Happy ending?

[PyroSaphuron]

Yes or no. I got sucked into the first game, and the horrible sad ending triggered my severe depression because I have cats as service animals. I can't and won't play a game like the first Cats Are liquid ever again. Mind you, I can handle dark themes, but only if the ending goes the right way. It doesn't matter how many bad things happen on the journey as long as the finish is good. The first game did the opposite, making everything light and fun until the ending, and then just dropped an anvil on your head. One of the worst stories ever in any game, so bad I can't play the game again unless someone mods the story out of it. All that said, does this game have a proper ending or is it terrible and sad like the first game?

[Last Quarter Studios]

Without spoiling too much, I wouldn't say that this game necessarily has the happiest of all endings.

[PyroSaphuron]

That doesn't tell me enough. Your previous game is precisely why I go looking for spoilers on some endings now. I enjoyed the gameplay but not the story. I suffer from severe depression and anxiety and have cats as service animals, so the cat basically facing the most miserable potential ending ever last game nearly destroyed me. I cried for hours. Bear with me as I explain...

I can handle any amount of drama and trouble and tragedy during the story... as long as it ends on a good note of some sort. Doesn't have to be mega happy ending like the Twilight saga (Matrix trilogy qualifies as having a happy ending despite the deaths of Neo and Trinity for instance because humanity is saved), but the ending has to have some good in it, even if it's "bittersweet", or I can't and won't participate anymore.

I'll just quote Kevin Smith as to why this is and should be: "Happy endings make sense, because NOBODY gets a happy ending in real life."

We play games to escape all that nasty bad crap, not to wallow in it. That is why I am wary of playing another one of your games. Just an example, if the cat's friends have to sacrifice themselves for the cat to live and make it through, that could still work (this could have easily been done in the first game by having the Companion Cube sacrifice itself to save the cat's mind at the end of those cube levels). Any scenario where no protagonist gets any happy ending, however, is just... well, sorry, but as a writer myself, I consider it poor storytelling unless all protagonists are villains or jerks (think the Departed or Whiskey Down here).

I understand not wanting to spoil the game for others... That said, I also think you have great gameplay design and level design, even if I don't like your storytelling all that much. You are a very good platform designer. I only ask about this because, if the ending is bearable, I do want to play the game, as I love platforming and I love cats. Perhaps you could PM me? I don't need to know the exact details of the ending as long as at least one character you come to care about over the course of the game gets one. Doesn't have to be the happiest as long as it's a little happy (unlike the first game, which was a profoundly miserable ending and experience.) I just... I have to think of my mental health first.

[Last Quarter Studios]

I would personally consider this game's ending to be not-that-sad. But because of the way this game's story connects to A Light in the Shadows, I wouldn't recommend you play it.

[Tickiee]

I honestly understand that! i made my "Better Place" in the Editor, and near the end i made two doors: Sad ending, Happy ending, if you wanna play it its in the workshop right now "Continual to the story"

[Tickiee]

Hey? Last Quarter Studios i have a question Why does the cat think her owner locks her in there if she is the person who LOST her friends? or is it lumi's kid? but how did she have one she didnt have a boy and she was locked in a room? did lumi lose her memory?

[Last Quarter Studios]

Originally posted by Ticktackinator:

Hey? Last Quarter Studios i have a question Why does the cat think her owner locks her in there if she is the person who LOST her friends? or is it lumi's kid? but how did she have one she didnt have a boy and she was locked in a room? did lumi lose her memory?

This unfortunately sounds like No Comment™ territory.

[мυ∂∂у⁧⁧Mudminder]

Originally posted by PyroSaphuron:

That doesn't tell me enough. Your previous game is precisely why I go looking for spoilers on some endings now. I enjoyed the gameplay but not the story. I suffer from severe depression and anxiety and have cats as service animals, so the cat basically facing the most miserable potential ending ever last game nearly destroyed me. I cried for hours. Bear with me as I explain...

I can handle any amount of drama and trouble and tragedy during the story... as long as it ends on a good note of some sort. Doesn't have to be mega happy ending like the Twilight saga (Matrix trilogy qualifies as having a happy ending despite the deaths of Neo and Trinity for instance because humanity is saved), but the ending has to have some good in it, even if it's "bittersweet", or I can't and won't participate anymore.

I'll just quote Kevin Smith as to why this is and should be: "Happy endings make sense, because NOBODY gets a happy ending in real life."

We play games to escape all that nasty bad crap, not to wallow in it. That is why I am wary of playing another one of your games. Just an example, if the cat's friends have to sacrifice themselves for the cat to live and make it through, that could still work (this could have easily been done in the first game by having the Companion Cube sacrifice itself to save the cat's mind at the end of those cube levels). Any scenario where no protagonist gets any happy ending, however, is just... well, sorry, but as a writer myself, I consider it poor storytelling unless all protagonists are villains or jerks (think the Departed or Whiskey Down here).

I understand not wanting to spoil the game for others... That said, I also think you have great gameplay design and level design, even if I don't like your storytelling all that much. You are a very good platform designer. I only ask about this because, if the ending is bearable, I do want to play the game, as I love platforming and I love cats. Perhaps you could PM me? I don't need to know the exact details of the ending as long as at least one character you come to care about over the course of the game gets one. Doesn't have to be the happiest as long as it's a little happy (unlike the first game, which was a profoundly miserable ending and experience.) I just... I have to think of my mental health first.

I know I’m a little late but I just got into this game…. With all due respect, It’s just a flippen video game….I would not recommend playing video games if your mentally unstable. You love cats, so do I, not everything in life has happy endings, sometimes there bittersweet or bad. Just like in video games at times. If your health can’t stably handle the unknown lore in video games… then don’t play this game silly lol

[Tsuladan]

Originally posted by мυ∂∂у⁧⁧Mudminder:

]I know I’m a little late but I just got into this game…. With all due respect, It’s just a flippen video game….I would not recommend playing video games if your mentally unstable. You love cats, so do I, not everything in life has happy endings, sometimes there bittersweet or bad. Just like in video games at times. If your health can’t stably handle the unknown lore in video games… then don’t play this game silly lol

Honestly? Because some people dislike getting invested into a story only to have it end on a sour note. It's something of a matter of closure, a story that ends badly hangs in your mind and doesn't let go in the same way that one that ends on a positive note does. The lack of closure leaves it like an unsolved rubix cube lingering in the back of your thoughts.
Don't get me wrong I know not all stories end on a good note but in most cases you see games do a good/bad ending for that very reason. This is doubly true for a story that seems to heavily lean into themes of grief and depression. In my opinion having the main character basically succumb to those thoughts and isolate themselves with no end in sight just doesn't sit well unless it's meant to lead into a future conclusion.

I hope eventually for a third game to resolve these things though, we've got enough loose ends in the story that it's possible. The first game hints at more going on such as the purple cat/spirit hanging around and creating the cube with the intent to make Lumi cry/vent her feelings and begin healing. Perhaps the purple one is the spirit of their lost friend unable to move on until all their friends have healed/fixed. The second game appears to be a prequel to this to lead into A Light in The Shadows, so having the third game proceed from there and have her begin moving forward would be a good bookend in my opinion to conclude the story.

[K0ala7436]

Originally posted by Last Quarter Studios:

Originally posted by Ticktackinator:

Hey? Last Quarter Studios i have a question Why does the cat think her owner locks her in there if she is the person who LOST her friends? or is it lumi's kid? but how did she have one she didnt have a boy and she was locked in a room? did lumi lose her memory?

This unfortunately sounds like No Comment™ territory.

Hii, I'm a big fan of these two c.a.l games, and I was wondering if your team would be working on a third game where she finds the exit?

[Last Quarter Studios]

Hi!

There are currently no plans for any future games in the Cats are Liquid series.

[Tsuladan]

Originally posted by Last Quarter Studios:

Hi!

There are currently no plans for any future games in the Cats are Liquid series.

That's a shame to hear, ending on a sad/depressive note like that is an unfortunate way to end a series, though in the end that's up to the storyteller/devs I suppose.

[76561199808885381]

Yeah, this game isn't for the easily triggered

[MeanToast]

jesus christ, just because a game has a sad story doesnt mean its bad

[76561199808885381]

And just because you won't be playing it doesn't mean you think it's bad

[groundhitter]

brother what