An unusual experience that could've been great with better writing.
~
Pros:
+ Gameplay Meld: It's an unholy combination, but the alternation between flouncy mingling RPG-style conversations and hardcore fast-thinking puzzle gameplay is actually very effective. The puzzle sections can be so unrelenting and rage-inducing, that when you finally finish a stage, all you can really take is a nice gentle drink and wander round the bar - and by the time you're finished at the bar, you're half dreading and half eager to get back into the fray... The way the puzzle gameplay thematically mirrors the plot and struggles through everyday life is also fascinating, and helps make the package even more cohesive than it should be.
+ Branching Paths: I like the whole idea of the plot and surviving characters changing depending on what you do and say, and in a more subtle way than you tend to get in other games. It could've been done better, with more branching possibilities and dialogue, but the groundwork is all there.
+ Classical Soundtrack: The original music is pretty forgettable, but I love the classical tunes sprinkled throughout - the Hallelujah chorus on finishing a nightmare stage is especially appropriate!
+ Initial Story: The plot for the first two thirds of the game is very good - the nightmares and horror-elements are very evocative (and effective in a Groundhog Day-style way when there's no explanation for what's causing them), and the premise of Vincent and his struggles with the two women and the pressures and responsibility of adult life is a great, unsual one by gaming's general standards. Unfortunately, it all goes a bit wrong...
Cons:
- Late-Game Story: Having such a great set-up for a story isn't enough if you don't have the conviction to stick with it - and unfortunately, the story becomes bloody stupid as it nears the end. Without going into too much detail, let's just say that way too much is explained, and explained in a way that is completely ridiculous and has nothing to do with the themes that the game built up so well in its first half. It's such a shame to see those great, mature ideas completely wasted via silly fantasy in the end!
- Shallow Characters/Script: Another problem the game has all the way through is that, frankly, the writing is pretty poor. The characters are all 2D - while they all generally have one guilty secret, that's all they have, and it's never clear exactly why they're so grateful to Vincent as the game goes on, since he barely says anything to them to get them pouring their darkest secrets out at him... Katherine is almost entirely controlling and frumpy, Catherine is a completely paper-thin seductress with no depth to her at all, and Vincent is just an utter idiot - while I appreciate that he's meant to have difficulty taking decisions, I just refuse to believe anyone could dig themselves into such idiotic holes as repeatedly as Vincent does! (On the other hand, it's confusing that he seems to have a completely different personality in his dreams...) Add to all this that the dialogue is just generally flat and meandering, and you have a game that really could've used a better writing team - or a better translation team, perhaps?
- Difficult Spikes: The puzzle sections can be truly, maddeningly difficult at times - especially during boss fights, or when randomized blocks are introduced. You'll probably start having actual nightmares about them after a while!
- Underdeveloped Non-Puzzle Gameplay: While it's a refreshing break from the nightmares, I do wish there was a bit more to the everyday life part of the game - maybe to get to see his workplace or some other areas outside of the bar, or have a greater variety of things to do and people to see. I mentioned it earlier briefly, but I do also think there should be more branching options regarding the story and characters - this kind of thing should be a lot easier to achieve with PS3-grade hardware, and it's not like they spent a bomb on making the game look pretty instead!
~
Overall, I would regard Catherine as an interesting, innovative game, that shows the potential of mixing distant genres and combining them with a mature, unusual theme - but ultimately, it's a frustrating experience, because there was so much that could've been done better, and so much scope to make a real piece of involving storytelling. Still, it's worth trying, and refreshing to see something so different - points for effort!