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Catherine - Playstation 3
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About this item
- Vincent's waking fears, doubts, pressures, and growing guilt about commitment and fidelity now gleefully follow him into his dreams.
- The player must navigate Vincent through heavy moral decisions. As in real life, hardly anything is black and white.
- Famed character artist Shigenori Soejima and master composer Shoji Meguro create sights and sounds unlike anything else.
- Local competitive and cooperative multiplayer modes ensure many thrills and horrors of racing through twisted stages.
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Product information
ASIN | B004P7VGF2 |
---|---|
Release date | July 26, 2011 |
Customer Reviews |
4.6 out of 5 stars |
Best Sellers Rank | #26,246 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games) #315 in PlayStation 3 Games |
Product Dimensions | 4.72 x 4.72 x 4.72 inches; 0.53 ounces |
Type of item | Video Game |
Language | English |
Rated | Mature |
Item model number | 730865001385 |
Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | Yes |
Item Weight | 0.528 ounces |
Manufacturer | Atlus |
Date First Available | March 1, 2011 |
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Product Description
As Vincent, a man recently succumbed to the irresistible beauty of the game's titular diversion, players find themselves swept into a treacherous love triangle. Catherine's core themes-those of free will, of the delicate nature of relationships and the choices we make within them, marry perfectly with the intense, terror-filled gameplay that serves to accurately reflect Vincent's growing sense of anxiety. It is an experience wholly unlike any to come before it, and is certain to leave gamers talking and thinking about Vincent's tribulations long after the credits have rolled.
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Catherine - Are You Committed
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Catherine--Cat Or Kat Trailer
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Catherine
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Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers like the graphics, entertainment value, and sound quality of the board game. They mention that it's an amazing work of art, the story is just fun, and the music is relaxing and jazzy. They appreciate the value for money, saying it'd be worth the money. However, some customers disagree on ease of use, difficulty, and quality.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the entertainment value of the board game to be high. They mention that the story is just fun, it keeps them engaged and interested, and the game is a totally unique experience. They also appreciate the challenging puzzles and the surprisingly deep gameplay.
"...As anyone who has played the Persona series can attest to, Atlus crafts excellent stories, and Catherine is no exception...." Read more
"...The gameplay here is surprisingly deep - your interactions with other customers early in the game can drastically alter their stories in the latter..." Read more
"...even for the minor characters and they do an excellent job at making the characters believable.WHO WILL ENJOY THIS GAME?..." Read more
"...The music in this game is very jazzy and relaxing, with multiple soundtracks to choose from at the bar...." Read more
Customers are satisfied with the graphics of the game. They mention that it is an amazing work of art, with 2D anime sequences that the game graphics emulate well. They also appreciate the attractive creepiness to the game, which is original and well-made.
"...The thing that grabbed me the most about Catherine is that it is so unique; there's really nothing else on the market that's quite like it...." Read more
"...Visually its great, no glitches so far and solid animations.The one thing that won me over the most was the dialog...." Read more
"...the graphic in this game are very good and beautifully made with resolution 720p and because it's an anime graphic type that made more special 5/5..." Read more
"I'm not even a straight guy but this game was awesome. Gorgeous visuals, interesting characters and gameplay that is pretty addicting...." Read more
Customers are satisfied with the value of the board game. They mention it is well worth the money, comes packaged like it was brand new, and is worth owning.
"...Being a sizable game, [Catherine] is a good bang for your buck...." Read more
"...buy a full price game freshly released but this was definitely worth my money." Read more
"...The game arrived in perfect condition brand new and works perfectly. Thanks Amazon and the video game developer ATLUS!" Read more
"...Worth the money!" Read more
Customers like the sound quality of the board game. For example, they say the soundtrack is amazing, with classic Persona music. Some say the sound is average, but there are multiple soundtracks to choose from.
"...The music in this game is very jazzy and relaxing, with multiple soundtracks to choose from at the bar...." Read more
"...Plus, the soundtrack in this game is great--I've had the few of the songs stuck in my head for a while now...." Read more
"...Audio: Sound quality as average. There was a problem when it switches to the anime cutscenes that the volume will go way up...." Read more
"...The music is fantastic, as each BGM really gives the mood at that particular storyline...." Read more
Customers are satisfied with the dialogue in the board game. They mention that the voice acting is fantastic, the dialogue is pretty darn good, and the English acting is not so bad. They also appreciate the character interaction.
"...Audio was great for the game. Voice acting was fantastic, especially for Troy Baker, Michelle Ruff, and Laura Bailey in the lead roles of Vincent,..." Read more
"...The voice acting on all the characters is top notch even for the minor characters and they do an excellent job at making the characters..." Read more
"...The characters in this game are great and the voice acting is excellent...." Read more
"...Voice acting was great. It wasn't retarded who anime are dubbed in English and it completely sucked. So the English voice acting was decent...." Read more
Customers are mixed about the difficulty of the board game. Some mention that it never gets old and can be incredibly challenging, while others say that it starts to get challenging halfway through the game. The stages actually require you to think and use your brain, and you learn a lot of great techniques throughout so you feel a little more skilled and quick. However, some customers also say that the game is a bit too difficult and can become excruciatingly frustrating on the harder difficulty settings.
"...At first it is pretty easy and straightforward to manage your way to the top. But after a few stages it gets increasingly difficult...." Read more
"...aren't too bad, but by the 5th or 6th day, the difficulty will have grown significantly...." Read more
"...The first few puzzles had me sold. And the puzzles do get difficult as you progress...." Read more
"...These levels are randomly generated, long, and incredibly difficult (substantially harder than any of the story levels), so if you're up for the..." Read more
Customers have mixed opinions about the quality of the board game. Some mention that it's dark and twisted, while others say that it is a high-quality experience. The gameplay works, and is fun, but some customers say that the game is very hard and not funny.
"...Fortunately, there's plenty of things to do -- there are 8 different endings to the game based on your choices and there is additional content to..." Read more
"...I started to get the hang of it I guess. Anyways, the games hard, plan to die a lot, if your like me and your not good at doing puzzles fast...." Read more
"...These levels are randomly generated, long, and incredibly difficult (substantially harder than any of the story levels), so if you're up for the..." Read more
"...The story is kind of short, but that's how it is with games that have multiple endings...." Read more
Customers have mixed opinions about the ease of use of the board game. Some mention that the game is really hard, while others say that it is fun and challenging. The puzzles are fast-paced, and the cut scenes are interactive. However, some customers say that the games can feel repetitive and boring after awhile.
"...Some of the later puzzles become particularly tricky to solve at points, and since the bottommost blocks will be falling as time progresses, you do..." Read more
"...The one gripe I have is that the puzzle sequences are very repetitive and by the end you're just wanting them to be over with...." Read more
"...And just because it's hard doesnt mean it isnt fun. We all need a challenge in our lives once in a while." Read more
"...good for the other girl's ending that you didn't pick but it was too repetitive to play more than twice to get the other endings...." Read more
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As anyone who has played the Persona series can attest to, Atlus crafts excellent stories, and Catherine is no exception. The story focuses around Vincent Brooks. Vincent is in his early thirties and has been dating his girlfriend Katherine for the past few years. They have a good relationship, but recently Katherine has been dropping hints about setting down and making their relationship more permanent. When the game begins, Vincent's world turns upside down -- he begins to have strange, terrifying nightmares that threaten his very life in the real world and he meets a mysterious, seductive beauty named Catherine.
Before I continue, let's get this out of the way, since this question almost always seems to come up about this game. In case you're wondering if Catherine is just a game meant for shallow men, let me dispel those beliefs right away. Catherine takes itself very seriously and is far from being simply eye candy for teenage boys. Catherine is a game that is far more interested in examining the complexities of human relationships and emotions than providing cheap thrills. Okay? Good, now let's continue on.
The gameplay is split between two parts -- Vincent's nightmares and the time he spends in the local bar with his friends. In the nightmare sequences, the game behaves like a puzzle game. Vincent starts at the bottom of a tower of blocks and must push, pull, and climb his way to the top before time runs out. Early on, the puzzles aren't too bad, but by the 5th or 6th day, the difficulty will have grown significantly. Not only are the arrangements of blocks more challenging to deal with, but as the game progresses, new types of blocks will appear -- ice blocks that make Vincent slide, trap blocks that will kill Vincent if he isn't fast enough, and spring blocks that will propel him to new heights. Let me assure you that as simple as moving blocks may seem at first, there is a great deal of depth to these seemingly simple game mechanics.
Make no mistake -- Catherine is a very difficult game. Whether it's harder than NISA's "Prinny 2" is arguable, but this is hands down going to be one of the most difficult games you play all year. Some of the later puzzles become particularly tricky to solve at points, and since the bottommost blocks will be falling as time progresses, you don't have the luxury of being able to take your time. Furthermore, each "stage" of puzzle gameplay ends with a boss level -- the goal is exactly the same, but now you also have to contend with a boss that is trying to kill you, so you'll have to be extra fast. While some people might complain about the difficulty, I think that this was a good choice by Atlus -- the difficulty you face gives further meaning to Vincent's struggles and frankly, the puzzle gameplay would be boring if it was too simple (like Demon's Souls -- think about it, would that game have been nearly as much fun if you had no challenge?).
After you beat a boss, you're treated to a few cutscenes and before you know it, you'll be in the local bar with your friends. Here you can walk around, play the arcade, change the music on the jukebox, talk to people, and have some drinks. Each of these activities has benefits -- for example, talking to people can impact their fate in the storyline and drinking lots of alcohol will make you faster during the nightmare sequences. This is much more casual gameplay, but believe me, by the half-way point in the game, you'll be ready for those breaks in block climbing. (As a fun aside, the music in the jukebox is all music from previous Atlus games, along with Catherine's music itself. Fans of Atlus games will have lots to enjoy there.)
The thing that grabbed me the most about Catherine is that it is so unique; there's really nothing else on the market that's quite like it. You could compare it to puzzle games, but very few puzzle games have this much of an emphasis on characters and story. You could compare it to something like "Heavy Rain", but even that isn't quite fair since that would completely disregard the puzzle aspect. And the storyline examines human relationships and love in a way that video games have never sought to do before. Regardless of whether or not you are interested in this kind of game, you have to admit that this is certainly unique. There's *nothing* else like this coming out this year.
Audio was great for the game. Voice acting was fantastic, especially for Troy Baker, Michelle Ruff, and Laura Bailey in the lead roles of Vincent, Katherine, and Catherine respectively. Overall, the music isn't quite as good as some of Shoji Meguro's previous works, but to be fair it's also hard to top Digital Devil Saga and Persona. It's still quite a good soundtrack -- especially the music for the puzzle gameplay, which features Shoji Meguro's own "modern" versions of classical music by composers such as Holst, Bach, and Chopin.
The only major downside I can come up with is that the game is somewhat short -- I finished my first run in about 15 hours. Fortunately, there's plenty of things to do -- there are 8 different endings to the game based on your choices and there is additional content to unlock (including local multiplayer -- climb the blocks with (or against!) a friend). Whether or not that's worth $60 is up to you. If you're interested, I'd advise not waiting too long to pick it up -- Atlus games don't seem to be as rare as NISA titles lately, but since Atlus games tend to be niche titles, it's always a possibility that they'll stop printing new copies.
Lastly, if you're on the fence, give the demo a shot -- it's free and gives you a sample of a few early levels (including the first boss). Plus you'll get to see a few of the cutscenes, so you'll get a feel for the storyline as well.
There are three main characters in Catherine - Vincent Brooks, the protagonist, Katherine (yes, that's with a "K"), Vincent's longtime girlfriend who is starting to push Vincent towards marriage, and Catherine, a mysterious young woman who enters Vincent's life out of the blue. Catherine is unusually aggressive in pursuing Vincent, and before he knows it, he has a drunken one-night stand with her. Needless to say, this causes all sorts of complications in his relationship with Katherine. The fact that various men around town are dying strange deaths in their sleep only adds to Vincent's stress.
There are two distinct modes of gameplay within Catherine, and the game keeps them more or less separate from each other. On the one hand, there's the story of the game, which occurs during the day. The story is told through anime cutscenes and an interactive environment in the local bar, the Stray Sheep, where Vincent can walk around, talk to other patrons, the staff, play an arcade game (which is a variation on the puzzle game which takes place during Vincent's nightmares), watch the TV news, and even get drunk. The gameplay here is surprisingly deep - your interactions with other customers early in the game can drastically alter their stories in the latter part of the game. Responses Vincent makes to other people (and there are lots of these decisions) also alter an "order/chaos" meter, which impacts the ending of the game. The story-driven part of the game probably occupies something like 1/3 or so of the total playtime of Catherine.
The puzzle part of the game takes place during Vincent's nightmares. He needs to climb up massive block structures before the bottom part of the structure falls out from under him, thereby killing him. It's a bit hard to explain the gameplay in words, but you can watch lots of videos on game review sites or Youtube. Basically, you want to climb up this large vertical structure, and can climb onto blocks one level above you, so you need to push and pull blocks to arrange them in a pattern which makes it possible to keep moving up. The bottom of the structure gradually falls away, which acts as the timer for these puzzles. The game starts out relatively simple, but as you get further in the game tosses more and more types of blocks at you, like heavy blocks, spike blocks (which kill you if you don't immediately walk off them), bomb blocks, ice blocks, and monster blocks. There are also items which grant beneficial effects to Vincent. Each night concludes with a "boss fight" of sorts, where you don't actually fight a boss, but each boss has its own distinct mechanic it adds to the climbing puzzle.
It's not immediately obvious from the description above that the game is hard, but as many people have already mentioned, the game is hard - definitely harder than the average game out there. Fortunately, Catherine comes with three (actually four, there's a "secret" Very Easy difficulty) difficulty levels, and "Easy" isn't prohibitively hard, although I don't think the average player would call describe it as "easy" either. The developers did a good job making death frustrating. There are checkpoints scattered throughout most levels so you don't have to restart at the very beginning if you die, and the levels aren't prohibitively long. As the story puzzles are designed in advance, if you repeatedly die on a level you will gradually get better at it as you learn to climb more efficiently. There was really only one level (out of more than twenty) which gave me any noticeable amount of frustration.
A full initial playthrough of the game should take most people between ten and fifteen hours. Fortunately, Catherine has A TON of replayability. Replaying levels you have already completed (for higher scores or just for fun) is incredibly convenient. If you get gold medals on enough levels, you unlock bonus levels which are outside of the story. These levels are randomly generated, long, and incredibly difficult (substantially harder than any of the story levels), so if you're up for the challenge they will keep you occupied for many, many hours. (If you look at the online leaderboards for the random levels, only about 250-300 people in the entire world have posted a completion of the most difficult bonus level.) The arcade puzzle game, called "Rapunzel", has over a hundred (short) levels, and is a nice variant on the primary puzzle play in that it requires you to complete block puzzles not in a fixed amount of time, but in a fixed number of moves. The story also has immense replayability; the game has eight distinct endings, all of which are quite different from each other. The conclusion of the story can vary tremendously based on your actions during the story portion of the game. In perhaps one of the most pleasantly surprising design decisions in Catherine, once you get a gold medal on a story puzzle level in either normal or hard difficulty, you can skip that level entirely at that difficulty. What this means is that if you want to see all the different endings or just see how the story part of the game changes if you play differently, you can quickly do so by skipping the puzzle portions of the game.
This game really does a lot of things right; to be honest I can't identify any major flaws. There are some frustrations with the controls and camera work when Vincent climbs behind the blocks, but this happens so infrequently that I can't really describe this as a "major" flaw. The game definitely is not for everyone; if you hate puzzle games you're probably not going to like Catherine. If you're aren't sure whether this game is your cup of tea, try downloading the demo from PSN or borrowing it from a friend. The story is surprisingly mature and grasps with issues that no other game really has addressed, like commitment and infidelity. The initial playthrough takes a comparable amount of time to most other non-RPG games, but the replayability can easily extend the amount of time you play this game by a factor of, say, five. It's good to see original, unique games like Catherine being published and doing well, and hopefully the creative minds at Atlus will keep up the good work.
Top reviews from other countries
Por mucho que me duela, este juego no se recomienda, es demasiado único y la única manera de saber si te va a gustar es que tú lo juegues. Por mí parte sólo puedo decir que me encantó todo; el soundtrack que son remixes de melodías clásicas de Choppin, Mozart, Beethoven, etc., así como los escenearios que derrochan un diseño único, personajes interesantes, una historia bien contada e intrigante, con sus toques de comedia y drama así como de cosas sencillamente loquísimas. Este juego es una experiencia única, que peca de poca accesibilidad, pues el juego sólo se encuentra en inglés (hablando de esta versión de PS3) y con trofeos extrañamente en japonés. El juego dura unas doce horas, que pueden llegar hasta 50 si quieres sacar el 100%. Es un platino difícil que te hará enojar de vez en cuando, pero muy divertido de sacar.
Catherine, para mí, es un juegazo al que vuelvo de vez en cuando debido a su rejugabilidad, a ese diseño de niveles ingenioso. El gameplay no es para todo el mundo, es un juego de puzzles disfrazado de novela gráfica, pero la única manera de saber si el juego es para ti, es jugandolo.
Reviewed in Mexico on August 31, 2021
Por mucho que me duela, este juego no se recomienda, es demasiado único y la única manera de saber si te va a gustar es que tú lo juegues. Por mí parte sólo puedo decir que me encantó todo; el soundtrack que son remixes de melodías clásicas de Choppin, Mozart, Beethoven, etc., así como los escenearios que derrochan un diseño único, personajes interesantes, una historia bien contada e intrigante, con sus toques de comedia y drama así como de cosas sencillamente loquísimas. Este juego es una experiencia única, que peca de poca accesibilidad, pues el juego sólo se encuentra en inglés (hablando de esta versión de PS3) y con trofeos extrañamente en japonés. El juego dura unas doce horas, que pueden llegar hasta 50 si quieres sacar el 100%. Es un platino difícil que te hará enojar de vez en cuando, pero muy divertido de sacar.
Catherine, para mí, es un juegazo al que vuelvo de vez en cuando debido a su rejugabilidad, a ese diseño de niveles ingenioso. El gameplay no es para todo el mundo, es un juego de puzzles disfrazado de novela gráfica, pero la única manera de saber si el juego es para ti, es jugandolo.
Throughout the game there are puzzles which revolve around stacking blocks to reach the top, with the difficulty getting harder as you progress. Even though the basics appear simple and something that might become boring, it actually is fun throughout with variations to the game play (exploding boxes, jumping blocks, crazy monsters, etc).
This is a no-brainer, buy this game. I had a lot of fun, and you will certainly as well.