I'd first been given this series in a trade with a friend, and after extensive time with this game (ignore the playtime) as well as it's predecessor, I can confidently confirm that this is a game you WANT to allow in your life. When you complete, nigh, BOOT UP 100 hidden cats 2, you will understand what it means to play video games. You will understand the truth of the universe, and how it ultimately culminates in the decision to live long enough to consciously land you here, in this exact moment, finding 100 hidden cats, again. I was hooked, yes, by the initial premise in the first game of searching for 100 cats in a vertically lengthy, black-and-white 2D space, but I wasn't blown away, even somewhat dissatisfied. However, by the playing of this game, I now understand: it's not just about finding the cats, its about the journey TO finding them. Upon starting this game, you'll feel like a million dollars, breezing through the cats at first, finding dozens by the minute, but then, you'll start to slow down, realizing that those last few are just thoroughly hidden, restricted by a perspective too close-minded to warrant their immediate seeking. Make no mistake, however, for this long stretch of time struggling on finding those last few isn't meant to hinder, but help. Help YOU, the player, reflect on your critical thinking, your sense of direction. You'll question to yourself "were they perched upon this light post?", "did i miss them in the hedges?" or "did i miss them at the top?" and in all of this second-guessing, all this running around, scrolling, you'll eventually learn to stop thinking so hard, and instead allow yourself to become immersed in the scenery, reliving your own past mistakes, confronting your deepest, darkest fears, until you've eventually broken down from the pressure, disappointed in your own worth as a human being, until you just... see it. There, perched upon a window, one of, if not THE final, skinny hidden cat staring you dead in the eyes, gleaming with a smug sense of pride that tells you, "You've confronted your inner demons, and for that, I am proud. You have earned the right to find me." This game is a masterclass in perception and self-discovery in the form of gameplay. It is an experience that should never go overlooked, no matter what your genre preferences are. Recommended.
