Cattails: Wildwood Story

Tyler Thompson was in his twenties when he Kickstarted the original Cattails in 2017 with a $3,210 goal. It raised twelve times that. He went full-time indie. For Wildwood Story’s Kickstarter in 2022, he set a $30,000 goal. It funded in under two hours and ultimately raised $241,315 from over four thousand backers. People clearly wanted more Cattails.

The pitch is simple and perfect: it is Stardew Valley, but you are a cat. A feral cat, specifically. You roam an open world, hunt prey, forage herbs, mine caves, build a colony, befriend other cats, fall in love, and have kittens.

Hunting is the standout mechanic. You activate your sense of smell, which overlays the screen with scent trails leading to nearby prey. Sneak close through tall grass, wait for the right moment, then pounce through the air. Different prey animals have different difficulty levels. It captures the predatory patience of a real cat in a way that feels surprisingly satisfying.

Colony building gives you long-term goals. You choose where to settle (beach, forest, volcano) and build structures that attract new resident cats. You can send squads of your colony members to capture territory or gather resources. Visiting a tile daily increases your influence over it. There is a light strategy layer sitting underneath the life sim that gives your daily routine more purpose.

The romance system lets you befriend over twenty eligible cats, date them, marry them, and have kittens. Rival NPC cats will also pursue relationships with each other, which gives the world a sense of life beyond your actions. Your travel companion cat gains experience and levels up alongside you.

The honest critique: combat is the weakest element. Fighting corrupted creatures and enemy cats feels clunky compared to the hunting and exploration. The story missions lean toward standard fetch quests. Once you finish the main storyline, the end-game content thins out.

Despite those rough edges, Wildwood Story holds a 97% positive rating on Steam. Tyler and his wife Beka run Falcon Development together with their three pets. It is a small game made by a small team with an enormous amount of heart.

If you ever looked at Stardew Valley and thought “this would be better if I was a cat,” you were right, and this game proves it.