I'm drawn to the ocean, whether it's watching shows about the big blue mystery that covers most of our world, spending days swimming in the sea when I'm on vacation, or listening to the crashing waves to relax. There is something about the ocean that calms me deeply. So when I saw that there was a Steam Next Fest demo for Cat Clean Ocean, I jumped at the opportunity to try to find some moments of calm among the stress and chaos of everyday life, and I wasn't disappointed.
Before we get into it, I know what you're thinking: it looks a lot like the Zen cousin of last year's Loddlenaut from developer Moon Lagoon. There are many similarities between the two games, including the ocean cleaning part. But there are also some key differences that set them apart (and since Loddlenaut is also available as a demo right now, you can also judge for yourself and see which one you prefer). For me, this mainly comes down to tone and vibes. While Loddlenaut feels more involved and guided as a cleaning experience, offering more objective markers and reminders about where to go next, Cat Clean Ocean is more freeform, making it an even more relaxing experience in my books. Don't get me wrong. Loodlenaut has its own distinct charm, something Cat Clean Ocean fails to achieve at the end of its demo, but I'm hopeful that the full game can rectify this.
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Still, in Cat Clean Ocean's Steam Next Fest demo, you can almost completely explore Brightwater Bay, a small lagoon that is one of six regions on the map that have been affected by trash and pollution. Like Tom the Cat (led by Dr. Garfield, of course), your job is to clean the ocean with your net and vacuum to make it a more habitable place for marine life.
Now, I say this as someone who deplores the noise of a real-world vacuum cleaner and puts on headphones to drown out the noise of inevitable housework, but vacuuming up the purple capsules of pollution I found here was deeply satisfying. Watching the liquid be sucked away to reveal a rejuvenated chunk of coral was like peeling the plastic film off a new phone, and the gentle rumble of my controller added to the experience even further.
Your vacuum cleaner is not the only tool at your disposal. There is also a net that can collect pieces of trash floating in the water, which you can then take to a recycling machine and turn them into useful materials. 'Make the ocean clean' – check. 'Get materials for fresher cleaning supplies' – check. 'Feel good' – check again.
However, you can't get carried away with cleaning or you could drown your feline hero: his oxygen level slowly decreases the more you clean and the more active you are, so you'll need to replenish him periodically at the oxygen stations scattered around the place. the area. It's a good idea to make a mental note of where they are, although the compass tells you when you're close to one. Still, I could You've gotten carried away breathing in pollution and, well, you know what they say about cats and curiosity.
There are also research stations where you can unlock new tools or upgrade the ones you have, and an area radar that shows you the current pollution/trash levels of the area you are in. These are not the only machines you have. However, you will discover it, and the more you discover, the further your efforts will go in helping you make the ocean a better place.
Ocean pollution is, of course, a very real problem, and playing this demo made me think a lot about the damage being done to our marine environments. Cat Clean Ocean isn't too strict in its messaging on this, please note: when you first deposit a particular piece of trash, you'll get a little information telling you what it is and how it's impacting the area. but I think it is enough to give you the space to reflect on these issues from your personal point of view. I'm sure there's always more that can be done, and I hope the full game doesn't disappoint in this regard. For now, however, her demo remains a deeply relaxing experience and is on my list for times when I need something to calm me down and escape the stresses of life above sea level.