Calico Gameplay Preview – Cat Cafe RPG

Calico is a cutesy cat cafe simulator that plays more like a traditional role playing game. You start off the game by taking over a cat cafe that your aunt used to run. You are now tasked with restoring the cafe to its former glory by redecorating it with all manner of adorable furniture, finding new furry companions to inhabit your cafe, and cooking up tasty treats.

Growing the cafe is not possible without the help of your fellow villagers. By talking to the colorful cast of characters, you will find out more about the world around you as well as complete quests for them and obtain rewards such as new clothing, furniture, and recipes.

This makes up the main game play loop and the heart of the game is more along the lines of a traditional role playing game. You spend the majority of your time talking to people, getting quests, and finding/making the necessary items to complete the quests. The quests are pretty varied and can range from helping a boy to compete in a dance competition against cats to getting a potion to help fix an accident gone awry that turned plants into cannibals. The game is entirely wholesome and the quests involve helping others out.

Overall, Calico is a pretty decent role playing game. The graphics look cute, the town and characters are likeable, and the game as a whole is pretty wholesome and focused on helping your fellow villagers. It is a little rough around the edges, however, with some graphical glitches, some minor bugs, and the towns do feel a little bit on the empty side. The UI is definitely made for a controller and feels a bit clunky using keyboard and mouse. Minor gripes aside, the quests are great and the game is a pretty relaxing experience.