Downfall
Downfall
Game
Game2013
The Cat Lady
Developer Harvester Games
The Cat Lady is a 2012 horror graphic adventure game developed by Harvester Games for Microsoft Windows and Linux. It is the second installment in the Devil Came Through Here trilogy after 2009's Downfall. The final installment, titled Lorelai, was released in 2019. From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
276 reactions from 3 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Mastodon) · newest Nov 4, 2026 · last updated Nov 5, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
91
LovedLoved
174 positive · 17 negative
95% range 86–94%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 174 | 17 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 29 | 0 | 52 |
| Mastodon * | 0 | 0 | 4 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
3,388 of 3,648 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
92% recommend · 177 yes, 16 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 193 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Very Positive (5,933 of 6,318 positive).
Players praise the game's honest and emotional portrayal of depression and mental illness. [1][2][3] Many find the story, characters, and atmosphere deeply immersive and memorable. [4][5][6] Some reviewers criticize technical issues like crashes and lack of autosave. [7][8][9]
Liked
Representative posts
- [7]
Pros: pre-launch menu (2 options), subtitles are on by default, gloomy soundtrack, eerie art style & voice acting, dark story, tutorial available (wasd supported), save & load files Cons: no mouse support (not even in the main menu or the Steam overlay), no options graphical settings (you have to go to the pre-launch game menu “setup” to customize resolution & windowed options, I recommend “fill whole screen”), no …
- [2]
Giving a review for this game in 2025 might seem a bit odd, but I just wanted to share my feelings about it. I’m so happy that I played The Cat Lady. It’s definitely one of my favorite games ever. I liked it from the very beginning — maybe because I’m close to the themes this game explores. I don’t really know, but it comforted me from the start. From my personal experience I’m really glad to see a game that shows …
- [3]
The Cat Lady blew me away—it’s a dark masterpiece. From the haunting art to the gripping story, everything is perfect. It portrays depression in a way few games dare, and the ending is truly satisfying. The main character and Mitzi are unforgettable. If you love dark, psychological games, this is an absolute must-play https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3607167222
- [15]
Too few cats, too many emotions This game triggered mainly negative feelings in me Sadness, pain, fear, exhaustion, hopelessness It felt more often than I'd like to admit like a much worse version of my own life The graphics fit the whole gloomy vibe so well, I enjoyed walking through the sceneries very much Music's also good Overall I'd say it's a 9/10, negative point: too few cats
- [16]
this game is not just an experience, it is a permanent damage to your soul. the most brutal depictions of mental illness put into media. the connection to susan is not *just* empathetic, it is uncomfortable, as it traps you in the same headspace as her! flawless, FLAWLESS game. 10/10. <3
Summarised from 34 of the 262 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 11, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
The Cat Lady sits at 91% positive across 191 opinionated reactions from 3 sources. Fresh or rotten — where do you land?
Critics, per Wikipedia
The Cat Lady received generally favorable reviews. It received an aggregated score of 81/100 based on 11 reviews on Metacritic. Kevin VanOrd of GameSpot gave the game a very positive review, and concluded it by saying, "If you seek horror, The Cat Lady may sometimes freak you out, though probably not outright scare you. But that horror is in service of a touching character portrait—a portrait that's authentically, poignantly askew." The game won "Best Story" in the 2012 Aggie Awards. Merlina McGovern, from Adventure Gamers, described having difficulty discerning reality from fantasy while playing The Cat Lady. She praised the game's writing, music, voice acting, organic puzzles and use of…
From the “Reception” section of Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Critic context only — not part of the audience score.
Reactions
60 of 276 · most liked firstHi, my name is James Spanos. I've coded Primordia, a game where Man is but a myth. I've also worked on a lot of other games, most notably, Strangeland, The Cat Lady, Hob's Barrow, Until I Have You, Mages Initiation and currently Fallen Gods and Carbonflesh.
neutral · AI labelView post →I came for a horror game. What I got: - depression - philosophy - anxiety - the urge to call a therapist - CATS. 10/10.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Giving a review for this game in 2025 might seem a bit odd, but I just wanted to share my feelings about it. I’m so happy that I played The Cat Lady. It’s definitely one of my favorite games ever. I liked it from the very beginning — maybe because I’m close to the themes this game explores. I don’t really know, but it comforted me from the start. From my personal experience I’m really glad to see a game that shows the mentality of people who have depression and survived clinical death for…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Hello hello everyone! We have a special stream planned for tomorrow! ✨ I'd been meaning to show this game to someone-- so we'll be playing The Cat Lady tomorrow at 2 CST with @hulkykrow.bsky.social !! 🌕🐈 This will be a bit more serious stream, but I think it'll be interesting. ✨
neutral · AI labelView post →This was honestly a great experience, I fully understand why it's so popular! Despite being quite old, this game managed to feel unique and very immersive. The narrative is interesting and handles various themes in a remarkably direct way, combined with an artistic, morbidly stunning presentation. I adore the gritty, yet weirdly comforting aesthetic and game design. Additionally the soundtrack is incredibly catchy and atmospheric! I found the story captivating and enjoyed how the plot…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The Cat Lady blew me away—it’s a dark masterpiece. From the haunting art to the gripping story, everything is perfect. It portrays depression in a way few games dare, and the ending is truly satisfying. The main character and Mitzi are unforgettable. If you love dark, psychological games, this is an absolute must-play https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3607167222
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game was a difficult but truly special escape for me. From the very beginning, I had absolutely no idea what was going on and had no idea what could happen next, but as soon as I decided to take the next step, I was amazed. Despite the game's seemingly simple mechanics and similarities to regular quests, I don't know how many times I was deeply unsettled by the graphics, sounds, and the complete chaos that unfolded with each chapter. All these openly bloody, frighteningly realistic…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Also I can only imagine that the complete lack of reaction I get whenever talking about The Cat Lady means virtually no one has played it which IMO, like. The game has a host of problems I could go into at length, but being engaging and very playable aren't among them. CWs to follow
neutral · AI labelView post →The writing and production in these games are, like, strangely competent given what other 2010-era horror adventure games I've played. The story lines themselves are definitely not as subtle or as reserved as something like Silent Hill or Amnesia, but the place that this game coming from is so eager and sincere that I really can't help but respect and admire it as a whole. I've played games like these that only really come off as corny or immature, but The Cat Lady, for whatever reason, manage…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Too few cats, too many emotions This game triggered mainly negative feelings in me Sadness, pain, fear, exhaustion, hopelessness It felt more often than I'd like to admit like a much worse version of my own life The graphics fit the whole gloomy vibe so well, I enjoyed walking through the sceneries very much Music's also good Overall I'd say it's a 9/10, negative point: too few cats
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Stream schedule for this week. We will be playing and anomaly finding game - The Ten Bells and another Harvester Game : The Cat Lady I will be live on: Twitch: www.twitch.tv/chococotv Youtube: www.youtube.com/@chococotv #vtuber #chococotv #horrorgamer
neutral · AI labelView post →if you harnessed the power of markiplier, what indie game would you adapt for screen? i did an assignment for class once where i planned an adaptation of The Cat Lady as an action/horror. More middle aged women as horror protags please
neutral · AI labelView post →👻 The spooky season is here! If you could step into any horror or mystery game world for just one night… 🔮 Which one would you choose, and why? We’d go with The Cat Lady 🕷️ 👇 What’s your pick? #indiegame #indiedev #gamedev #horrorgames #spookyseason #thecatlady
neutral · AI labelView post →23. Game with the best graphics or art style I prize art style over fidelity. The games with the art style that most fully conveys the mood the developer wants to communicate are made by Harvester Games (The Cat Lady, Downfall, Lorelai, Burnhouse Lane). Grungy depression and desperation.
positive · AI labelView post →17. The Cat Lady Another point-and-click horror game. A terrifying journey through death, grief, and depression. A game that isn't afraid to get ugly and downright miserable.
neutral · AI labelView post →One of the most depressing and emotionally heavy games I've ever played. I loved how the game wasn't afraid to tackle serious topics like depression and loneliness. It can be pretty disturbing at times, but that's exactly what makes it so memorable. Susan was an amazing protagonist and I really loved the relationship between her and Mitzi. It was genuinely heartwarming and easily one of the best parts of the game. Overall an incredible psychological horror game with a beautiful message about…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The Cat Lady is a masterpiece. It's an absolutely gorgeous game, so deep, and it has the most accurate and surprisingly good message about mental illness I’ve ever seen. I never expected a game to feel this relatable or found an ending that was just really, really good. I understood Susan perfectly. The art style, the soundtrack, the mechanics, and the voice acting all work together to create an amazing, heavy experience. The writers are ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ amazing. This was one emotional game, and that…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Video reviews/essays/whatever I'd love to make: ⭐ The Scarecrow episode selfship review finally ⭐ Something to do with Petscop ⭐ An overview of the game The Cat Lady ⭐ Episode review of Jewel of the Aisle from PPG ⭐ Vid talking about AI chatbot addiction
neutral · AI labelView post →standing by the river I wonder… do I need a stone... no… my heart is heavy enough… it will drag me down for sure.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A grim-looking game with an incredible and dark story to it. It handles heavy topics like trauma, depression and hopelessness well. It also left me really sad (in a good way). Highly recommended. The best ending was so worth it. 💜
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →You know what was *generally* an ok game with some absolutely brutal letdowns? The Cat Lady. I have deeply mixed feelings about it and the canon it belongs to but I remember finding it *extremely* compelling to start. Then it was like 'oops it's a baby story' and I about threw my laptop out.
neutral · AI labelView post →10 games meme but i forgot every game i ever played Ico Final Fantasy 9 Gnosia The Cat Lady Night in the woods Dragon Age 2 Warframe OneShot Okami Journey
neutral · AI labelView post →Beautiful, heartfelt, disturbing, creepy game, that is told from a deep place of depression and searching for meaning in life. The gameplay can be a bit wonky, and the puzzles are sometimes obtuse, I had to look up one or two of them. But if you care about story and emotions as drivers in a video game (honestly it feels weird calling it that, I see this more as a work of art than a "game") then this might be for you. Personally, I loved it!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →"Maybe I can never get rid of it. This... invisible illness. Maybe it will always be living somewhere deep inside of me... Asleep. Waiting... And when it'll hit me, it'll hit me hard. But if there's one thing Mitzi taught me, it's that you have to pick yourself up and carry on. It doesn't matter that life isn't fair. It doesn't matter that you make mistakes - you fall and rise again"
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →this game is not just an experience, it is a permanent damage to your soul. the most brutal depictions of mental illness put into media. the connection to susan is not *just* empathetic, it is uncomfortable, as it traps you in the same headspace as her! flawless, FLAWLESS game. 10/10. <3
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The Cat Lady — Played: 34.1h | Achievements: 25/25 | Steam Deck: Playable TL;DR: A dark, artistic nightmare-fable about depression, grief, and very messed-up people. Odd visuals at first, then it clicks and becomes hypnotic. Mature themes, gore, a touch of nudity. Recommended… but grab it on sale/bundle. The Cat Lady is the kind of game that doesn’t knock. It kicks your door, turns off the lights, and asks if you’re “okay” in the most unsettling way possible. At first, the visuals can…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Sincerely, this is my favorite piece of art ever. I’m kinda suspicious to write a review about The Cat Lady since this game helped me a lot through my darkest moments, but I really think this one is such an amazing masterpiece. The soundtrack by Warmer is hauntly beautiful. The narrative is so well written and powerful. The way it explores themes like depression, loneliness and death in a way that isn’t obvious or superficial. I will update this review soon, and bring more content to it. But…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →🌸Stream Announcement🌸 Playing a classic horror game tonight, The Cat Lady! Time: 11 PM, 8th Feb (GMT+8) Twitch: twitch.tv/azegami_rash... 🎨: noyuuu28 #MYVT #MYVTuber #AUSVT #AUSVTuber #Vtuber #Vsky
neutral · AI labelView post →Pros: pre-launch menu (2 options), subtitles are on by default, gloomy soundtrack, eerie art style & voice acting, dark story, tutorial available (wasd supported), save & load files Cons: no mouse support (not even in the main menu or the Steam overlay), no options graphical settings (you have to go to the pre-launch game menu “setup” to customize resolution & windowed options, I recommend “fill whole screen”), no borderless windowed mode, game crashed 3x on me (especially when I alt+tab),…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The Cat Lady is one of those games that stays with you long after the credits roll. The story is gripping, emotional, and incredibly well written. The voice acting brings every character to life, and the soundtrack perfectly complements the game’s dark and haunting atmosphere. I also loved the art style it’s simple, but full of personality and charm, giving the game a unique identity that stands out. My only criticisms are that the controls can feel awkward at times, and I wish there had been a…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The Cat Lady looked like a simple point-and-click adventure turned out to be one of the most emotionally honest portrayals of depression and survival I've ever experienced in a game. Susan Ashworth is a beautifully flawed protagonist, and watching her story unfold across those surreal, haunting chapters genuinely stayed with me long after the credits rolled. The mismatched art style — rough hand-drawn characters against photorealistic backgrounds — feels jarring at first, but by the end it…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I played this blind. A friend recommended it to me, making sure not to spoil me which themes were gonna arise later in the game, that resonated with me on a degree I still feel today. The Cat Lady is an incredible game.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Game is carried by excellent writing, voice acting and music, visuals are very striking, gameplay is servicable.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →i love british people i wish they were real
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is the most beautiful game I've ever played in my entire life. Actively sobbing while writing this after finishing it for the first time. Oh. My. God. I love this game more than anything ever in the entire world. Playing a game about suicide while actively suicidal is the biggest gamble ever, but this is the most beautiful, meaningful, perfect game ever. I love the characters, the story, and the art is beautiful. The voice acting in some parts is odd, but Mrs. A and Mitzi's VAs were…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Only recently realised Harvester Games have a new game coming out soon. I love their Spooky Adventure style in their games (The Cat Lady, Burnhouse Lane etc), and this one seems to mix that and also some Life Sim elements. Interested in checking it out. #Blutoid www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgUS...
neutral · AI labelView post →▶️NOW LIVE another point and click game... but spooky! We're playing the classic: The Cat Lady! twitch.tv/rdsb_ren
neutral · AI labelView post →This is a new OC of mine, her name is Mitzi. She is named after my favorite character from a game called The Cat Lady (It is a very good game I highly recommend it). Mitzi (my OC) is a lethargic accountant who just wants to have a peaceful day off.
positive · AI labelView post →Not a game for everyone, clearly. But I can whole-heartedly recommend this game to people who want a well-written tale of depression and psychological horror. The story is good, voice acting and music are great, the sound design is among the best ever. Visuals fit the theme, and while animations are raw and sparse in an indie way, they also fit the theme and are artfully done
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Man, what a great game. If you like point and click games and mature themes in games this is right up your alley. It is a little bit outdated when it comes to controls and UI but you will get used to it in an hour or so. Please give it a try past the first chapter as it is kind of a slow-burner but when you play through the second chapter you will be hooked for sure and it is only upwards from there. Music is amazing, you get songs at the end of chapters like in Alan Wake 2 and it is freaking…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A murky, dark, and mature story in the first few chapters. It's quite unusual to find a video game like this; it's common in film and literature, but something like this in this industry is rare, as if it truly deviates from the mainstream. The problem is that as the story progresses, it becomes very diffuse, lacking focus. It jumps around, and it's unclear what it's really trying to say; it clearly loses its initial way. It's no longer so much a story about depression but rather a kind of…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →amazing underrated game, its all a big mystery and puzzle tho so details are important to make it through. i definetly recommend playing it
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Literally one of the greatest interactive adventure games ever made never relies on jumpscare and still creates an atmosphere so thick you couldn't cut it with a water jet. The story is absolutely peak the soundtrack is incredible so industrial and grungy sounding. the characters feel real and i love these characters. i have never fell in love with a video game bromance more than the one between Susan and Mitzi. I highly recommend this game to anyone it waltz it's way into becoming one of my…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Done! I'm noodle WE'RE AT FIERYLARA'S FOR THE CAT LADY NOW Heads up, the game has triggering content such as: TW's: Depression, Suicide, Animal Death, etc L!nk below for convenience
neutral · AI labelView post →chapter 3 holds a special place in my heart, never felt closer to a character like this before. this game is such a precious piece of art to me <3
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I bought this game like 10 years ago and didn't play it until recently. It's art that holds up pretty well for its age. Glad I took the time to play through it.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Twelvish years ago I saw a steam game with the silly title "The Cat Lady" and discovered a hauntingly beautiful adventure game about depression and I've been a fan of everything @harvester-games.bsky.social did ever since. Just finished Burnhouse Lane a second time for the "golden" ending. 👍👍
positive · AI labelView post →I was gifted a copy of the Cat Lady board game. To no one's surprise, my partner swiftly kicked my butt on our first game. They are, after all, much of a crazy cat lady. Quick game, fun, easy to learn. I give it 8 🐈⬛ out of 10 because I'm not sure about replayability. #boardgames #catlady #cat
neutral · AI labelView post →When you're stuck in a depression hellhole as Susan is for most of the story your world is entirely grey as her's seems to be. The cat lady is a painfully accurate portrayal of clawing your way out your mind when you already gave up on the world. I love this game with all my heart.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Pretty solid game! It's quite heavy and strange at times though, so I DO NOT recommend for everyone! I highly recommend for those who are at least 18 as it says. I played this during a time of having severe suicidal thoughts; which is exactly why I wanted to play it. But I actually didn't find it as sad as I was expecting/hoping for, and I also didn't feel any more or less how I was before playing, so I think that's good? 🤣 That's just me though; please be cautious as you play if you as…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →a great discovery of a game, i found this game while it was on sale and im glad to say that im happy i bought it! i'm someone who is horrible at puzzle games but surprisingly this was pretty easy to go through and figure out, i'm a huge fan of horror, there weren't many jumpscares but the imagery was a bit scary, some were a bit disturbing due to it being semi realistic but the art and animation is genuinly beautiful. this story was absolutely sad and it broke my heart going through every…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →with the increase in the number of cats living in my flat and as someone who has suffered from significant depression in the past i see a potential crazy cat lady aka Susan Ashworth in myself, oh the game? 10/10
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A wonderful discovery, The Cat Lady is a game that explores challenging themes to say the least and I think they did it very well! In terms of gameplay mechanics there are better games out there but the story is absolutely worth it and I personally really enjoy the art style, va and music :) Navigating the psychological horror through Susan Ashworth is utterly captivating and I think this is the kind of game that stays with you whether or not you’ve experienced those same struggles in…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The game's UX sucks so much. I accidentally chose a wrong dialogue option because there is no way to pause the game while a dialogue is playing, immediately Alt+F4'd only to restart the game and find out THERE ARE NO AUTOSAVES!!! LIKE, AT ALL! And I have to replay it from the start... Thanks, bye.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Loved the badass protagonist and the great music! Detracted a bit by slightly annoying control scheme (I played on Steam Deck) and the story that took quite a while to get going (the early chapters were easily the most boring part of the game). Solid recommend for anyone looking for a good, not-very-scary horror that doesn't rely on jumpscares to maintain the atmosphere!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →one of the most impactful games I have ever played. At times it is hard because it deals with sensitive topics, but they are topics that need to be discussed more in life. Loved the simplicity of the game style as it balanced the story well. If youve ever dealt with mental illness and thoughts of hurting, please play this game to the end, its worth every second.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I wasn't expecting any of that. At points there is a lot of talking, but I never felt like any of it was wasting my time. I rarely play this type of game. I have to be in a certain mood. That being said, I enjoyed this one.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Enjoyed what I saw of it, but about an hour in, I wanted to check the time, so I alt+tabbed the game, which caused it to crash. Deleted all my progress, which means it would mean getting through an hour of the game I'd already gone through. No negative comment on the actual story itself, but that bug combined with no ability to fast-forward dialogue is.......not very pleasant.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Adventure game excellence; trust your gut but heres my take: started in 2017 doing up to end of chap 2 by myself then dropping / finished in 2020 with former friends over discord and with that it only leaves a great memory / didn't disappoint spectacular gory and emotionally charged/draining experience but if you are not prepared to feel emotionally shaken or moved in any sort of way then don't buy this game.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Unique experience. Philosophical and psychologic themes (which i enjoy) presented really nice. Unexpected humor positively surprised me. Gameplay is just classic point and click 2d adventure. Didn't like the hospital, but other scenes were interesting.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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