Be Like a Cat, a solo/two-player journalling RPG is now on Kickstarter having raised over £17000 from a £1000 goal with 25 days left. The campaign ends on May 21, 2023. The game is created by Tim Roberts, the creator of Be Like a Crow & d666.
In Be Like a Cat, players take on the role of a feline as they prowl alleys and rooftops to expand their territory in one of several world settings. The rulebook contains everything players need to start playing in just a few minutes, complete with inspiring cat-themed artwork.
To begin, players will create their kitten, choosing from feral, stray, and pet archetypes, customising their breed and skills, and giving their moggy a name. Players will then venture out to explore their environment, gradually expanding their territory and encountering randomly generated locations and creatures.
The game plays out in a series of turns, with players moving around a blank hex map or a real-world map and generating locations and encounters using d66 prompt tables. Skills are divided into four main categories: Movement, Social, Sensory, and Combat, each with sub-skills that reflect the specific abilities of a cat.
As players claim more territory, they can advance in lifecycle stages and gain more skills, collect objects, and build a clowder (a group of cats) that can help them protect their turf or even attempt to betray them and steal territory. However, players must constantly evaluate risk, as they begin with nine lives and cannot regain lost lives if they get into precarious situations such as combat or balancing on high roofs.
In addition to the solo journalling mode, two optional two-player modes are detailed in the rulebook: GM Mode and Side by Side Mode. The game has three reward tiers, with the Top Cat tier offering a comprehensive package with everything players need to play on the go, including a tote bag, pen and pencil set, rulebook, journal, territory tracker, cat dice tray, custom d6, and a resin cat mini.
Be Like a Cat is set to be fulfilled before the end of August 2023. The rulebook is an A5 hardcover format, with approximately 60 pages without extra settings, which could reach 80 to 100 pages if more settings are unlocked in stretch goals. More character sheets will also be available for free on the Critical Kit website.