Neko Odyssey: A Purr-fect Adventure into Cat Photography and Relaxation

Not every game guides you and informs you precisely what actions to take. It might not be easy to navigate through the game effortlessly either. Neko Odyssey, the latest release from Secret Character focusing on cat photography, is one of these experiences. It revolves around cherishing adorable animals and leisurely enjoying your time in a quaint town, which requires players to adopt a relaxed rhythm as they engage with the game.

Neko Odyssey kicks off with the opposite of cat photography, introducing a tale of a hero who vanquishes a demon from Cat Island and seals it away, only for some spirits to escape and transform into cats. Fast forward, and Miki is a young lady visiting and staying with her aunt on Cat Island. Her goal is to pet and photograph every cute kitty. Along the way, she’ll assist others with their dilemmas, partake in mini-games, boost the happiness of animals, and gather more insights about the island.

In terms of capturing pictures of the cats, most of them are quite receptive to the idea. I discovered that for the majority, I could simply approach, take a snapshot, and be finished. In a few situations, I would also need to pet them. Some cats are a tad more difficult and might need something like food or an additional step to coax them out. Nevertheless, in those instances, you may receive a hint (like a conspicuous can of food image) or figure out a solution by exercising patience. Photos automatically upload to a fabricated social media platform afterward, earning you likes and followers.

The sole drawback concerning the cat pictures is the limited diversity among them. Generally, the cats tend to adopt the same positions repeatedly. Once I started reviewing my feed, I also observed that many showcased the same colors and patterns. Neko Odyssey is not akin to the Neko Atsume mobile and VR series, where each cat has a distinctly unique look or might pose in amusing ways depending on their location. There are a few cats that feel slightly more special, especially if you participate in the brief mini-games with them, but I found that the majority seemed rather commonplace.

I must mention that while there isn’t a distinctive feature that makes each cat feel uniquely delightful, in general, Neko Odyssey is a visually impressive game. Secret Character embraced a comprehensive pixel art style brimming with chic character and environmental sprites. The backgrounds and locations particularly stand out, although sadly there is no map available to assist in navigating the island and determining where you’ve been or not.

However, this seems intentional. While Neko Odyssey is fundamentally a cat photography game, at times it also feels akin to a slow-paced life simulation. You have a town to discover, filled with various places and sights to experience based on the time of day and your willingness to engage in conversations. You need to monitor your hunger and eat periodically if you wish to explore thoroughly. After advancing through a few in-game days, I genuinely sensed I was meant to take my time and roam leisurely, rather than rushing to locate and photograph every kitten. I desired more activities while casually exploring, as I feel there could have been a greater number of side quests. Yet, to be fair, it might be that I simply overlooked a few opportunities.

Furthermore, it should be noted that Neko Odyssey didn’t seem to fully support controller functionality during my playthrough. Generally, I navigated without any issues on the Lenovo Legion Go. Nonetheless, while interacting with characters and browsing shops, I had to revert to the touchscreen to proceed with dialogues or make transactions. Secret Character is quite active on the Steam Discussions page for the game, so it’s possible that this issue has already been resolved or will be by the time you read this.

Neko Odyssey is a leisurely sort of photography game focusing on taking your time while you pursue, satisfy, and photograph cats. Some individuals might feel slightly annoyed by the lack of variety, the sprawling town without a map, and…direction. I believe it’s certainly worthwhile the time devoted, particularly if you’re aiming to unwind with adorable characters and an enchanting town for a couple of hours.

Neko Odyssey can be found for PCs through Steam.