Fort Meow Review

Developer: Surprise Attack Games.
Price: $3.99
Version Reviewed: 1.0.3
App Reviewed on: iPad Mini Retina

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Overall Rating:

Any cat owner will be able to confidently tell you one thing - if the cat wants your attention, he’s going to get it no matter what. That’s the basis for Fort Meow - a game in which you have to set up forts made out of furniture in order to ward off cats. It doesn’t entirely succeed but it is rather charming, nonetheless.

You play Nia, a young girl whose grandfather is in hospital. She’s hiding out in his attic, reading his journal, when the cats of the household decide they want some attention. Each level is a simple matter of placing objects around Nia so that the cats bounce off and away from her. Different pieces of furniture can withstand different amounts of damage, so it’s important to learn what works best in what scenario.

In-game time dictates how many objects you can place with bigger sofas or mattresses taking up more time, but it’s a fairly gentle process. There’s no penalty for failing often, so you can spend some time experimenting. Where Fort Meow falters is in its occasionally repetitive nature.

Often, you can get away with setting up a similar arrangement of furniture as before, and one good method can keep you safe for a long time. Early on though, it’s fun to see how different cats react to different furniture. The physics engine seems reasonably realistic too, and you soon learn how things are going to play out as the cats are flung away.

A lot of Fort Meow’s charm keeps you in a forgiving mood, not least because of the cats becoming hardier and you also learn more about your Grandfather through his journal. It is a little on the short side though, and such issues stop Fort Meow from becoming one of the greats.