Skin Deep review: Cat-tastrophe

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Prior to encountering Skin Deep, I had no idea about its existence. To be clear, this doesn’t mean there’s anything inherently wrong with it, but rather that I was entering the experience completely unaware. So, what is this game? Let’s just give it a spin and find out. Given that “immersive sims” don’t typically appeal to me, Skin Deep seems to be an exception, as it shares similarities with this genre when broken down. However, it’s also quite peculiar, smaller in scale, somewhat simple, and fast-paced, which adds to its unique charm. It’s almost like someone combined the intricacies of Deathloop with a blender full of YouTube cat video compilations. This lack of familiarity might just be for the best.

Cats in space

In the whimsical universe of Skin Deep, things can get a bit puzzling yet amusingly so. Here, felines have reached a higher level of consciousness, enabling them to talk, send emails, and even pilot spaceships. Yet, they remain cats, making it easy for space-faring humans, even pirates, to capture and confine them in miniature cat cages. This is why having insurance policies becomes crucial, and that’s where you step in. As Nina Pasadena, an “insurance commando,” your role involves sneaking aboard compromised feline vessels, eliminating the pirates, and most importantly, freeing the captive kitties.

Unfortunately, Nina isn’t quite the action hero like Duke Nukem; she doesn’t show up armed and ready for combat. In fact, she often forgets her shoes! To successfully complete your mission, ingenuity will be your greatest asset. You’ll have to make do with whatever items you can scavenge, using them to create Looney Tunes-style mayhem. Items such as banana peels and cans of pepper are surprisingly effective in causing chaos. However, you’ll need to watch out for broken glass just as much as you’ll need to avoid detection by the pirates. This game’s circumstances are certainly unusual, to put it mildly.

Ain’t I a stinker?

The essence of Skin Deep lies in the question: “What if a game that’s usually immersive and serious was transformed into a slapstick comedy instead?” Eventually, I grew quite fond of this unique take. While it maintains the typical issues related to mechanics for variety, at least it keeps you amused with its humor. The standout feature is the enemies who are ‘immortal’ due to a device that detaches their heads to revive them. To truly vanquish them, you must first pepper them, then pounce when they sneeze, followed by bashing their heads onto various surfaces like counters, sinks, and monitors. The climax is capturing their heads, which taunt you from your inventory, threatening to reveal your location until you either discard them down the toilet or eject them into space via an airlock. This part is quite a spectacle.

The issue arises as Skin Deep intensifies its difficulties, making things increasingly frustrating. In combat situations, where you’ll encounter everything from firearms to hurling various items and characters, is typically a desperate measure that rarely succeeds. As the end approaches, you’re forced to confront heavily-armored pirates who require considerable effort to subdue. These encounters often involve tossing grenades, wrestling with the most uncomfortable shotgun in gaming, or taking chances by darting through vents. Skin Deep is delightful when you’re playing around with banana peels and saving cats. However, when it comes to using real weapons for escape purposes, Skin Deep loses much of its appeal.

Desk work

In transitions, Nina spends time in a multi-functional space serving as a hub, where she engages in mini-games, listens to concealed cassette tapes, fulfills training tasks, or checks emails. Rescuing a cat initiates a new dialogue with you. These interactions are adorable, with each cat possessing an unusual characteristic or eccentricity, such as a goth one who enjoys horror films, or a skateboarder who struggles to comprehend humans; cats and humans can’t perform the same tricks. This element enhances the game’s appeal, although it’s just optional text that doesn’t affect the gameplay otherwise.

In simpler terms, Skin Deep is a fun, compact game that borrows familiar mechanics from immersive simulation games but presents them in a smaller, zanier format. Instead of collecting debris, crafting endlessly, listening to pompous audio logs, and dealing with awkward combat physics in dimly lit passages, you’re engaging in similar activities but within an environment that resembles The Three Stooges set in vibrant, cubic spaces filled with peculiar, blocky cats. Despite repeating the same jokes a few times, it manages to stay amusing. However, combat remains clumsy, and parts requiring more of it are less enjoyable.

On April 30, 2025, I’ll be diving into Skin Deep, exclusively on my gaming PC! The publisher generously provided me with a review code to check it out before its official release. Can’t wait to share my thoughts with you all!

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2025-04-28 16:27