Cat Mail Co. - PC Review

Cat Mail Co. by developer Maracas Studio and publisher Gamersky Games - PC(Steam) review by Richard with a copy provided by the publisher.

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

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What a meow-gnificent evening it is to send your paw-rcels out to those family and friends! Are mew looking to pick up an item or send something out? Well at Cat Mail Co. we can send and receive all your deliveries! 

In Cat Mail Co. you take on the role of the newest postal employee at the post office on Cat Island. Unfortunately, the old post office senior doesn’t seem to be around, so you need to get used to the post office on your own!

Work at the post office is done in shifts between morning and night, with two divisions in your shifts. At the beginning of a shift you will be dealing with customers showing up. Either they will ask for a parcel or give you items to send. If they ask for a parcel they will either give a name or a description of a parcel and you need to locate it and bring it to them. For example, they may ask for a parcel for Evie Nightclaw, and you then need to find a parcel addressed to Evie N. sent to Cat Island. Or they may be obtuse about what they need and say something along the lines of “a parcel that isn’t lightweight that was attacked by a griffon”, and then you need to go find a heavy box with scratch marks on the package. Nifty tip, if the person coming for a package doesn’t specify something, it means it doesn’t apply. For example, packages can be heavy or fragile. If the customer doesn’t specify one of the two, the package is neither, at least as far as I’ve seen in the current build state.

If the customer offers you a parcel, it is now your job to properly put the necessary stickers on the package to get it ready for sending out. Parcels need a destination sticker, a number of stickers for the weight, and any extra conditions, such as fragile or heavy. As you continue to play you will unlock more conditions, such as packages that need to stay hot or cold. Once you’ve dealt with a certain number of customers, the phase of the shift changes and the boat captain comes rolling in. He brings you gifts of parcels for Cat Island, and you need to grab them from the ship and sort them how you wish. Once all the parcels are off the ship, the boat captain will tell you where his destination is. You must now play tetris with outgoing packages to send them to their intended recipient. As an example, Windy Bay is the first place to ship to, but the space on the ship is small. You may only be able to fit four or five packages on the ship, depending on their size. You also need to pay attention to the heavy and fragile packages. Once you’re happy with your work, you can send him off.

At this point your shift ends and you are awarded with points based on your statistics such as: packages delivered by hand, packages sent by ship, and any negative points from packages ruined by improper storing, or by putting the wrong package on the ship. If you do send a mis-stickered package it will be returned to you next time the boat captain comes by. Once you earn enough points you unlock something new. Sometimes it’s a new location, sometimes it’s a new condition on packages such as the hot or cold rooms.

In addition to all this there are massive piles of packages in the back hallway, and in the hot and cold rooms. If you pull enough packages out of these piles they will shrink. Do your best to completely clean up the piles, and maybe you can figure out the mystery of where the previous postman has gone!

Cat Mail Co. is a cozy game about sorting your office, cleaning up the mess, and getting a job well done by cleaning out your backlog of parcels. It’s actually quite soothing. There’s something quite satisfying about sending thirty or more packages out on the ship and completely clearing out a full shelf of packages for a destination. I can definitely say there were some times where I was getting worried because my freezer was filling up too fast, or my dedicated destination shelf was overflowing and I had to make an emergency overflow shelf, but a good system goes a long way.

There are a few issues here and there, but they are getting gradually patched out as the game continues. Currently the only issue I have in the current version is that occasionally packages put on the top of shelves in the cold and hot rooms may sometimes get damaged regardless of the fact they're in the corresponding room. It doesn't seem to happen to all packages, or even just the general top shelf sometimes, so try and keep things on the shelves proper or the floor until that gets sorted.

Oh, and did I mention you can play with friends? Yup, you and up to three friends can tackle the job together! Work together to create a perfectly organized system for managing your inventory. Or totally mess things up when your friends aren’t looking and drive them nuts. Either way, Cat Mail Co. is a great time to be had fur all your mail-time needs!

 

Score: 9 / 10

 

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Net.Attack() - PC Review

Net.Attack() by developer ByteRocker’s Games and published by ByteRocker’s Games and Gamersky Games - PC (Steam) review written by Hayden with a copy provided by the publisher.

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

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Net.Attack() is dangerously fun. From thinking that I could dip my toe into the tutorial during a lunch break to having put more hours into the game on my first day with it than I did my full-time job, Net.Attack() smoothly pulled me into a ‘just one more level’ mindset. This top-down programmable shooter is definitely not my usual cup of tea - you’ll find me building things more often than destroying them - but the way that the game steadily ramps up the difficulty while letting you tinker is a gold mine. At its core, Net.Attack() is about figuring out how to chain together nodes in its simple-looking programming interface to create new and more powerful attacks while you dodge enemies and run out a timer on each level. The way that ByteRocker’s has woven that into fields of gratifying explosions and endless waves of enemies, however, has really elevated this from ‘neat’ to ‘WOW’.

Net.Attack() centers progression around three collectible currencies: ByteCoins (experience used to level up your character), Data (used to purchase nodes to program with), and DarkBits (used to purchase upgrades between sessions). In true roguelite fashion, each session you play will try to conquer a single region with multiple layers (levels) to progress through. Win or lose, the DarkBits you collect can be used to purchase incremental upgrades that apply for all future attempts. ByteCoins and Data, however, are used only within a single run, and do not carry over. That said, without ByteCoins to level up and Data to buy programming nodes with, you’re not going to get very far!

The playing field within Net.Attack() is a relatively simple top-down field, with floating icons to represent your character and enemies within the area. Since you’re playing as a hacker here, this makes sense - you’re looking at a visualization of what you are doing, you’re not physically present yourself. By default, every hacker character (and there are many to choose from) starts with at least one program node that provides an attack. Early on, enemies are sparse and weak, allowing you to carefully pick off enough to get an initial level or two and afford a couple of programming nodes. This is where the game starts to take off, and where my inner nerd rejoices.

Programming in Net.Attack() is done in a dedicated coding screen that pauses the run-and-gun action. Every character starts with a selection of Root nodes, which automatically trigger anything attached to them on a cycle based on their speed in milliseconds (ms). Every node you earn or purchase chains off one of these recurring triggers, and has its own speed value that slows down the whole chain. Sure, you might find a node that drops a veritable nuke on a section of the screen, but anything you have in the same action chain will be crippled by the extra time it takes to run! On the other hand, highly upgraded characters might be able to get some nodes to a point that they actually speed up the chains they’re in, so maybe you can figure out a way to pull it off?

Net.Attack() also makes players think when putting chains of nodes together in the way that those effects are centered. Root nodes always originate from the character, but many attack nodes change the origin of the next node in the chain to be the object it just hit. If that sentence makes you perk up and think ‘chained attacks?’ you’re absolutely correct, and you’ve just hit on a core concept of the game. By using sequences of nodes, you can turn a single initial ping of damage into a screen-clearing cascade of attacks and an explosion, each attack turning its hapless target into the engine of its comrade’s destruction. With single- and multi-target attacks, area of effect actions, FOR-loops, IF nodes and even placable mines that can merge for greater effects, Net.Attack() has a huge degree of replayability within a deceptively simple appearance.

For all the complexity I just raved about, Net.Attack()’s interface is clean and easy to understand, and the in-game documentation walks players through all the concepts on how things interact. The programming itself is easy to manipulate, as players just have to drag a node onto the programming field and then mouse-drag connections for inputs and output to chain them together. No missing semi-colons or frustrating typos here, this is visual programming at its most accessible.

Sound and story here are basic, but that suits the genre well. One does not (normally) endlessly replay the same level in a roguelite hoping to sit through the same cutscene or lore dump for the umpteenth time, so the lack of a deep story isn’t missed. We’re here for action, explosions and creative node programming after all, not dialogue and narration worthy of Shakespeare.

If challenging the normal sets of levels is wearing thin, Net.Attack() also offers daily challenge levels and a sandbox mode to satisfy your explosion-based cravings. To level the playing field though, the daily community-wide challenges strip you of all your between-run purchases, letting every player tackle the challenge from an equal baseline. It's a pleasant change, and can even let you try playing additional characters that you may not yet have unlocked with your post-run rewards. [Side note: these are all earned and purchased using in-game currency from what I saw. No predatory pay-to-win real-money microtransactions here.]

Overall, Net.Attack() is a simple-looking game that will invite you to test the waters, and then let you fight your way back to the desktop hours later wondering where your day went. The node-based programming is absolutely genius, and really takes the game from feeling like a powerup-driven top down shooter into something really unique and engaging. There is tons of replayability here, with the special attributes of each character changing your best options for programs, and the layers themselves are big enough to feel expansive while playing. There is very little that you could ask for that Net.Attack() doesn’t already deliver, and I strongly recommend picking it up. Even better, this isn’t going to set you back AAA pricing - the price point on Steam is roughly $11 Cdn at time of writing, and the game is even on further discount as part of the 2026 Steam Bullet Fest until June 15, 2026.

Score: 9.5 / 10

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Medieval Crafter: Blacksmith - PC Review

Medieval Crafter: Blacksmith by developer Compact Core Games and publishers GameDev.ist, Gamersky Games—PC (Steam) review written by Valerie with a copy provided by the publisher.  

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

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Medieval Crafter: Blacksmith, to me, is a relaxing simulation game until you get to the time-management portion of it. I've had the pleasure of actually making a part for my sewing machine at a friend's forge which this game brought back some fond memories. The great part about this simulation game is that you're not actually standing in front of the forge like in real life and getting that 'red' tan!

When you start up this game it has hints on the bottom that had gone by too fast for me to fully read them, so, while I was waiting on the game to load, I did my best to read them as they scrolled through until the game started. There were only four of them, so it was easy to catch them all.

The tutorial starts out with you learning that a new castle is in need of a blacksmith. All during this short tutorial you'll see a yellow outline of where to go next. At the game start you go into the castle for your first meeting with King Aurelius. You're told to meet up with the now retired dwarven blacksmith, Thudgric Anvilbreaker, where you'll take over. In the next quest you'll have to fix up the forge, which he helps you with, to make sure everything is running smoothly for you. I really enjoyed some of the dialogue throughout Medieval Crafter: Blacksmith where "Let's see if you've got the fire for the forge" had me laughing.

In this little realm are the castle, the village, the mines, Heroes Hall, the arena, the forest, and the dock. The first four are unlocks through the tutorial and the others get unlocked as you progress through the leveling and questing systems. There's a fairly simple setup for every part of the game with accessible areas like you and your inventory with tabs for the hero, your talents, and achievements. When you pull up your inventory screen, the tabs listed above make it easier to drop equipment into your hero's inventory as well as keep track of how you're progressing.

Your quests are in the top left corner of the screen and they turn green when completed with an OK! after them. The passage of time is at the top center with a turning sky, night with stars and moon, daylight with the sun shining. Right under the time 'clock' you'll see when an adventure is completed, or a set of zee's to mark the time to rest. The top right corner of the game is your location map and the bottom is your hotbar. More on that later.

A subtle ambiance is the whole of the game with music quietly playing in the setting of a medieval castle realm. The graphics are of the medieval setting with all the tools of the trades and bartering, the areas of interest relating to parts of the realm that quests take place in, and the lighting with fire and candles everywhere. 

Getting around the castle realm is easy with a teleport stone that looks like a knight. When you activate the teleport stone, the map immediately shows up where you click on the location you need to go next. In the tutorial your next stop is the mines because you need copper and coal to fire up the forge.

In the mines there is an elevator, but I chose to head straight ahead not realizing that when you use the elevator that goes to one of the four 'layers' available. The one you are on is the only one you can mine resources in. When you click on the elevator you realize the rest of the layers are locked, so leveling up and progressing through the talent tree will unlock them. When you're mining you are using the pickaxe that Thudgric gave you. As you are using the pickaxe there are green targets that you line up your cursor (which is just a pinpoint dot) for each hit. If you're successful in hitting all the targets you gain both experience and sometimes a gem or another such goodie.

You'll find that as you get your tools to work the forge, that they automatically slot into your hotbar, or action bar as it's called in this game. The first three slots are for your tools and the other six slots are for items picked up after crafting or finding them. You have an ample backpack of thirty-three slots which I found was enough for starting the game. After you bring back the coal and copper your next part of this quest is to smelt the copper ore. It’s a beautiful sight when you pour the slag into the ‘pot’ which should appropriately be a mold for the ingot, but since your ingot production can be as few as three to a lot more, a regular mold plate for the ingot was probably too cumbersome for the game action cycle where the bucket suffices. 

During the tutorial you learn about the parts to the items you create. Even though you forge a lovely sword blade, you find you'll need more to make the actual weapon to present to the king. You're introduced to the anvil, sharpening stone, assembly table, and a storage crate. Later you find out that there is a recipe book that tells you all the parts you'll need to craft the Basics, Weapons, and Armor.

After getting approved by the king, Thudgric directs you to get some rest and that there is a cottage that's empty and ready for a new occupant. It’s also the place where your game progression gets saved - other than the escape and click to save button. During the tutorial itself, I found that a red warning text that you need rest pops up, but you cannot access your bed until that is opened up to you through the tutorial progression. I found that a little aggravating because I was engrossed in the forging process and the quests I needed to complete. Sure, I'm slow, but I am also thorough!

The next part of the tutorial focuses on your hero: where you meet him or her, what you do to outfit your hero, and where to send your hero off to. Your hero is your resource collector of rare goods and resources. The village tavern is where you hire them from and the Heroes Hall is where you'll be sending your hero out on adventures. I so wished I could go with him, but you've settled into this realm as the blacksmith helping the people with equipment you make and by sending your hero off to gather supplies to make the equipment. 

The last part of the tutorial is where that time management comes in. You'll be filling orders (how you make money) and selling your wares. You only have a weapons rack at first, but there is plenty of room for other racks as they unlock during your progression. You learn about haggling with your customers to sell them the piece you made when it’s not exactly what they had requested. Definitely a way to test my reflexes in clicking a button fast enough to get that haggle!

And that, my friends, is where you take over the reigns. Thudgric occasionally pops up as you progress, but I’ll leave you to find that out. I did leave out some parts of the tutorial to give you things to discover on your own. All in all, Compact Core Games did a fine job on this little simulation game for smithing in medieval times. Don’t forget to save, as with most of these types of games you do lose your progress if you haven’t done so!

Score: 9 / 10

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