Dualshockers wishes their cat could do what the ones in Cats In The Shell can. But for now, their preview of the game will have to do!
Cats in the Shell, a mech-building roguelike auto battler developed by veterans from Tencent and NetEase, is bringing its bizarre combination of adorable pilots and enormous war machines to PC, with Steam Early Access officially scheduled to begin on January 20, 2027. Ahead of Steam Next Fest, the developers have released the game’s first playable demo, giving aspiring feline commanders the opportunity to jump into Expedition Mode and start putting their mechanical creations through increasingly nasty encounters.
Auto-battler games are picking up a bit in popularity, so Raven Studio is throwing their hats in the ring with a feline twist. But there’s more to the game than just watching the fights take place. The strategy lies in build crafting and making the mech that fits the situation the best. The battles are enhanced by using the correct combination of parts and abilities to take down opponents.
The idea is fairly straightforward: you pick a Syma mech, throw a cat into the driver’s seat, and start assembling a machine capable of surviving whatever the game decides to throw at you. Naturally, things get considerably more complicated once you start digging into the customization systems – so grab a coffee, because we’re about to dive into some specifics. Basically, Cats in the Shell features six different mechs to command, alongside a large roster of feline pilots – one cuter than the other, of course. Each cat comes with its own active ability and battlefield specialization, meaning your choice of pilot can have a meaningful impact on how your machine performs.
Cats In The Shell releases on January 20, 2027 on PC via Steam and the demo is available now!
