Joy Way has made a name for itself with action-oriented VR games like Stride and Dead Hook. So it comes as no surprise that its latest title puts you in the role of a sword-wielding ninja. What is slightly more orthodox is that you’re a cat, a cat that also happens to run a restaurant. Following so far? Well, the folks over at 131XR have put on their furry suit to review Catana: Red Flowers, discovering a strange, yet enjoyable experience.
Become a Ninja Cat
Seemingly taking inspiration from comic book heroes that have a normal day job and then become a vigilante at night, Catana: Red Flowers is a game of two parts. Firstly, you have the parkour-filled, sword-swinging action sequences where you take on a series of enemies. These are linear levels that need to be completed as quickly as possible, completing all objectives. All of which takes place at night.
During the day, you become a mild-mannered restaurateur, cooking up tasty meals for your patrons. The gameplay twist is that these endeavours are opposite sides of the same coin. Doing well in one offers new unlocks and abilities in the other. And so your knife skills need to be just as sharp when disposing of enemies and fish alike.
Catana: Red Flowers Review
As our friends at 131XR began to find out when reviewing Catana: Red Flowers, this duality of gameplay works in its favour. Those action sequences are fast and very furious, requiring you to leap, wall-run, duck, slide and other moves to navigate locations as quickly and fluidly as possible. Along the way, you’ll encounter stylised, almost Yakuza-like enemies that want to cut you down. While the levels are relatively short, their intensity means that after completing a few, you’ll probably want a rest. And that’s where the restaurant comes in.
The restaurant forms part of the hub world, which you can explore at will. A light narrative explains that the business is your grandfather’s, and you’re continuing to keep it going. As mentioned, cooking steaks and other meals is a nice way to relax, but also to earn coins and reputation, unlocking more features along the way.
It’s an unusual mix, but one that 131XR finds does work. There are a couple of minor issues here and there, yet nothing too major that impairs the overall enjoyment of the experience.
The Evolution of Catana
Originally, Joy Way didn’t set out to create a cat-ninja game. The project originally began as Red Flowers, a gritty action-platformer that focused on violence and parkour movement. This evoked many of its previous games like Stride (parkour), Dead Hook (extreme violence) and Against (combat rhythm).
However, the team decided to branch out from these darker projects and create something a bit more colourful. Taking Red Flowers as the base, it evolved into this cat-centric game. And to be honest, this has done the world of good. Catana: Red Flowers provides a far deeper, richer experience, making one of Joy Way’s best games.
If you like the idea of being a chef by day and ninja by night, Catana: Red Flowers is well worth considering.
