Though Catherine benefits from some creative ideas and generally good execution, it does have some problems. The most significant is the camera, which is normally in exactly the right place but it has trouble coping with Vincent going behind blocks. Manual camera adjustment can solve that, but the bottom of the stage is still collapsing in the meantime and you could wind up dead before you finish being able to see what you needed. The controls are also very ’twitchy’... too much so, in fact; it’s easy for Vincent to sprint atop a block you only meant to face so you could push or pull it. This can be made tolerable by using the d-pad instead of the analog stick, but the operative word is ’tolerable’ and not ’great.’ Additionally, Catherine is pretty difficult even on its easier settings. There will be segments where you get frustrated, but this sometimes makes completing a stage all the more wonderful and you might find yourself joining in with Vincent’s triumphant shouting and dancing.
The plot also suffers from some heavy-handed writing at first. Without giving away any major spoilers, the earliest segments of the game seem almost purpose-built to drive the player to certain actions, which is strange when there is a great emphasis placed on your freedom to make controversial choices. Blonde temptress Catherine (the character, not the game itself) is energetic and eager to woo Vincent with suggestive photos of herself, while his long-time girlfriend Katherine starts out as a constant nag that criticizes every single thing he does in the most pushy and annoying ways possible. It almost seems like the player and Vincent are being shoved toward Catherine at first, though fortunately the story and characters become much more interesting a little further in and make you have to really think about your decisions.
Finally, Catherine suffers from short length if you’re only set on a single run through it. Most estimates I’ve seen place this game at eight to fourteen hours to reach a single ending, which I feel is mostly correct; my own experiences put it around the ten to twelve hour mark depending on how quickly you understand the puzzles and how much of the plot you wish to explore. While it’s short, this may be meant to encourage playing through it multiple times; the story can only be fully understood by watching extra endings. You can also unlock a basic local multiplayer mode, offering co-op or versus play that may be of interest for a little while. Nonetheless, you’ll have to go through Catherine multiple times to get sufficient value out of it and this may or may not sit well with you.
While Catherine has some faults, the generally enjoyable puzzles and story overcome them. It’s a little short so repeat play-throughs to see all the endings will be necessary, but that is fine if you’re into "100% completion" style games. As a creative and mostly well done puzzle game, Catherine is pretty easy to recommend. The only audiences I wouldn’t suggest it to are children (the anime style presentation is used to tell a rather adult story), those with no interest in puzzle games to begin with, or those with an aversion to hard games; Catherine is rarely outright unfair but it does get pretty tough after a while. If none of those describe you and you’d like to try an unusual yet enjoyable game, then give Catherine a try.
