Doom Cat
You’re a witch.
And you’re doing what you do best: a little bit of witchcraft here and there, to keep the demons at bay…
Anyone who knows about your unorthodox career path would probably assume demons are the biggest pain point in your work life. But that, unfortunately, has changed in recent times.
Thanks to your cat!
Your cat keeps knocking over your spell books and releasing the demons. At first, it seemed like an accident, but now you’re sensing it’s deliberate. Your cat might actually enjoy setting them free!
So hurry up and bind them demons, before your feline friend brings doom upon us all…
October is my favorite month, thanks to the shift in weather and, of course, Halloween. I saved all the horror and fiction stuff for this time of year, and I’m currently rewatching Stranger Things and The Haunting of Hill House. All I needed was a good spooky game to feel complete. And bless the hallows, that’s exactly what happened!
Entry: Before playing the game.
First Impressions
Having already tried Dylan’s games before (try Otter, it’s super adorable), I was assuming something cute was coming my way. But I was greeted by a rather evil-looking cat laughing at me from the game files. I smirked a bit. This is interesting. I might be in for something wild!
As a game enthusiast and designer, the story or narrative is everything. It sets the tone for the game and helps me picture it before the mechanics part kicks in. And the story for Doom Cat, which I sort of summarized at the start, is spot on! It’s mischievous, chaotic, and pulls me right in. And I’m sure I won’t be the only one.
A bit on Doom Cat
In this roll-and-write, you play as a witch whose mischievous cat keeps knocking over your spell books and unleashing demons. What starts as a simple binding ritual quickly turns into a chaotic battle of dice, sigils, and stolen rolls. Each turn, everyone rolls dice at once, marking symbols, chasing goals, and trying to bind demons and outwit your notorious cat.Â
Dylan Coyle, the designer of the game, has recently launched the game’s PNP campaign on Itch, while its boxed set will be available on BackerKit (from October 20th). Alongside the boxed set, there’ll be plushies and pins, a Charming Games classic!
All you need
I was provided with the PNP files, so I printed them out on cardstock and glued the sides of the cards together. You can take the easier route and sleeve them; I preferred dealing with the cat’s glare, not the lamination!
The game has 3 levels, each requiring 8 pages of print. The best approach is to print them all at once for a seamless experience, rather than breaking it up.
Once you’re done prepping the cards, grab 3 dice and a pen per player. And that’s it! Unless…
Unless you want to create a vibe!
It’s Halloween, and this game is about demons set free! Create some atmosphere and bring friends along. I had potion bottles, a scented candle, and a few pinches of salt around my gaming table with Doom Cat set up to play. And it already felt awesome! Felt like Halloween.
Entry: After playing the game.
Findings
7 days of fighting with the demons of the ancient world.
7 days of trying to outsmart my (imaginary) pet…
What a ride! Almost felt like Gandalf fighting Balrog if you omit the results, haha. Here are my findings:
Simple? erm…
Let me put it this way- it’s a simple game if you want it to be.Â
Example 01: I played a round with a friend who is not entirely into games. So, it’s obvious he won’t be as thorough. He played a round, obviously scored less than I did, but really seemed to have enjoyed it. He said the game is simple, and would love to give it another try later. Perhaps on October 31st!
Example 02: I played another round with a friend who is a board game enthusiast. He played a couple of rounds, even beat me once, and not to my surprise, enjoyed it. He said the game ‘feels’ simple, but it has plenty of opportunities for you to be strategic and score points. Hence, not as simple as it seems.
So it really is up to the players. For me, it has just the right amount of strategy.
Take a while to understand how the Goal Cards can be used to make the most of every round. Similarly, for Sigil Cards, you need to assess how each line you draw and the numbers you allocate can earn you more points. As Familiar Cards and stars are introduced, you’ll need to strategize really well to go beyond 70 points. But it won’t boil your brain, though.
Amazing learning curve
You’re not thrown into a landmine with this game. With 3 levels in place, you get the chance to ease your way in, which I really appreciated. I enjoy gradually building up to higher levels rather than jumping straight in.
The Goal Cards and Sigil Cards become more challenging as new elements are introduced at higher levels. It doesn’t get impossible, but it does make you think more than the previous level. You can also choose which level to play depending on who you’re playing with, as I did with my friends.
With 3 levels, replayability kicks in as well. Big green flag!
I felt like a witch, here’s why…
I sound like a broken record, but I can’t stress enough how important it is for games to integrate their story with the mechanics and components. It makes the game truly immersive, and such is the case for Doom Cat.
After 14 rounds of drawing, the Sigil Cards end up looking like a witch’s ritual drawing, resembling a pentacle. While the cat doesn’t appear as a component, you always feel its presence as it steals one die from you each round and knocks out candles. The artwork on the Goal Cards and Familiar Cards is equally stunning, perfectly reflecting the theme of witchcraft and escaped demons.
Add some props on your gaming table like I did, and consider becoming a witch influencer. An untapped niche, by the way…
Solo or 1v1?
While I mostly played the game solo, I really enjoyed it in 1v1 mode with friends. It’s the kind of game that’s even more fun with more people. At times, it wasn’t even a contest. We made a house rule that required us to accumulate 150 points to win, helped each other out, shared laughs whenever we messed up, and made the most of the spooky setup we created. A perfect way to kick off Halloween!
So yeah, the more the merrier. And spooky props are mandatory.
Expandable?
Curing the itch of the game designer in me.
It’s a question I ask myself whenever I really enjoy a game. And yes, Doom Cat definitely has expansion potential.
Just like the higher levels incorporated stars, Familiar Cards, new Goal and Sigil Cards, Doom Cat can definitely introduce new elements to add more to the chaos. Giving players ways to influence each other’s Sigil Cards or incorporating the cat as a component are just a couple of ideas that come to mind. Turn this game into a mini universe, Dylan! Big please.
Cat’s out of the bag, Witch!
Your cat’s causing all forms of chaos, the demons are unleashed and roaming, and you are gritting your teeth. It’s time.
Head to Itch if you’re a PNP fanatic like me, or go for BackerKit if you prefer a boxed version with plushies and pins!
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Game Overview
Publisher: Charming Games
Designer: Dylan Coyle
Artist: Lailamon and Dylan Coyle
Number of players: 1 or above
Difficulty level: Medium
Rounds of gameplay needed to learn: 1 to 2 rounds
Game duration: 20-30minutes
Available on: Itch | BackerKit
Theme: Roll-and-write | Binding Demons
Number of pages and color: 8 pages per level (color print)
Assembling difficulty level: Medium. Print and cut out the cards, then sleeve them!
Lamination: Not recommended
Additional elements required: 3 D6 dice, one pen per player, and card sleeves
Time to learn: Within 20 minutes
Travel-friendly: 9/10
Shelving friendly: 9.5/10
Rating from PnP Time: 8.5/10
Tasliman is a board game developer based in Bangladesh, with the dream of exploring the world of games and introducing it to anyone new to it. He is the founder of Kraftz, a brand that develops board games commercially, as well as with reputed entities like BRAC and The Gates Foundation.
