Het spelletje Daymare Cat is al weer een pareltje van de hand van Mateusz Skutnik in de hem kenmerkende geschetste tekenstijl.

Aan jou om de heldin Cat doorheen de wonderlijke straatjes van het stadje Daymare te loodsen op zoek naar vijf platen die uiteindelijk zullen zorgen voor de muzikale verlossing.

Alhoewel Daymare Cat een platform game is, is Mateusz er op meesterlijke wijze in geslaagd de nadruk te leggen op het oplossen van de puzzels en het verkennen van de locaties. En dat verkennen wordt puur genieten gelet op de zorg waarmee ieder scherm werd getekend.

Avec la course aux meilleurs graphismes que se livrent les jeux next-gen, on en oublierait presque le pouvoir de la simplicité. Mateusz Skutnik et ses univers sont là pour nous le rappeler. Après nous avoir enchanté avec ses Gnomes, rendu fous avec ses Submarines et en règle générale fait passer de très bons moments avec tous ses jeux Pastel Games, c’est la série des Daymare Town qui est de retour.

Composé de trois épisodes principaux (le quatrième est à 40% terminé) et de trois spin-off épisodes secondaires, ces jeux d’aventure/plateforme/puzzle sont une expérience graphique à part entière. Univers en noir et blanc entre Tim Burton et Shel Silverstein, le décor fourmille de détails tant le dessin est précis et sans fioriture.

Ce dernier opus, Daymare Cat, nous place dans une ville cauchemardesque, distordue et vide. L’atmosphère est pesante, la sortie inconnue. La seule chose qui nous accompagne est le vent. Mais ici et là, bien cachés, reposent cinq disques que l’on devra placer sur des phonographes, chacun laissant entendre sa propre mélodie. Le jeu est court mais la difficulté est bien dosée. Enchanteur par ses graphismes et son ambiance, poétique et sombre à la fois, Daymare Cat est un vrai chef d’œuvre.

Par Corentin Courtois

Close your eyes (but read the following words first). Now, imagine a place that you could go to in order to unwind, where colors leave you to admire just the outline of things, and a forlorn wind blows in the background. Everything has a great detail, and you can’t help but stare at the beauty in the tiniest of details. Cloths blow in the breeze, dirt tunnels are caressed by roots and the sky seems limitless.

Does it look anything like Daymare Cat?

Mateusz Skutnik has clearly spent a lot of effort sketching out each and every screen in this puzzle-platformer, and the eloquent result is a daydream across a colorless and mostly silent world, across which you must travel to find freedom and solve the mystery that seems to lock you inside. The place appears to be a small, abandoned town, but there’s life in every nook and cranny due to the love that’s been etched into them by the creator. The world that is presented to you really feels as if you could lift up a stone and find every bit of dirt hiding underneath; it’s that detailed.

You won’t be spending too much of your time admiring the scenery, though, not after the initial few minutes of playing Daymare Cat. There are puzzles to be solved, most of which are pretty easy, much like the platformer sections. But what will hold you up in a few moments are the background passages and doors that aren’t made obvious, and so you’ll probably run past them a number of times, searching for what you’re missing without realizing the 2D plane and sketches are letting you down just a little.

I guess that’s a result of making a scene that looks so natural, despite its humble fantasy; nothing sticks out in particular. That’s only a minor problem that will only plague you in those moments, but won’t spoil the game come its end. You should remember it fondly.

Daymare Cat does feel more like an adventure game than anything else as a result of its progression through exploration, rather than challenging exploration or platforming. You mostly stick around the same areas and will backtrack when coming to a dead end quite often, and this is when you’ll start noticing that some of the backgrounds hold passages that you didn’t notice beforehand. Keys are one thing you collect for a while, but the main goal is to open a big door that requires you to find five records and play them on one of the gramophones around the place.

Once you’ve managed to do this, the game will come to a finish, and you’ll be given a link to download the song that you put together with the records for free. Wonderful! That art style and a free song? You’d be a fool to not play this one.

I have never reviewed nor spotlighted a flash game from Pastel Stories although he makes some great flash titles that you all should be familiar with such as the Submachine and Daymare Town series. Well after the release of Daymare Cat I loved it so much I felt I should feature it over here finally on FlashMush.

If you have never played his other series, Submachine is essentially a point and click adventure game. I mention this as Daymare Cat has similar aspects but in a platforming medium instead. What I mean by this is the goal in Daymare Cat is to essentially find all the records to play on turntables to open a door and to do so you need to find items scattered throughout the crazy world and place them in the right spots. Now don’t let the platforming aspect of Daymare Cat scare you off as it is nothing challenging just the medium chosen for gameplay to help move everything along.

Now where Daymare Cat really shines is in the music (by Cat Jahnke) and the graphical design. Since Daymare Cat is kind of music based (with the records and such) music plays a great role in Daymare Cat and find it really sets this surreal ambiance that is amazing. Combine this with the crazy artistic hard to explain style of graphics you get one of the best looking flash games I’ve played in a while. Overall, Daymare Cat is a pleasure to look at and play.

FlashMush Reviews Rating: 8.5/10

Now, normally I would wait until Friday to post about a new free game, but we have some exclusive content here, and it is an installment in one of my favourite online franchises, so we’re making it a special Free Game Wednesday. And make sure to keep reading after the review for an exclusive Q&A with the creators.

About a month ago, I reviewed “Daymare Town”, a trilogy of online games by designer and artist Mateusz Skutnik. With breathtaking artwork, intriguing puzzles, and an atmosphere that can’t be beat, “Daymare Town” has become legendary in the annals of browser games.

Among the fans of the game is Cat, of the new music group “Cat and the Menagerie”. She was such a fan, in fact, that she decided to message Mateusz on Twitter. The two of them started talking, and before long, they had an agreement. Mateusz would create a new “Daymare Town” game, and Cat and her group would write the music for it.

The result is “Daymare Cat”, a game that certainly matches “Daymare Town” in terms of general goal (escape the town) and art style, but also features original music and a new game style. The original “Daymare Town” trilogy was a fairly straightforward point-and-click adventure game in static first person format. “Daymare Cat”, however is a sidescrolling platformer in third person (with the main character being modeled after Cat herself). Rather than the logic puzzles of the original trilogy, “Cat” also features strictly jumping and physics puzzles.

This could feel like a disservice to the original trilogy, but it actually doesn’t. The unique and striking artwork is still there, as is the desolate, howling atmosphere. The animation on Cat is well done, especially considering “Daymare Town” featured little in the way of animation, and it’s nice to see Mateusz stretch his legs a little. The controls are also thankfully simple; left and right to move, up to jump, down to use objects or go through doorways, all of which is made clear in the intro. The one big complaint that I have is that, while the jumping mechanic is forgiving in that you only need the barest inch on the platform to stay on it, it’s also highly sensitive. Jumping sends you careening upwards, and you can change direction in midair. Also, God help you if your browser is lagging, because that throws the physics engine completely out of whack. It takes some getting used to.

Once you do get used to it, however, the game flows nicely, and Mateusz’s artwork shines. The really striking aspect, however, comes with the way they incorporate Cat and the Menagerie’s music. The object is to collect five records and play them on five separate players. Each record plays an individual and interesting piece of music. When all of the records are collected, however, you realize the the five individual tracks come together to form one cohesive song, Cat and the Menagerie’s “Better”.

It’s a remarkably unique and striking aspect of the gameplay. I’m also pleased to note that, once you complete the game, you will be given a link to download the song (free) for yourself. I’m not a music critic, but I took that chance to download in a heartbeat. Cat has a near-ethereal voice, and the song itself is a mix of tribal beats and electronica that I found matched the game’s atmosphere beautifully, lending a new layer to an already remarkable franchise.

You’ll be through this game in about fifteen minutes, but it’s worth the playthrough. It’s a delightful addition to the “Daymare Town” series, and a fine piece of collaboration by two excellent artists.

4/5

So I am in the middle of a very interesting collaboration with Cat Janhke ( I promise I don’t sing) and as a result I had the distinct pleasure to talk to both Cat Jankhe and Mateusz Skutnik about another very interesting collaboration, Seriously.

The whole thing started as a twitter exchange (living in the future is very interesting) and became a new escape adventure starring Cat with her music as part of the treasure to be found throughout the game. Suddenly the whole thing became a brand new online point and click video game from multi award-winnipeg independent game designer Mateusz Skutnik.

The music that Cat provided for the game is a song from her brand new musical project called, “Cat and The Menagerie”. When a player completes the game they are given a link to a private download page where they can download the game’s theme song : “Better”.

I asked them both a few questions about the creative process..

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS TO & FROM CAT:

Q: Cat, your songs have such strong storytelling elements in them, so the typical assumption is that as a writer you are influenced by books, but have you ever found inspiration for music in a game?

A: While I LOVE reading and I ADORE playing games, I think that my work as a film composer has actually had more of an effect on the storytelling elements within my songs. Several years ago I was invited for the first time to enhance the movement within a short film and that’s when I really began to practice using music to evoke emotion, instead of just carry a voice.

I give a lot of credit to the directors I work with who continually challenge me to match their vision; they coax me to provide what the audience needs to be in touch with what they are seeing; they give me new vocabulary in this musical language that we all speak.

I am grateful for what I have learned and I hope to continue learning and practicing as I experiment with my music in different media.

Q: Cat, describe what it’s like to go from a fan to a collaborator, to a character in a game, and then move “yourself” around to solve a puzzle…

This has been in the works for some time and for most of the process I just thought, “This is way too good to be true.”

From the beginning Mateusz was exceptionally approachable and encouraging. I think my very first contact with him was a twitter message saying that I’d like to bake him a banana bread to thank him for his amazing games. He responded with “Nom nom” and I was over the moon.

Despite the fact that I am a writer by trade, I’m finding it very difficult to put into words exactly what it means to collaborate with one of my idols, to know that he has spent time in his own world thinking about me and my music…

I’ll tell you what I told Mateusz after I played through the game for the first time:

“As soon as I heard that wind blowing in the background I thought, “Holy crap! That’s me in the Daymare universe!” The ending almost had me in tears (and I do not get emotional easily). I recognize those characters… I recognize those symbols… I recognize that creamy yellow landscape…

This is unbelievable. Your game justifies for me all the hard work and struggling I have faced as a musician. That’s a very valuable gift to me and I am so very grateful.”

EXTRA TIDBIT:

From Cat:

On May 7, 2011, after receiving several emails from me in which I absolutely gushed over his work, Mateusz sent me a message that included the following:

And pls stop with the “huge fan” already ;)

That will help in future dialogue :D

Just thought that was an interesting tidbit. I love this man. :)

————

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS TO & FROM MATEUSZ:

Q: Mateusz, your game relies on memory and logic, but also on storytelling elements. Strange sub-plots in the images and items seem to emerge. Can you talk about the process for creating these situations?

A: That’s thanks to my comic book background. You see, I’m a comic book artist first – the game designer second. It’s only reasonable that this game developing business is just another outlet for the storytelling. Moreover, since this is the interactive experience, I can just hint a story, and the player does the rest. The game can be what you want it to be. I just need to point it in the right direction. To quote the classic: I can only show you the door.

Q: Mateusz, In comicbookland where I’m from, a major conceit of the medium is that people buy and read some books just for the art. That sometimes, the part that connects with people is the hardest to quantify. That’s what keeps me coming back to your games. I don’t have time to puzzle out everything, but I don’t feel the need to either, that’s not how I’m wired. That said, I could walk Daymare Cat through the tunnels for a half hour and just marvel at your keen eye for composition and world building. How much of being an artist informs your work in making games?

A: The only way to stay relevant and current is to do everything your way. That’s the only way that proved to be relevant in games as well.

I’m not an artist, I kind of resent that title, first of all because the way people work in comic book land. You need to be a heavy duty worker to finish a book, not an artist, working on a flame of passion. It’s a craft, not artistry. Same goes for the games.

However if imprinting yourself onto the work you do is considered “artistic” – then that’s what I do. And by “yourself” I don’t mean your soul, thoughts or being, nothing that fancy – shmancy. By “yourself” I mean – the state in which you already embraced what you can do and the way you do it – and from that point on you’re fearless in doing just that. That’s the reason I don’t sketch all that much (besides quick composition sketches) and I don’t erase pencil from my works. I leave the whole process on. Same goes for the games.

For me both of those storytelling procedures are almost the same.

author: G M B Chomichuk

The Racing of a Mind.

Video games provide me much escapist entertainment. In recent years, I’ve leaned more toward games I can complete in a single sitting, because I never know when I’m going to have another chance to escape again. I just played through this gem that blends puzzle solving, music compilation, and a heroine that resembles what my own avatar might look like.

The best part about this game, though, is not the brief respite from the trials of everyday life. It’s not the meditative quiet of Mateusz Skutnik’s Daymare world. It’s not the challenge or triumph, or even the downloadable prize at the end. (I’m going to have to check out more of Cat Jahnke!) No, the best part is that a friend knows me well enough to think of me as he played it and cares enough to take the time to share it with me. (Yay, Neon and Shy gamer!!!).

1. You start off with the “tutorial” controls (arrow keys) right above your head. Just keep going right and jumping until you get to a crank, press down to activate it, then press left to see that a platform has been lowered. Jump on it and jump above the screen.

2. Once you have exited the hole, go to the far left and get the SIMPLE KEY. Go right again and past the hole you entered.

3. There should be a stump with a hole in it, and a down arrow above it. Press down to use the Simple Key. Move to the doorway and press down to enter.

4. You are now in a tunnel. Going to the dark doorway reveals a room with a phonograph in it. There’s nothing in the room right now, so exit and go to the right.

5. Keep going right until you exit the tunnel. Down below on a balcony, you can see the FIRST RECORD. You can’t get to it yet, so just keep going right.

6. Time for a little platforming fun! Just make your way over to the right side of the screen using the pillars. Don’t worry if you fall – you don’t lose anything and you start back at the left side of the screen. Once you hit the other side, keep going until you see a doorway, and enter it.

7. Go to the far right and you will see a door. You will also see a hole that, if you try to interact with it by pressing down, seems to be missing a handle. Nothing else here, so keep moving to the right.

8. You will find another crank. Operate it, then go all the way to the left until you hit the platform screen again.

9. Jump on the ledge above your head to the newly-flipped platforms to get the TURN HANDLE. then go back to the right, through the doorway, to the closed door and put the handle it in its place. Go through the door.

10. You will see another record above your head on a balcony. Go right to the next screen and see a phonograph. Go right once more to a large door with five trumpets sitting above it. Use the two bricks as platforms to get to the doorway above the large trumpeted door, and enter.

11. Go to the far right first, skip the doorway, and collect the PYRAMID on the shelf. Turn around and go through the doorway you passed on the way.

12. Go to the far left on the balcony to collect the SECOND RECORD. (Don’t worry, you’ll get the first one eventually). Instead of putting this record in the phonograph underneath this balcony, put this one in the phonograph in the dark tunnel at the beginning – it will save you a ton of backtracking in the long run.

13. Once you’ve done that, return to the trumpeted door and enter the doorway above it again. This time, go left one screen to see a broken doorway. Enter it. (Going left two screens reveals another phonograph and nothing else.)

14. Do the platform puzzle, go to the right, and enter the doorway. Use the gray “bricks” to climb above the screen. The next screen will be the same thing, but with a bell. Use the support beam for the bell to go to the left. Then, use the support on the left and the demon’s tail to get on the platform, then use the demon’s back to get the THIRD RECORD. Go back to the bell and simply fall down the middle to get back out.

15. Go left, back over the platforms, and out the door to the broken doorframe. Go left to the phonograph and use the third record on it. Then, leave this area and get back to the trumpeted door.

16. This time, go right. Use the pyramid on the pedestal next to you to flip the other platform around, then go up and onto the gazebo roof.

17. This one’s a bit trickier because the platforms move – but really, you’re aiming to land in the mouth at the bottom of the screen anyway. So don’t worry about getting over to the other side quite yet.

18. Once you have landed in the mouth, go right two screens to see the FOURTH RECORD. There is a platform there so you can get to it. Once you have it, go right two screens into daylight. Continue right until you find a trampoline, and use it to go to the left platform.

19. Use the fourth record on the phonograph, then go right again, using the trampoline to go right this time. Move to the middle platform, then left to the doorway, and enter. Grab the first record (told you we’d grab it eventually!) and exit.

20. Use the trampoline to reach the second trampoline, and go up. This platformer uses trampolines; you need to grab the CROSS KEY on the right side of the screen, and exit at the top left side of the screen.

21. When you land, go right to grab the FIFTH RECORD. Then go left two screens to another locked door, and use the cross key on it. Go inside and use one of the records on the phonograph. Once you’ve done that, exit and go left.

22. Jump back over the moving platforms to the left side. If you fall, just try not to land in the mouth, or you’ll have to do the whole trampoline puzzle again to get out. Once you land by the pyramid’s pedestal, go left to the final phonograph, and place the record on it.

23. Go into the trumpeted door which is now open. Watch the cutscene and collect your prize at the end.

source: jay is games

If it’s kinda creepy but more than a little cool, it’s got to be byMateusz Skutnik who wants to take us on another trip to the eerie world of Daymare Town with Daymare Cat. This time, it’s aplatforming puzzle adventure game where you’re tasked with guiding our disheveled and befuddled looking heroine through the Town’s twisting streets. Use the left and right [arrow] keys to move, and hit the down [arrow] to interact with things and go through doors. Any items you gather are tucked away into your inventory at the bottom of the screen, and the game will automatically use the correct object in the proper place for you when you press down in front of it.

If you’ve never been much for Italian plumbers, don’t worry… apart from a few simple sequences, Daymare Cat is less about platforming than it is about exploring and puzzle-solving. Despite featuring the familiar etched lines and otherworldly architecture, this doesn’t quite feel like a Daymare Town title, and it’s not just because it isn’t a point-and-click. It feels a bit less light-hearted and fantastical, lacking the familiar critters and characters, and much more surreal and mysterious. While solving puzzles is largely a case of flipping levers and keeping your eyes peeled for little clues, it’s almost an Alice in Wonderland type experience as seen through the eyes of Mateusz Skutnik. Cat Jahnke’s music, when you discover it, is both incredibly varied and a pleasure to listen to, but not every piece fits the mood and overall setting of the game. Which is, you know. Something where you sort of expect to see Slender Man standing politely just barely out of frame in a window. Waiting. Always watching.

It’s that almost-but-not-quite-freaky vibe that makes Daymare Town so incredibly addictive. That, fortunately, is definitely intact even if the puzzles wind up being fairly straight-forward. Use this key here, climb those platforms there, throw yourself down the hungry gullet in the floor over nyoh. Finding the music in the form of records largely winds up being the whole point of the game, and since the game lacks a map, it’s easy to get lost of where you’ve been and where you’re going. With a rich style and setting, however, getting there is still going to be a lot of fun, even if it isn’t exactly what you expected a Daymare title to be.

author: Dora