Little Kitty, Big City [PlayStation 5] | REVIEW

Not every game needs to be a big AAA release or a sophisticated indie puzzler to leave a lasting impression, and Little Kitty, Big City is proof that sometimes, all it takes is one small cat, a lively world, and a whole lot of mischief. This light-hearted adventure from indie developer Double Dagger Studio may be brief, but it’s bursting with charm – and for anyone who adores cats, chaos, and a bit of exploration, it’s an absolute treat.

My young daughter and I played through the game together, and while some of the controls were a little tricky for her to master at first, we laughed our way through most of it. Her love for cats made every moment feel like a shared discovery, and the simple joy of just being a cat was something we could both enjoy – especially with two little troublesome kittens of our own at home!

Check out some screenshots down below:

The premise of Little Kitty, Big City is simple: you play as a nameless black cat who tumbles off the rooftop of their home and lands in the bustling city below. Your goal? Get back to that perfect sunny nap spot. But as any cat lover knows, distractions are inevitable, and whether it’s chasing birds, knocking over plant pots, or stealing food, there’s always something to do that isn’t ‘getting home’.

That’s the beauty of Little Kitty, Big City. While it technically follows a linear path – eat four fish to gain the energy needed to climb back home – the real fun lies in everything you can do in between. It’s a small open-world sandbox filled with opportunities to behave like a cat in the most chaotic and hilarious ways possible, and, as you might be well aware, it often results in trouble for everyone else around them. Want to trip a pedestrian with a well-timed dash through their legs? Go for it. Prefer to steal a phone from a distracted commuter? That’s an option too. There are plenty of mischievous little things you can do in the game, with each adding to the charm of the experience.

Beyond just the antics, the game includes several bite-sized quests from a cast of whimsical animal characters that you can complete throughout your journey. You’ll help a stressed-out duck dad find his missing ducklings, hunt for shiny objects to trade with a crow, or help a beetle struggling with their influencer career, just to name a few, with these side missions brief, easy to complete, and often designed around exploration and environmental puzzles. Their simplicity makes them accessible for players of all ages, but honestly? They were amusing and rewarding enough to keep me interested too, even IF they were generally really easy to complete.

“Little Kitty, Big City may be small in scope, but it delivers big on fun, creativity, and of course, feline chaos.”

Customization adds another layer of charm, with dozens of collectible hats and emotes to find around the city. From turtle shells and ninja masks to silly sunglasses, each new find brought a smile to our faces. The emotes, like big stretches or scared reactions, are more than just cute touches, with each helping sell the fantasy of being a cat in a big human world – and even reminding us of our own kittens. They might seem like silly little things, but they really make the whole experience all the more believable and bring a lot of character to the little feline hero.

Still, it’s not without its flaws. The movement system, while generally fine, can feel awkward – especially during more precise platforming segments where one stray movement can see you fail. Climbing and jumping sometimes lack the fluidity you’d expect too, leading to moments of frustration when you’re trying to reach a ledge or navigate tight spaces. While I was able to work around this, my daughter found these moments more difficult, which occasionally disrupted the otherwise smooth experience.

There are also some bugs and hiccups too, though nothing game-breaking. I did encounter the odd issue, like getting stuck in a tight spot or triggering a slightly janky animation, but fortunately, the game autosaves frequently and restarts were painless. These minor setbacks didn’t sour our time with the game, but they’re worth noting – especially when younger players are involved.

Check out some screenshots down below:

The world of Little Kitty, Big City is brimming with personality, though not everything hits perfectly. The human NPCs, for instance, are faceless – a stylistic choice that feels a bit out of place in an otherwise expressive world. There’s a lot of reading in the game too, and whilst the interactions with other characters are generally charming, younger players who aren’t able to read might not appreciate it so much thanks to a lack of voice acting.

Clocking in at about 2 to 5 hours depending on how much you explore, the game never overstays its welcome. There’s enough to see and do to make the city feel alive, and those extra hours hunting collectibles or discovering quirky interactions added plenty of value. There was always something fresh around the corner to keep us entertained, and if I’m being honest, my little one had hours of fun simply running around and being silly. Little Kitty, Big City offers plenty of opportunities for causal chaos, and believe me, she made the most of it.

Playing on the PlayStation 5, Little Kitty, Big City ran smoothly and looked delightfully vibrant. The game’s cartoonish art style strikes a perfect balance between Saturday morning animation and soft, anime-like tones, and the city, though compact, is filled with colour, personality, and secrets just waiting to be pawed at. It’s simple in design, but feels perfectly befitting of the adventure you’re embarking on.

Developer: Double Dagger Studio
Publisher: Double Dagger Studio
Platform(s): PlayStation 5 (Reviewed), PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC
Website: https://www.littlekittybigcity.com/