifty built-in save system, on-hand tips, and a useful zoom tool for helping to identity some of those peskier pets who prefer to stow themselves away in some rather peculiar places out in the wooded area and its surrounding fantasy-like treetop homesteads.

All positives cast aside for a moment, there is but one issue here: the lag between the click and the activation of a found cat. In some cases, the game doesn’t always register your click, meaning, you often have to make a couple of attempts in order for it to, well, acknowledge the input. It isn’t exactly a game-breaking thing, but it does dampen an otherwise fluid experience.

All in all, you should be able to sweep all two hundred cats beneath the rug in just under thirty minutes, give or take. It comes as no major surprise here, then, that once the last cat has been located, the game doesn’t make any further attempt to lather any additional content into the cauldron for you to explore. To that end, it is definitely a one and done deal, which means that you’ll likely struggle to squeeze any more out of it than what’s already there in front of you the moment the veil lifts. But hey, for as little as a dollar, it’s hard to raise an eyebrow and lodge an informal complaint.

Verdict

100 Cats’ nine lives haven’t run their course just yet, as the series has so beautifully shown in yet another cozy incarnation of the series’ most beloved blueprint. True enough, it isn’t drastically different than the previous, or even the original installment that first came to light back in 2023. But as that timeless saying goes, if it ain’t broke — don’t fix it. And I honestly couldn’t think of a more fitting quote to lather over the exterior of 100 Forest Cats.

There’s comfort to be found within the familiar boroughs of a cozy hand-drawn art book. Although 100 Forest Cats itself is without the inclusion of revamped mechanics or any special features, it is, in all honesty, a reminder that there’s still an element of longevity in dated, albeit compelling formulas. It’s a homely comfort that doesn’t need any more than the usual trimmings of a textbook point-and-click hidden object game, is what I’m trying to convey. If that’s the sort of sweet treat that you often find yourself willing to indulge in, then you’re sure to find no shortage of reminiscent flavors here.