Neko Atsume Purrfect (VR) Review | Pawsatively Adorable

It’s been quite some time since I thought about Neko Atsume, and what a better time than ever for its reemergence into my life. While there aren’t many games in the “Kitty Collector” genre, it’s hard not to deny the chokehold that Neko Atsume had on over 19 million players. After a stint on PlayStation VR, Meta Quest users have the chance to play with all of their favorite kitties in Neko Atsume Purrfect, and it’s virtually adorable.

Light On Gameplay, But Full Of Love

Let’s get the cat out of the bag first and foremost: Neko Atusme Purrfect is the same type of “game” that you likely played on your mobile device. There is no end goal here beyond interacting with plenty of adorable creatures ready to wrap you around their adorable paws in the most fantastic ways. If you’ve spent any amount of time with Neko Atsume, you know the main goal is to collect as many Kitties as possible. Using various tools at your disposal, you’ll find that your humble abode slowly begins to fill up more and more, with new kitties visiting you when you need them around the most.

Offering snacks, toys, and interactive objects, you’ll find that most of the “gameplay” on show here is sitting around. You’ll have the option to take pictures of these adorable felines as they come into your yard and make themselves at home, literally. You may be trying to snap a picture of a kitty in the yard, only to turn around and see a new furry friend playing with a toy inside your home. You never know who to expect, so it’s always a nice surprise to see a new friend invite themselves in.

One part of the game that I truly enjoyed was the interactivity of things, especially now that I see some of my favorites from the small screen make their way into a new dimension. Seeing Pickles make their way toward me and then getting the chance to pick them up is just as adorable as it sounds.

The mobile version’s personality and charm have found their way into this VR port, including the general gameplay loop. Neko Atsume Purrfect is not a game that you could play for hours on end with a riveting story and tons of variety in the gameplay. You jump into it occasionally to see which cats have graced your abode with their presence and maybe a bit of playtime with your favorites. Just make sure you remember to fill up the food bowl before you jump into something else, or you may not have any new visitors before you come back next time.

There are some key differences compared to the mobile version of the game, however, and it’s the way you can interact with the cats in this world. One of my favorite tools is the Camera, which you can use to snap a picture, add it to your memory album, and keep tabs on who keeps coming back to see you. I also loved the fact that I could finally play with the cats, with special items like a laser pointer and stick toys enticing them to jump, sprint, and climb around me. No matter what kind of mood I was in, I found myself smiling by the time I took my headset, eager to jump back in again.

Just Follow My Lead, Little Kitty

It’s somewhat difficult to classify Neko Atsume Purrfect as a game because it’s more of an experience. There isn’t a whole lot to do here, and that’s half of the point. It’s meant to be a Kitty Collector, while also letting you interact more with your favorite friends than you could have ever had before. It’s not a game you’ll find yourself putting hours upon hours into in one sitting, but rather, small increments throughout the day, the week, the months, and the years.

Interactivity is very basic. You’ll have a few different spots you can move between, with the living room and the Veranda being the most popular spaces. You’ll fill a cat bowl with tasty treats and wait to see who comes to visit. You’ll get some basic toys to play with, and as you earn Gold Fish, you can upgrade them to better things. You can also use a camera to take pictures of the kitties. That’s about all there is to Neko Atsume VR, and it’s a perfect way to bring it from mobile to VR. The grind to get more fish to purchase new items has even come over from the mobile version, so progression is just as slow this time around.

At first, I was a bit disappointed. After playing more action-packed games on my VR, I was trying to figure out who this was for. But then, I played for longer. I checked back after a while and saw that I had more visitors while I was away. I saw that it was exactly the game that I loved on Mobile all those years ago, with just a bit more activity and then it finally clicked for me. Plus, it’s a great way for those who may be allergic to cats to finally have a way to interact and play with them since they are just so darn adorable here.

If you have a Meta Quest with passthrough capabilities like the Quest 3, you can also interact with these adorable felines in the comfort of your own home. While I have a cat of my own, it’s very fun to watch these bobble-headed versions roaming around my living room, playing with toys that I’ve bought for them.

If you’re going into Neko Atsume Purrfect with the intention of anything beyond a slightly more advanced version of the mobile game, you may find yourself disappointed. To be fair, I was at first, as well, until I realized more of what the point was. I wanted to grab the remote and turn on the TV but found I couldn’t. I wanted to get up and move around the yard and found that I couldn’t. It’s basic, but it’s adorable, and that’s the heart and soul of Neko Atsume.

Neko Atsume Purrfect is the best way to play, offering a variety of new activities that can be performed in the base game. Sure, it’s a very basic game and something that may not even be able to fully be classified as one. However, as an experience with some gameplay elements, it’s a great way to spend some time with the kitties that you’ve collected over the years.

It’s not a game for everyone, but cat lovers will likely flock to this one. It’s oddly therapeutic to be able to squish on these kitties in virtual reality, and seeing some of the most iconic faces from the original mobile game in a new dimension is sure to spark some joy even during the darkest of times.