Hidden Cats in Paris

Developer: Young Horses | Publisher: Young Horses | Release Date: 2014 | Genre: Action / Adventure / Indie | Website: Official Website | Purchase: Steam

 After sending players on feline scavenger hunts through London and New York, Nukearts Studio decided it was time for cats to invade one of the most recognizable cities in the world. Hidden Cats in Paris takes the same cozy formula from previous entries and transports it to the City of Light, where the streets, landmarks, and architecture of Paris become one enormous playground for mischievous cats. Players can expect plenty of familiar sights, such as the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Catacombs, Versailles, and more, while trying to track down every hidden kitty.

Anyone who has played Hidden Cats in London or Hidden Cats in New York will immediately feel at home. Hidden Cats in Paris sticks closely to the formula established by its predecessors, offering both a “Normal” and “Advanced” mode. Normal mode features 100 cats hidden in fixed locations and provides players with three hints if they become stuck. Advanced mode raises the challenge considerably with 150 cats placed in semi-random positions. In addition, players can locate sixteen city people for extra hints and eight special cats that unlock bonus areas.

The bonus levels are actually one of the biggest improvements here and feel more ambitious than before. Instead of a handful of smaller locations, Hidden Cats in Paris features six unlockable bonus areas, including a Boulangerie, Catacombs, Patisserie, Cabaret, Louvre, and Versailles. These levels vary in size and contain anywhere from fifty to one hundred kittens hiding in every nook and cranny. Some of these bonus maps ended up being our favorite parts of the game, as they feel more focused and packed with interactive details.

Gameplay remains delightfully simple. Players scroll around a large monochromatic illustration and click on any cat they spot. Found cats become colored, and eventually, entire sections of the city gradually spring to life with color as more felines are discovered nearby. This remains one of the most satisfying aspects of the series. Watching a plain black-and-white sketch slowly transform into a vibrant cityscape creates a nice sense of progression and also acts as a subtle clue for areas that still need searching.

Like previous entries, the map itself is absolutely packed with detail. Paris feels alive thanks to little animated flourishes and humorous environmental touches hidden throughout the illustration. Up close, there are plenty of small visual gags and easter eggs scattered around the city. It rewards players who take their time rather than rushing through the hunt.

Of course, the larger environments and increasing number of cats also create some issues. Some cats are tiny to the point of absurdity and can easily blend into background details. Others hide behind moving scenery or environmental objects, which occasionally feels less clever and more frustrating. While the hint system can help to alleviate this, we stubbornly refuse to make use of hints and once again got 100% of the achievements the good old-fashioned way.

Thankfully, Hidden Cats in Paris remains completely stress-free. There are no timers, no penalties, and no pressure to rush. It’s the sort of game that can comfortably be played while listening to a podcast or simply unwinding after a long day. Accessibility also remains strong with options such as Dark Mode, Color Blindness support, inverted zoom controls, mouse drag sensitivity adjustments, and edge-screen scrolling.

Audio remains virtually unchanged from earlier entries. The soundtrack is pleasant and relaxing without demanding attention, making it perfect background music while hunting for hidden felines. Cats continue to meow when players scroll near their hiding spots, which is useful for tracking down elusive kitties. Unfortunately, just like in previous games, this can become a bit overwhelming when multiple cats begin meowing simultaneously. Thankfully, individual volume sliders make it easy to tweak or mute these sounds. This is recommended as constant meowing could become distracting if left at default settings.

As before, the controls are handled entirely with the mouse and work perfectly for this style of game. Zooming, panning, and clicking all feel responsive and intuitive. There really isn’t much else needed.

The biggest criticism we can level at Hidden Cats in Paris is that it plays things very safe. While the increased number of bonus levels and larger amount of hidden objects are appreciated, this is fundamentally still the exact same experience as Hidden Cats in London and Hidden Cats in New York. Players hoping for new mechanics, mini-games, or significant changes may be disappointed. Hidden Cats in Paris feels more like another destination in an ongoing hidden-object vacation series rather than a major evolution.

Still, it’s hard to complain too much considering the low asking price and sheer amount of content. Between both modes and all bonus areas, players have over 680 hidden objects to uncover, which is surprisingly generous for such an inexpensive title. Most players will still finish everything in one or two sessions, but it remains difficult not to get sucked into hunting down “just one more cat.”

Overall, Hidden Cats in Paris continues Nukearts Studio’s streak of charming hidden object titles. It doesn’t reinvent anything, but it offers more of what fans already enjoy while wrapping everything in a beautiful Parisian package. If you enjoyed London or New York, then this is an easy recommendation. Just be prepared for a lot of tiny cats.