A calm, pretty game for short sessions. If you don't mind optional ads in exchange for rewards, it's a great fit.
Cats & Soup is a mobile game from small South Korean studio HIDEA, also known for the RPG Man or Vampire. It came out on Android and iOS at the end of September 2021 and, according to publisher NEOWIZ, passed 20 million downloads by May 2022.
What stands out most is its look: soft, watercolour-like colours, sweet animations and, above all, cats that cook.
How it plays
It all starts in a small forest clearing with a single cat stirring soup in a big pot. You play the seller: every finished dish is sold for gold. With that gold you:
- Upgrade cooking stations.
- Hire more cats for other jobs: peeling cabbage, corn or acorns, slicing carrots or making juice.
- Unlock new kitchen processes.
- Buy rest spots where cats relax and generate energy points.
Energy is spent on learning new recipes and improving the soups and juices you already know. Oddly enough, the recipe book is entirely vegetarian.
Looking after the cats
Cats need fresh fish from the pond, which raises their health. A daily chest hands out cosmetic items such as accessories and clothes, and every cat has a small room you can furnish and decorate. There are many more mechanics and mini-games to discover gradually, like a hot-air balloon flown by a scatterbrained mouse carrying a basket of coins.
Monetisation
The game is free. Many rewards come from watching video ads: some can also be earned without them, but others are only available through ads. That's its main weak spot, as ads come up often.
Who it's for
Cats & Soup suits anyone looking for something calm to unwind with at the end of the day: repetitive tapping, soothing music, cat sounds and unhurried progress. It doesn't get big updates often, but it does receive new free content regularly.