Cat Secretary Preview: Office Stealth With a Feline Twist

Robots coming for human jobs was already a worry. Now the cats want in too. Cat Secretary puts you on the payroll of an office as a four-legged new hire, and the result is a mix of chores, sneaking around and gentle office drama.

Indie Games Plus got hands-on time with a demo of Cat Secretary at Gamescom, the big annual games trade fair in Cologne, Germany. Based on that preview, this one looks like a strange little gem worth keeping an eye on.

First Day on the Job

Here's the setup. You start a new job at an office, and you're never quite sure what the company actually does. People talk business all around you, but you're a cat, so reading isn't really your thing. That's fine, because nobody needs you for the paperwork.

Instead, an AI robot trains you, and then you're sent off to do small jobs that lift everyone's morale. It's a funny premise, and I like how it pokes at the AI-takeover topic without getting preachy.

Your task list is pleasantly mundane. You fill coffee pots. You play small mini-games, such as organising files. Mostly, you try to make the humans' working day a bit easier. If you've enjoyed the skating odd jobs in RollerGirl, this loop of small, helpful errands should feel familiar.

Office Politics, Cat Style

On paper the concept is simple. There is a story underneath, though. Some employees are unhappy with their jobs, and part of your role is to change their minds.

There's also your AI trainer, who turns out to be a sympathetic figure. Despite working for the company, the robot is locked out of many areas of the building. Helping your mechanical friend get where it needs to go seems to be one of the threads holding the story together.

And the demo doesn't stay quiet. According to the preview, there's drama, there are threats and there's a full-blown AI takeover. Somewhere in between, you also fix routers and man-handle vending machines. Paw-handle, maybe.

Sneaking Past the Big Bots

The core gameplay is task-based. You wander the office, take on your assigned jobs and boost the mood of the staff. But there's a catch, and it's where Cat Secretary gets more interesting.

Every cat has its zone. Stray outside of it and you get in trouble. That means some tasks require you to slip past the larger robots patrolling the office so you can help people or the smaller bots. It's stealth, but with a cat sneaking between desks instead of a soldier crouching behind crates.

The preview describes it as an unusual take on the stealth genre, packed with funny and even cozy moments. Being a cat apparently feels right at home here. You play mini-games, make yourself useful to the humans and maybe aren't quite so helpful to the AI bots that have taken over.

That last part is a nice touch. Your loyalties are clearly with the people, and causing a little mischief for the machines seems to be part of the fun.

Where to Find It

Cat Secretary isn't out yet. The full game can be wishlisted on Steam. The source doesn't mention a release date, so for now the Steam page is the place to follow its progress.

Our Take

Cat Secretary seems to sit in a sweet spot that a lot of indie games are chasing right now: cozy, low-pressure tasks mixed with a light mechanical twist. Here, that twist is stealth. It's a combination that fits a cat surprisingly well. Cats are known for going where they're not supposed to, after all.

The AI angle is the other thing that stands out. Robots taking over workplaces is a very current topic, and this suggests the developers want to comment on it with humour rather than gloom. Whether the story holds up over a full game, or stays a fun backdrop, is still an open question.

It's also worth watching how deep the stealth goes. In games like Bandit Knight's 2.5D heists, sneaking is the main event. In Cat Secretary it seems to share the stage with coffee pots and file sorting. If the balance is right, this could be a nice pick for players who like the idea of stealth but don't want the stress.

Like Mr. Records with its shop counter, it turns an everyday job into a game. We'll be curious to see how much variety the final version offers once the demo's novelty wears off.