A Simple Expurriment

About A Simple Expurriment

A Simple Expurriment is a cartoonish, combat-free metroidvania that blends platforming, puzzles, and stealth. Developed by Flat Voxel, it launched December 31, 2026, for PC. You play as a cat mom on a mission to rescue her three kidnapped kittens from an alien ship. The game’s premise hinges on feline traits like wall-running, shape-shifting into liquid, and manipulating environments. With a whimsical art style and no combat, it focuses on exploration and clever level design. The story involves an alien corporation exploiting cats’ influence over humans, adding a cheeky sci-fi twist. It’s a single-player experience that leans into cat-centric humor and problem-solving, offering a lighthearted yet challenging adventure.

Gameplay

The core loop revolves around navigating alien corridors using wall-jumps, morphing into liquid to bypass obstacles, and rearranging ship sections to create paths. Stealth sections require careful timing to avoid patrols, while puzzles demand creative use of the cat’s abilities. Each level feels like a shifting maze, with progression gated by discovering new mechanics. The controls are tight, with smooth transitions between movement and abilities. Sessions often involve backtracking to unlock shortcuts, a hallmark of metroidvania design. Puzzle logic varies in clarity, some solutions are intuitive, others rely on trial-and-error. The lack of combat keeps tension low, but stealth sequences add urgency. Playtime averages 12 hours, with optional challenges extending it.

What Players Think

Community ratings average 4.5/5 on PC. 60% of players complete the main story, with 25% chasing 120 achievements. Average playtime clocks in at 14.5 hours, though 15% report 20+ hours due to optional content. Moods are split: “Cute” (78%), “Frustrating” (32%), and “Addictive” (55%). Critics praise the art style but note inconsistent puzzle design. A review on PlayPile reads, “The cat mechanics are clever but some puzzles feel like guesswork.” Steam users highlight the humor, with one writing, “The alien corporation’s toilet obsession is absurdly funny.” Completion rates drop in later chapters, where environmental puzzles become obtuse. Still, 83% of players rate the price-to-content ratio as fair.

PlayPile's Take

A Simple Expurriment is best for fans of clever platforming and puzzle games who enjoy whimsical narratives. Priced at $19.99, it offers moderate replay value through achievements and hidden paths. While the puzzles occasionally frustrate, the cat-centric mechanics and art style keep it engaging. It’s a shorter experience but polished enough to justify the cost. Not essential for everyone, but highly rewarding for those who appreciate its niche charm. The 120 achievements (10% completion rate for full mastery) add a layer of depth, though most won’t need them to enjoy the core loop.

Storyline

Finding herself in space by hitching a ride with the alien who kidnapped her three kittens, a cat mom will have to use all of her feline traits in order to find them as she evades the security systems that keep looking for her. Fortunately - or not - they're all part of an experiment that aims to understand cats' impressive influence over humans, run by the greedy Toilet Analyst of an even greedier extraterrestrial corporation in an attempt to climb the corporate ladder.