It's an incredible adult game. Puzzles are intense and original, the story really keeps you coming back for more and all the game's personality is awesome.
For me, the best surprise of the latest months!

Catherine is a amazing puzzle game, but it's not a game for everyone. If you are not a puzzle person, then don't even play this game because beside the amazing story and art design, the game play is almost just puzzles, there isn't more to it. The voice acting is good and the the difficulty of the puzzle are quite good even in easy, it may be a little hard for those who aren't used to these types of games.… Expand

its quiet rare that sometimes in a generation few games turned out that are totally different from all the games in the market, the most horrifying fact is that are they any good Catherine is one of those kind of games People who were behind persona have came up with such a game for this generation and as you know about Persona series well of corz, Catherine is one hell of an experience that no other game has given to u !
Story starts of with a guy called Vincet and his life and his girlfriend, whose name is Katherine, and well he meets a seductive woman in bar called Catherine and he cheates on Katherine and well you will fall into story as it goes it turn very attracting and interesting that i dont want to spoil anymore ...
gameplay is being devided to two sides, just like Persona series, one in real world as you go around and interact with other characters and one in Vincent's dream where you end up in an interesting puzzle, you have to climb up a tower which is made of different cubes, there are many traps along the way and you have to open you way by moving cubes along to top of the tower, as you get closer to the end of the game these puzzle start to become SURPRISINGLY DIFFICULT that may be frustrating.
But what satisfies the gamer most is the adult oriented story, its about relationships and so on, which other games doest pay attention to it that much other than other ATLUS games ...
graphically and artistically catherine has much to show off, beautoful colors in the world and nicely drawn and developed characters and so on.
I picked up the Collection edition at the first day, it was kind of a weird CE since it gives u a pervert feeling with having boxer, sexy pillowcase and catherine shirt in it WTF !
but overall
its fun
cuz whatver this game offers you is much different than any other exicting game in this generation, of corz the kinda same will be the P4G for vita.… Expand

Catherine is a twisted anime RPG that won’t be for everyone, but it’s definitely worth taking a look. You play the role of Vincent who is caught between two women, his fiancé and the girl of his dreams (Katherine and Catherine, respectively). Speaking of dreams, whenever you sleep you have to run from your nightmares by way of an “Intelligence Cube”-esque puzzler…and you have horns and a prns and a pillow…because you and others in your dream are sheep that are all being slaughtered. Yeah. All weird japanese stuff aside the story gives you a real sense of anxiety and you feel like a douche for being stuck in the middle of this self created drama. Fantastic.… Expand

Brought to us by the same team that created the legendary JRPGs Persona 3 and Persona 4, Catherine is a game that had "risk" written all over it. Outside of this title, I don't know any other Dating Sim Puzzle games. It is a unique creation. But what is most important about this risk, is the fact that it worked really well! It has fantastic visual and audio design, along with gameplay that is easy to get into and evolves with each new challenge and techniques provided, and a dark-humoured adult story that can go in a variety of directions, providing us with multiple outcomes and excellent replay value. In a world were shooters and platformers are given the most attention, this game really deserves a look.… Expand

Even though I´m not a fan of puzzle games, the plot was so interesting that it kept me playing all the way to the ending of my choice. SteamEnginator… Expand

First and foremost, I love this game, through and through. Some characters have more depth than others, but Vincent is a great lead that many male players will relate to. It's not made for everyone, and some may find little reasons to hate on it, but If you are a fan of truly challenging, unorthodox puzzlers and intriguing tales with multiple endings (being a closet-romantic definitely helps), you will find a lot of enjoyment in Catherine.… Expand

The game itself would have been a lot better if the "game" part was actually fun and polished. Terrible controls and bad camera angle combined with stress and high difficulty makes you wan't to chuck your controller into the TV and leave. Would be better as an interactive movie.

Catherine is a game that must be played. The game is solid. It's fun, challenging, original and interesting. It can be hard at times, but once you finally get the hang of its unique gameplay, you'll be hooked.

The puzzles are frustrating yet fun and require a lot of patience to get through. The story was great, and so were the graphics. The voice acting was unbelievably perfect in every way. If you want to be challenged and aren't easily agitated, give this game a shot.

This is probably as faithful an adaptation of Lolita a game is going to get without being refused classification.
Sure box. That girl MAY have a body of an older teen, but her dress sense, and the fact the protagonist is constantly drunk, leads me to believe it's all a hair away from some Trainspotting style clubbing incident.
Bonus points for not throwing any tentacles in the game Atlus! See, just like the book. No tentacles.… Expand

A game that must be played. Really its 2 game at the same time. Primarily it's an Awesome arcade style puzzle action (Q*Bert evolved) increasingly complex as you move on. I played on Normal so far. Some puzzles i would get stuck at for awhile, but never frustrating...just challenging and FUN. Then the 'side-game' is similar to a japanese Dating sim/interactive movie, and it is equally entertaining. The story isn't anything THAT amazing, but it's at the level of a network TV show, and its entertaining enough to keep you involved. The story also evolves around how you play, so there is replay value. You wouldn't think a block puzzle game would have character development...but this one somehow pulled that off, and all the characters are not only likable, but genuinely interesting. Just about beat it at the time of writing this review...looking forward to giving it another go on the hard difficulty! A few minor complaints. the biggest being that the level music is too heavy, and the loops are too short. While it is actually really well produced video game music...it gets really repetitive. Also the controls can be a little finicky if you move to fast, and a few of the later levels are kinda half-assed, but then they pick up again. No deal breakers

it's one of the few games i WISH there was some DLC for...i would love more puzzels...a user puzzle creator/sharer woulda have been nice too! Lets hope for a sequel!… Expand

Frustrating, annoying, boring, cheap.

Worst game I've ever played since Small Soldiers on psx...my God, this isn't even a game, it's a mediocre anime cartoon, brutally interrupted by random and nonsense puzzle sessions with the only purpose of reaching the top of a bunch of boxes...It was so bad that i actually was annoyed by the puzzle levels and wanted to skip them to watch the cartoon, but obviously it was not possible... WORST. GAME. EXPERIENCE. EVER.… Expand

This is one of the most innovative games ever made and diserves the attention of those who want to try something totally new. A impressive history, told through well writen dialogs and a puzzle kind of gameplay that is hard to not fell atracted. If you like the kind of game that brings new ideas try this one out!

Perhaps the thing that got me instantly hooked onto this game was the story. It is just too dam good. Puzzles were really tough to figure out on the hard difficulty. I love both the puzzle aspect and the story. Never could you imagine how well designed were the puzzles that is just screwing with your brain for hours on end. In the end I gave up part way on the hard difficulty and finished the game with sufficient challenge in the medium difficulty. Having alternate endings were nice, but still only the Catherine ending is the truly awesome one. Perhaps the only thing keeping it from a 10 from me is the camera, a few occations camera and walking around boxes don't quite go well together, can't see yourself or what you are really doing. Overall loved the game, buy it only if you like puzzles and enjoy an awesome story, rent and play on easy if you want to watch like an hour kick ass story.… Expand

A different take on modern puzzle gaming, great story, great character art, enjoyable puzzles if not a little to difficult at times..
A great game to play with friends..
A game worth the money if you love a fast pace and having to actually think..

Catherine is unlike any other game ever created. From gameplay to story it's completely unique. It's addictive, challenging, and completely awesome. The story is deep and thought provoking, and backed by fantastic voice acting and characters. And it touches on subjects that most video game developers are to scared to even think about putting in a game. It's got a beautiful anime vibe style to it's graphics, that brings the whole thing to life. It's also very challenging, requiring you to change up you climbing tactics several times per level, and has pulse racing boss battles. It also has co-op and competitive modes you can play with a friend, and a solo challenge tower mode. When I'm not playing it I'm thinking about it, and I can't wait to see all the different endings. I recommend this deeply moving and thought provoking puzzle game to any and all gamers who are old enough to handle the mature subject matter, and the challenge it offers.… Expand

If you like Kafkaesque worlds, engaging stories, challenging puzzles or if you

Catherine is an obtuse blend of puzzle game and interactive adult storybook that succeeds moderately well at both but fails to shine overall. Although it is refreshing to get a game aimed squarely at adults and the morals of romance, Catherine would have made a much better anime film than a game. In fact between the puzzles you are rewarded with lengthy sections of well-draawn animation that leave you wondering how this thing ever morphed into a video game. The block-based puzzle levels are intriguing initially but soon grow tiresome. A very interesting ride, for sure, but not one all will be comfortable taking.… Expand

One of my favorite games this generation and of all time. This game is a great original title. The game's story is unique and the puzzling action is awesome! Very challenging and you feel so great when you accomplish the missions. Also the versus mode is a lot of fun with a friend!

Catherine is one of the most original games i have played this generation and it also contains some interesting ideas. as the game is based around a block puzzle game it wont be to every-ones taste.
but for a full game to be based on a puzzle block game it has to be a very good one . which it happens to be. the puzzle looks deceptively simple but in-fact is highly complex in its design it is also very challenging with a strong difficulty spike after the tutorial levels to progress takes practice,learning and trial and error. Soon additions like spiked blocks ,sheep that push you or block your route add even more to the difficulty and general madness of the overall game. Each completion of a set of 3 block levels allows you too the other area of the main game the story. which are interactive animations with conversations and speech choices that change some scenes and affect youre final ending. this part of the game is also very high quality the story is quite adult in its content and very amusing in places. if you have played any of the persona series you may recognise the style and use of various things like the use of tv channels to tell the story. There are 2 variations of the puzzle game, a retro version arcade cabinet in the Bar called Rapunzel, and a challenge area called Babel, which unlocks if you manage a gold rank in the main games challenges. there is an online question and answer dialogue that after you answer the question tells you what other players first time answers where. The only bad point of the game is the slightly loose control scheme in the block game as youre man sometimes goes the wrong way or grabs the wrong block but this is slight and does not spoil the game at all. Overall another great innovative title released by Atlus and made by the persona crew.… Expand

Great graphics, amusing characters, funny script and excellent music, Catherine is one of the best games this year. I found the core puzzle mechanics very addictive and not frustrating at all. With a little patience anyone can complete this game on the easy setting. The trophies have not been well thought out as they require you to complete the game 8 times to get all of the endings. The game does have some replay-ability but because there's so much talking, a second play through isn't as much fun hearing the dialogue repeated. Still overall Catherine is extremely original and well worth playing.… Expand

I will make simple review for this game and overall rate is 9.5 . I love this game because this game is simply enjoy for mentality game and they have interesting quotes/questions . Catherine is great for you and it's relating to your life/reality .

Great story, art design, and character design by soejima the atmosphere feels like persona game, the bad things is only repetitive gameplay and the game is way to short,

This is my first review, and only want to say that this game is not for everyone, i get bored quickly climbing the puzzle, and only cause i want to see the cutscenes, is ok that cutscenes are more fun that actually playing the game?, if you are considering buying this game, consider first to rental and play it.

Just finished the game. Catherine is a unique puzzle game, one that has a potentially great story, and fun gameplay. The story is just hampered by occasional cheese voice acting/dialogue, but it is still good for a video game. I did not appreciate the twist at the end, and the ending I got was pretty boring. The art style and graphics I found were excellent. Overall a solid game!

You'll be challenged - Not by the puzzles, which are a chore, but by the story itself. Since Finding out it had a moral choice system that typically results in one of two relationships, I decided to go for capital "C" catherine, the bad one, the "evil" option. Part of this decision was an attempt to undermine the game's attitude towards monogamy, since the "evil" option at least hints at multiple partners (Though Catherine does threaten to kill you if you cheat on her). I mean, the whole plot revolves around a character cheating and refusing - REFUSING, despite all options given to the player, to tell his current committed partner that he got drunk and cheated on her. It's not much of a choice system when the most obvious choice is one that is not there. Nonetheless, the dual-morality system is a bit more nuanced than, say, "Infamous," where the evil option means decapitating children and the good option means martyring yourself for a bus full of nuns - in other words, no real grey area. "Catherine's" morality challenged me, though not how I thought it would. I honestly couldn't tell at many points what the "right" decision was. Maybe this is because of my 5-year committed polyamorous relationship, making the code of monogamy baffling to me. Despite actively trying to be with "Catherine, Vincent was swinging back to Katherine, the "good" option. My answers confused the game. I believed in multiple partners (BAD!), but believed strongly in honesty for all involved (GOOD!). Now I could keep ranting about how out of touch this system is with queer identity, but I won't. I didn't expect much from a morality system anyway. What's interesting is how the game "Translated" my beliefs into the pathetic cheating monogamist I was supposed to be. It felt like real roleplay, as opposed to the kind of roleplay where I can kill everyone in a town one second and save the world the next. This alone made Catherine interesting. Oh yeah, the game - it's a dating sim with block pushing puzzles. The puzzles try to represent inner challenges Vincent faces based on his daily moral conundrum. It's neat, but difficult and is completely unrelated to the development of your character. You probably won't play the game for the puzzle system, You'll play it for the story. And the story is weird, but surprisingly challenging. For people like me, anyway.… Expand

Catherine is a game where you move blocks around in a nightmare while being attacked by sheep, robot babies, vaginas with tongues coming out of them, and all manner of other beasts (such as a gigantic manâ

One of the most unique games this generation, this is what we need to have variety!!!!! loved every second of it, try it even if it looks too anime for yoo I garatee you will never forget it

Catherine tells a wonderful story of a middle aged man trapped in wanting to be serious but scared of the changes commitment may bring to his life. The game is unique. It brings what ICO brought to the PS2 to the PS3, something different done extremely well. The puzzles are addicting to play but can be quite difficult to navigate, which is the point, but with a little time and practice of the different ways to navigate learn and being quick with the eye you can become a StairMaster. The Story is downright excellent. Involving a love triangle between a Vincent, Catherine, and Katherine. Vincent struggles with his choices and night faces his worst fears when he goes to sleep as a testament to things he has done. Catherine is a must play for any one who calls themselves a true gamer.… Expand

I like the anime sections, and am cool with the vaguely interactive bar sections, but the puzzles are the worst thing I've ever played in a shipped product. They are annoying, repetitive, unintuitive, frustrating, and difficult. You can't even lower the difficulty during these sections, meaning you can get well and truly stuck! I won't dignify this crap by looking up an FAQ or having someone else beat The Inquisition's boss level for me. The game is back in the box, and I refuse to play this again. The developers should be ashamed.… Expand

Meet Catherine, a hybrid of confusing puzzle platforming and Japanese dating sim from the developers of the Persona saga. It is the antipathy of unconventional, loaded fully with a cast of unique and compelling characters, Catherine stuffs you in the role of Vincent, a commitment fearing slacker who finds himself forced to choose between a bodacious blonde, or his loving long term girlfriend. Similar to Atlas's other games, you can interact with the rest of the cast during the daytime, and play the core gameplay. The people you talk to and choices you make can affect the game later, an interesting mechanic that is unfortunately all too obvious. In the evening, Vincent finds himself climbing a horrific tower created from blocks, escaping his intermost fears praying to find the top. The puzzle is frantic and difficult, but only sometimes frustrating. When you do fall and die (which kills your character in real life, too), you never feel like you're being punished. Instead, you're just driven to try and try again. Solving the puzzle is always rewarding.
The story is well though out and compelling. The twists are incredibly unexpected and keep you on your toes. This is all assisted by the exceptional voice acting, that made me genuinely care about each character. My only complaint is how little control you have, though you're guaranteed so much. Your choices don't really affect Vincent until the tale end of the game, which is disappointing. Nonetheless, it's a unique and adult experience you won't be forgetting anytime soon.… Expand

Not my kind of game. It's different, yes, and I never played anything like it. But... then again, is it normal that I enjoyed the cutscenes more than the actual gameplay? By one time, I just wanted to finish it to see what would happen, having 0 fun. Not for me, definitely and - definitely - not for everyone.

Very underwhelming, you cannot deny the fact that this game lacks variety. This game was made by the people who made persona, so its only fair that I attempt to compare it a little. The ONLY place you can interact with is the bar, other than that its just the puzzles, in persona you can move in ALL different areas of the town. When I heard it was a puzzle game, I assumed there would be several different puzzles, not the same way one over and over again. Personally I hate games with alternate endings and this one has 8, its just a cheap way to give the illusion of a long game, which it was not. It was fairly short. The concept and story are ok, but once again compared to the story of persona series, its just ok. This would have been a good game maybe if it was released for the ps2 or psp, but for a huge console like the ps3, we expect a little more from the people who gave us Persona 3 and persona 4. The block puzzles dont get boring, but they also dont get fun either, it simply isnt addicting and has not much of a replay value. I can only guess the bright side of this is the ability to fight with your friends, but even that comes with some restriction, you need to achieve certain things to go online. Bottom line is, this game lacks variety, Persona was very long and had a big amount of variety. It was too underwhelming, nothing about it is grand, everything was short, story, characters, gameplay, etc. Im not saying its a bad game, but for its time, its not good enough.… Expand

Two words : quirky and engaging.

First, the gameplay is both infuriating and worthwhile to those who put in effort. Catherine is not for the faint of heart. I once spent 1 hour on a single level but it was worth it when i reached the end. However, the main point of this game is not the gameplay in my opinion, but rather the interesting plot. As you watch vincent squirm through awkward conversations, freak out over small things, and encounter other events, you can't help but find the story amusing. The game wonderfully presents the tale of vincent and keeps the player on their toes in terms of what is going on. The replay value is also wonderful because there is a whopping EIGHT alternative endings. The only downfall to this game is it's amount of content per play-through. I breezed through this game in 9 hours and I wished it was longer.… Expand

Catherine is a game that everyone should at least play, but to buy this game may be a step too far. The method used to tell this gameâ

Saying Catherine is a different unique game is a bit of an understatement. It's a puzzle game centered around gorgeous mature pseudo cut scenes with moderate interaction. This is definitely not a game for kids as the themes and language are absolutely adult material, as are some of the boss's that chase you through the nightmare sequences. The "day time" sequences involve you interacting with your cronies in a bar where you talk to your friends, the other patrons including employees and do a few other random things. I.E. get drunk, text message your "girls" and play arcade games and so forth. The "Night time" or "nightmare" sequences begin when you leave the bar for home each night. They involve a block pushing, pulling climbing sequence that has you trying to reach the top of a tower of blocks before some odd mental representation of a life crisis catches up with you. Make no mistake, the puzzle sequences are VERY challenging. I found myself setting the game to easy to make it a bit more enjoyable and I suspect many other will or have done the same. Overall Catherine is gorgeous to look at and a lot of fun to play even if it can be frustrating at times.… Expand

This is a case of two completely unrelated games duct taped together. Yeah, the puzzles are supposed to be a metaphor for the main character's issues but it's like solving battles in Puzzle Quest but with a seemingly mature and serious storyline. Both parts are okay but they just don't fit together in my opinion.

Great game, awful story. I was excited to see Atlus make a game where the characters are adults hanging out at the bar having affairs as opposed to the high school themed Persona characters they usually feature. In the Persona series, you have to make real relationships with other people to level up traits that benefit your dungeon battles. In Catherine you hang out with people in one location, but your interaction does not impact the game in any significant way. I didn't feel like I had any control over the protagonist's decisions, and disliked the linear fashion the narrative was presented. Also, one key spoiler is fairly obvious at the beginning to many players, making the rest of the story hard to suffer through. The block climbing gameplay is where this game stands out, and is the reason this game is good. There is no way to describe how compelling it is to get to the top of the block wall without playing it yourself, and it makes all other games where you have to manipulate blocks seem elementary. The puzzles are a perfect blend of thought and action, and I'm keeping this game in my collection based on that alone.… Expand

Puzzle and story elements are combined elegantly in this wonderfully quirky game. It's odd to see any puzzle game with a background and plot, but if there was ever one that has done it perfectly, it'd be Catherine.

The story follows a young 20 something into the world of friendly drinking companionship and dating. He is torn between remaining a bachelor or marrying his long time girlfriend, Katherine. During one night of debauchery, he is awakened next to his one night stand. Distraught and concerned for his future, he must make choices and relive them in his puzzle nightmares.

It's a fantastic game if you are into solving puzzles whilst answering life's oddest questions. It certainly does get deeper than moving blocks about, and the game mechanics does it quite well. There are times when you may get frustrated, but that gives the player a sense of accomplishment once the obstacles are surpassed. The main character is extremely easy to relate, and you'll feel compelled to help him. Morales and obligations are questioned, as well as a mystery in the midst of a puzzle solving. It's a FRESH feeling playing a game that doesn't place itself within a certain genre, but explores the boundaries of multiple ones, whilst injecting it with real life concerns.… Expand

Just a disclaimer, I haven't completed the game yet, but this is one of the more original and interesting games I've ever played. The questions and choices you are faced with have moral weight and are difficult to answer. A better karma system than inFAMOUS/inFAMOUS 2. The puzzle style gameplay of the nightmare, is fun and extremely challenging. The little things in this game count, the way Vincent walks around the bar with his hands in his pockets like the hip 30-something he is and then begins to stagger from table to table after a couple drinks.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I'm so disappointed in this game. What started out as a great, unique game is completely ruined in the end. If you're looking for a good story, you need to look somewhere else. It's great all the way until the very end, where it goes into the usual anime melodrama and absurdity and ruins EVERYTHING that came before it. Instead of being a simple, mature story with a little touch of the supernatural, it goes way overboard and loses any sense of tone that came before it. I almost feel like the writers were scared to keep this story grounded in reality. But if you are playing Catherine for the gameplay, it's fairly decent, just a little bit on the hard side. I'm talking harder than most Contra games. I'm pretending the ending didn't happen, it's the only reason I rated this in the positive category.… Expand

The best game i played all year with a deep and compelling story line hard as nails difficulty and a very fun puzzle sequences. Going away from the usual formula of games that are released every other week. Catherine offers something new, fresh and warped. BUY IT!!!

Catherine excels and put in shame other games for the big originality it has. Big depth in the characters is important, the gameplay is simple , of course the simplicity comes with struggles ( you will see why) the anime art style is marvelous perfect drawn models, goofy crude humor right on the menu definitely tells you that this isn't for child ( of course it isn't ). Atlus co. isn't one of the most known companies out there but their games obligatory needs to be in your library. Catherine is just marvelous.… Expand

Interesting to say the least, and I feel slightly weird playing it while my wife is in the room, haha, but still is a good title to play through and enjoy the naughtiness of it all!

After I unpacked the pillow case from the deluxe edition I heard my other half mutter " does it come with a box of tissues as well", but she has it so wrong. Despite the titillating cover what we have here is a beautifully crafted puzzle game that is addictive and challenging. The difficulty of the puzzles ratchet up slowly over the different levels, and although there are plenty of deaths and failures, there is always a sense of achievement when a level is finally cracked.
Personally I liked the "down" time from the puzzles, chatting and drinking in the pub, but I can understand the criticism levelled at the script and voice acting ( the graphics too are by no means particularly fantastic ). Vincent is a very likable character that I suspect most males will identify with. Unfortunately the female characters are decidedly one dimensional and in the final analysis the game really is not as sexy as you would imagine.
It is a real joy that of late there have been some games released that are daring to be different to the normal console fare, and Catherine is a great addition .
If you want a tiity game or a slash and hack game, then this is not for you. If however you are looking for an intelligent well developed puzzle game then this is a definite must.… Expand

great plot. new game play is cool. but trap cube is unnecessary , just wasting time. and mystery pillow is stupid.... still a good game to play. but I got a bad ending : (

i like games that are differnt and try to be abit fresh and Catherine is certainly in that catagory. in this day in age we drowned in recycled crap trying to be spoon fed to us by hollywood or the gaming industry who who fear they will be rejected if they try some thing new and inovative . thats not to say being inovative cant fail but atleast i can respect some one trying to think out side the box. Cathrine is a puzzle game for the most part with the story revolving around your choices of eather sticking to the girl you've spent years with and wants to move your relationship to the next level or going for the other girl who is more of a free spirite . i found the story intresting although i wish i had more choices in what i could say in conversations to give me more of a feel like i was choosing my path more. the story is deffinitly more on par for the older gamer and id say even older then 18 more like mid 20s or older . who can probubly relate more to whats going on . the puzzle part of the game is kind of fun and engauging putting alot of thinking into your next move . it is also kind of hard later on in the game you have very little time to think on your next move and the game can be frustrating . it would have been nice if they varied up some differnt kind of puzzles besides climbing a block tower and there was more of a free roam aspect to the game letting you do more but i knew what i was getting from the demo and dropped my $60 to support a game that ultimatley deserves it . Catherine may not be perfect but it is fun and it is new and its worth a purchase if thats what you want in your gaming and are tired of all the same old crap.… Expand

Replay-ability is not what it could have been. The dialog is exactly the same regardless what color your good/bad meter shows. The puzzles were surprisingly fun, and I don't consider myself a fan of the genre. However the story is solid and most of the endings are really good. I really do wish there were different dialog or clips all through the game depending on your choices. Only the endings differ.… Expand

Catherine is a realy great game, i feel that the ending that i got was perfect for the way that i played the game. As a complete package the game is very fun and breath of fresh air in this era is stale sequels, prequels and just mediocre games but....... its not for every one, if you're into anime, adult themes, puzzles or just want to play something like you've never played before i strongly recomend this game.… Expand

Catherine is a game with an amazing art direction (if you're into artsy stuff and anime), with quite unique story premise...
Unfortunately as a game that supposed to entertain, Catherine leaves a lot to be desired.
It's a way too repetitive, pushing blocks gets old very fast and you will soon wish you could just skip those sequences to see how the story evolves...

Despite all of the dread and complaints about Catherine's difficulty, I found that it fell perfectly into the challenge level that I expect from a good puzzler. I completed the game my first go-around on Normal difficulty, then moved up to Hard once I felt like I had surpassed the steep learning curve, which the game does a great job of maintaining through technique suggestions and gradual introduction of new elements. That's actually one thing I greatly appreciated about Catherine's pacing, too; the constant addition of new block types, variation between boss patterns, and a shifting of theme and environment with each tier of the tower all keep the game fresh through its 10 to 15 hours. While it may take significantly less time for some gamers to breeze through the story mode, making complete use of social elements, playing the Rapunzel meta game, and talking to all of the sheep on the landing areas will lengthen the experience. The game also has eight possible endings (though it would not be necessary to beat it eight times to see all of the possibilities), contains unlockable local multiplayer, and provides puzzle variants through the randomized Babel stages. Co-op is a blast with someone of [at least] moderate intelligence. I also think it's worth noting that the storyline is remarkable, albeit a bit silly with one or two of its many twists. The voice acting is good, at least up to par with other Shin Megami Tensei and Persona titles, and the influence of personal choice can be felt in the branching cinematics. I was pleasantly surprised to see many Persona elements carry over to Catherine, as your interaction with the patrons of the Stray Sheep bar and the nightmare victims can alter the story in subtle ways, giving Catherine a more customized feeling than one might expect. In short, this is a tremendously satisfying game that works on every level of its action-puzzle-horror-sim mashup, and if you're looking for a more unique and mature addition to your stale 7th generation game library, Catherine will definitely fit the bill. Just be ready to die a lot until you get the hang of things. Easily one of my favorites from the past year. Now, on to El Shaddai...… Expand

Subtle, mature, psychological game and that's just the storyline. The puzzle sections are challenging but it's worth getting through them to get to the next story part.

I liked this game and recommend to anybody who has younger brother as I do. We played it together an enjoyed a lot! Puzzles and platforms are very hard, be prepared!

Atlus is amazing, Team Persona is the same. Catherine is an unique addictive puzzle game with a mature history told very well. If You like in general a nice story with amazing characters YOU HAVE TO BUY IT.
Stop with these shooters, enjoy Catherine.

This game is solid. It's fun, challenging, original, interesting, and contains content that could create deep conversations about love, sex, and relationships. There are very few games out there that can be deeply analyzed and opened with critical thought. Catherine is a game that can easily stand up there with movies like American Beauty, Burnt Money, and An Education (in terms on their topics of sex). The puzzles are incredibly difficult but then again, so can a relationship between two people. This game reminded me of the time when I was in a tough relationship, I couldn't even sleep because I didn't know what I would do the next day. Catherine's nightmare puzzles are like that only I didn't die and here, you will die...a lot. NOTE: This game is definitely not for everyone and when it says it's mature it's not lying, and like another reviewer said, not just in content but in context, the conversations, innuendos, and metaphors will pass over those who don't get it, a child will not play this game unlike Black Ops or Assassin's Creed, and will probably limit the experience of Catherine. If you want something original, different, well made, and incredibly interesting Catherine is for you.… Expand

Thank you, Atlus. I've been playing the **** out of this game, and I don't regret my purchase like many games. The soundtrack is fantastic, as is expected of the Persona team. The art direction... I'm just in love with it. This game has so much personality - western games take note. Initially I was worried I wouldn't enjoy the actual puzzle gameplay, however I think it was masterfully executed. The easy difficulty is a perfect place for anyone to start and learn how the puzzles work and how to think in blocks. I think this is the best example I've seen of gameplay that can be extremely accessible to new players but also can present a challenge and real skill-based fun for experienced players. Normal is a completely different game from easy, and the tension of play can often feel similar to playing a shoot'em'up, which I loved. The story is wonderful and interesting - and I'm sure a lot of people can relate to Vincent. I typically am not a fan of story driven games, but I couldn't even bring myself to give a **** when I was watching a long cutscene or something. I liked the persona-like interaction elements with fellow climbers, and the text message system was probably the best dialogue system I've seen. The dialogue system as well as the "morality" meter are both things that make me think "Hey this is kind of like what Mass Effect did minus the horrible fatal flaws." I just really hope everyone gives Atlus all their money and persona 5 is on it's way. :)… Expand

Catherine is easily the most thought provoking game I've played this year both on mental and emotional level. It doesn't hurt that the art, music, story, and gameplay are exceptional. In fact the only thing holding the game back is the difficulty can be punishing even on Easy. Even so the difficulty is never to the point of stopping progression as the game prepares and teaches players techniques as the game progresses and gets harder.

TLDR; If you don't mind a modest puzzle challenge and are mature enough to handle the adult themes, this could very easily be GOTY-worthy for you.… Expand

Catherine is a unique and challenging puzzle game with a great story. Graphics and aesthetics are very pleasing. Music is nothing to write home about, but fits the game nicely. The story is captivating and interactive with many choices that can alter the story/ending. This makes for great replay value. The core gameplay, the puzzles, ramp up in difficulty quickly and have a steep learning curve, but are satisfying once you've mastered the game's many techniques used to manipulate and navigate around the blocks. One gripe I have is that while skill and quick thinking are very important, trial and error and memorization play too big a part in solving some of the puzzles... particularly the ones later in the game. Gamers looking for both a great story and a challenge should enjoy Catherine.… Expand

First thing first, it look phenomenal... For the first time in a Japanese game, the game looks practically like the Anime sequence which also are incredibly well done...The music is also awesome and the voice acting is, for the most part, outstanding... The story is awesome, but at the end, the multiple ending aspect hurt the whole experience cause if you're not an extremist, it will not feel rewarding enough... The play-time for completion depend if you take you time to enjoy the little things but it variate between 8 and 14 hours on easy mode (which permit you to undo a move, making the puzzle a lot easier) So in other difficulty, boost that time cause you'll have to retry the puzzles more (But there's check point so that's OK)... Finally, puzzles have a good difficulty... On easy, you may have to retry a couple times, but nothing too frustrating... On the other difficulties, you need instinct and patience but there's the option to lower difficulty so... yeah... no big deal... Only complaint, in the 5 last puzzles, the first 3 and the last one don't really accomplish anything and the one before the last puzzle have a boss with cheap attacks...… Expand

Just too much on the difficulty scale!!! The anime/choice sequences are the shining portion of this game. The action/puzzle portions are so difficult that they take away from the experience. Attempting to get to the next anime "daytime" requires you to spend all of your patience on a "nightmare", to the point of actually rejecting the game as a a whole. Don't get me wrong.. the game is beautiful during the non-action portions... but if you have to an action sequence 13 times, start over and try it 7 more times, and finally get to the next chapter just to see the good stuff... that I can't deal with. I have been playing video games since 1985 and I am opposed to ANY game that is this inaccessible. There was no sense of accomplishment due to the lack of any increase of ability of the characters. This could've been a great anime film if there was no game play at all.… Collapse

While many might have been turned off by the news of this game that's been spreading around those who stick with and can handle how ruthless this game is will be rewarded. I know some who might complain about the meter system in regards to what you make Vincent believe in it works well for this game. When your not pushing blocks to save your boxer short wearing ass you spend the time talking to people some which you'll meet during your climbing escapades. While the social interaction isn't as good as it was in Persona 4 it's still enjoyable as are the characters. The story is a blast and is very amusing to watch. Not only that once you overcome the numerous block puzzles you will feel proud of yourself. I don't even remember the last time I felt so rewarded after playing a game for the current generation of games. But be warned in on easy difficultly this game is a lofty challenge and once you get past stage two you'll find yourself dying, a lot. Those who preserve however will be rewarded and once you beat the game once you can climb blocks with friends to see who's the puzzle master among anyone else who plays this game. While the game isn't perfect any of the grips I have are small and since it's the first game to make me feel fulfilled in the entire year I've owned a Playstation 3 I'm giving it a ten.… Expand

If Catherine is anything, it's unique. You'll notice it from the second you turn it on right up until your closest hand is smashing the rage-quit button on your console. If you don't like a challenge, stay far away; even the easiest of Catherine's play modes can be grueling. While certainly not a perfect game, Catherine has enough content and story paths to keep a player interested for many hours - so long as you're willing to put yourself through the pain of failure a few times.… Expand

FINALLY! A game that is intended for adults. And no, I don't mean the Bulletstorm "12 year olds pretending to be adults" demographic. REAL adults. It's not just the subject matter, either. The game is hard, as in you actually have to think. You WILL die, you WILL struggle. And that'll only make you that much more determined to find the solution and climb. And that's the beauty of it that has been missing from so many games for so long. Most of us grew up on games that made us start over when we shut it off, and while Catherine doesn't go that far, it still pushes you to use your noggin, as a good puzzle game should.

I realize the Puzzle Genre isn't for everyone, but the game market has been virtually dead outside of Tetris/Bejeweled knockoffs (Which are a different kind of puzzle game.) It's a welcomed change, and it's enjoyable. In addition, Catherine hits on the simplicity of games in the past. Like a good, perfectly cooked steak. It's not fancy. It doesn't try to woo you with inedible garnishes and sauce smeared on your plate. Catherine is, at its core, a fantastic puzzle game. Pushing boxes, but delivered in a method that you wouldn't expect. There's a reason why ATLUS games have the highest price retention out of any other publisher. Persona 4 is still $35 at Gamestop and it's a PS2 game. ATLUS makes quality games that people won't want to give up. Catherine will be no different.… Expand

Catherine is a wonderful break from the typical mentality of gaming (Which has devolved to spending mindless hours behind the barrel of a gun and shouting obscenities into the microphone). It's a step back towards games on the original PlayStation that really have been lost due to the influx of social shooters. Puzzles and platforms are it's strong claim to retro fame in a new age concept and coupled with one of the most visually stunning experiences I have experienced on the PlayStation 3. If you've played Qbert or Croc, or even Gex back in the day you will find yourself loving the nostalgia while deeply drawn into the excessively frustrating yet highly addictive game-play. There are very few flaws with this game, the difficulty is sky high but it's a breath of fresh air to see a game these days that will challenge you again and again around every corner. The voice acting is spot on and the Anime cinematic scenes are very new age anime and really moving towards what looks to be a strong new style for Shin Megami Tensei games. Should they put out another game like this it would be in their best interest. If you enjoy games that will bring you to the point of tears in frustration while still making you want to keep playing you've found the exact game for you. It is not a game for people who do not think constructively, and I do not suggest playing on Normal or Hard your first time through, but it is well worth all of the effort. This is one of the great games and I hope to see more just like it.… Expand

A breath of fresh air in a gaming landscape cluttered with military shooters. Catherine is a unique and engrossing experience which features some of the highest production values I've seen in years. If you don't have any strong distaste for anime, play it now.