“The only escape from the miseries of life are music and cats…” – Albert Einstein
Overview
Einstein’s Cats is a cosy and relaxing puzzle game in which players must use logic to decipher clues and correctly place adorable cats in their different boxes, making sure they are happy and comfortable.
Developer: Firebird Games LLC
Released: 31st March 2025
Price: £4.29
Platforms: Windows
Available on: Steam
Engine: Unity
Gameplay
Einstein’s Cats offers casual but engaging puzzle-solving gameplay. It provides players with a series of clues that can be used to correctly place cats in boxes. The clues pertain to the cat’s preferred box type, its position in relation to either the layout or other cats, or the box size. Clues often overlap, and all of the conditions within a level must be met. A clue might read something like “tuxedo pattern cats love being to the left of orange cats” and another might specify that orange cats do not like to be on the end. This would mean that any orange cats need to be in the middle, and all the tuxedo cats must still be left of them. Players will need to use logic to correctly place all the cats, which is very satisfying. Some puzzles also have name tags that must be assigned to the correct cat, this can also be deduced using the clues.
The game features nine chapters, each containing twelve levels. Each chapter has its own theme, such as a café, greenhouse, and space station. The types of clues used expand throughout the first few levels of the game and tend to get more comprehensive and, therefore, tricker as each chapter progresses. On reaching chapter two, a sticker book becomes available, adding a fun sandbox element to the game. For each consecutive chapter completed, more backgrounds, decorations, cats, and accessories are rewarded.
The gameplay is very low-pressure; there are no timers and no punishment for making mistakes. Einstein’s Cats is a very calm and relaxing experience that can be easily dipped into for a quick puzzle or two or be played in somewhat longer sessions.
Narrative and Styling
Einstein’s Cats does not offer anything in the way of narrative, but as a logic-based puzzle game, a story is not needed. It focuses on its relaxing gameplay and does not overcomplicate the experience with superfluous exposition.
The game uses a delightful hand-drawn, 2D art style that resembles a collage with objects and cats looking like they have been cut out and arranged on the background. The visuals are colourful but not excessively vibrant. befitting the casual feel of Einstein’s Cats. The soundtrack is jaunty and upbeat without being overly energetic, adding to the laid-back feel of the gameplay. The music varies across the different chapters and suits the theme of each very well.
Summary
Einstein’s Cats is a delightful game that would easily occupy 4-5 hours of playtime, making it quite reasonable in terms of price. The gameplay is easygoing whilst still being satisfying and entertaining. The cat theme and art style are quite charming, and both the audio and visual aspects fit well with the casual feel of the experience. I had a lovely time playing this game, and I’d definitely recommend it to fans of casual puzzle games.
Giveaway
Courtesy of Firebird Games LLC we have one Steam Key for Einstein’s Cats to give away! For more details and your chance to win (or just to chat about indie games), simply join our friendly Discord server and check out the announcements!
Looking for more cat-themed puzzle games? You may also enjoy these reviews:
Zodiacats – A Magical Game of Cat Puzzles and Astrology! – Mimi the Cat: Meow Together – Cute Co-Op Cat Puzzles! – Buddy and Friends on Halloween – Wholesome Kitten-Filled Jigsaw Puzzles!
