Copycat Review: A Heartbreaking Love Letter to Lost Cats and Lonely Souls

Some games entertain. Then there are games that reach into your chest and rearrange your heart. Copycat the debut title from Sydney-based studio Spoonful of Wonder—firmly belongs to the latter.

Beautifully illustrated and emotionally loaded, Copycat tells the story of Dawn, a shelter cat who’s convinced she doesn’t belong to anyone. Adopted (again) by Olive, an elderly woman grieving the disappearance of her previous feline companion, Dawn initially plots escape. But as their unlikely bond begins to bloom, the game begins to unravel something tender, raw and deeply human.

And then, everything changes.

When Olive falls ill, a stray lookalike sneaks in and steals Dawn’s place. Rejected and alone once more, players must guide Dawn through streets, rooftops and shadows in a desperate bid to reclaim her place. But as the title suggests, Copycat, there are questions the game quietly asks all along: Who really belongs? What defines home? And who gets to decide which version of you is worth loving?

This narrative-driven experience is fully voice-acted, with standout performances that bring Olive and Dawn’s world to life. The pacing is slow and intentional, allowing every emotional beat to fully land. At times, the game feels less like something you’re playing and more like something you’re feeling. The original score by Daniel Bunting only deepens the immersion, layering melancholy and hope with aching precision.

Visually, Copycat is stunning, but its aesthetic strengths come with a caveat. We found the stylised movements and visual flow may trigger motion sickness, so if it does this for you reducing the visual sensitivity is recommended. The game is also more comfortable with a controller, particularly Xbox, as the on-screen prompts match Xbox button labels.

Players should also be emotionally prepared. This isn’t just a game about a cat. It’s a meditation on loneliness, abandonment, self-worth, and identity, both human and feline. The emotional impact is real. Many players (ourselves included) have ended the experience in tears. Sobbing, in fact.

And through it all, there's a genuine affection for cats, their quirks, habits, instincts, and stubborn sense of self. The game peppers in charming little facts and observations that will have cat lovers quietly nodding in recognition.

Developed with support from Screen Australia, Copycat is the passion project of writer Samantha Cable and director Kostia Liakhov, two longtime creative collaborators whose studio, Spoonful of Wonder, aims to deliver soulful, nostalgic, and emotionally intelligent games. With Copycat, they’ve set the bar high. This is more than a promising debut. It’s a remarkable achievement.

Just make sure you have tissues nearby.