Gato Roboto

Beginning with its pint-sized feline protagonist, Gato Roboto is a compact take on genre conventions. After astronaut Gary crashlands on an alien planet, players take control of his action hero cat, Kiki, armoring up in a pet-sized mech and fending off a wily, seemingly unkillable rat. Doinksoft’s Metroidvania condenses the 2D action-adventure down to its essence, delivering familiar tools — like missiles and a screw attack — and satisfyingly challenging boss fights in a4–6 hour package. Unlike recent genre entries Dandara, Yoku’s Island Express and Hollow Knight, Gato Roboto doesn’t offer much that’s novel. But, it’s a purrrfectly compawtent catformer nonetheless.