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About Cats are Liquid - A Light in the Shadows
Cats are Liquid – A Light in the Shadows is a minimalist 2D platformer that follows a liquid cat trapped in an enigmatic series of rooms. The core actions are move, jump and climb, while the cat’s ability to become liquid lets it squeeze through tight gaps and dash at high speed.
New abilities appear as you explore, letting you break walls and float above obstacles, gradually revealing each room’s purpose. The game is single‑player, offers full controller support, Steam achievements, Steam Cloud saves and Family Sharing on Windows, macOS and Linux.
01 / THE GUIDE
Core Movement
The fundamental controls consist of three actions: move, jump and climb. These actions are sufficient to navigate the platforming challenges presented in each room without additional input complexity.
Timing of jumps and climbs directly influences progress, as the level layout expects precise use of these moves to reach platforms, avoid hazards and access higher areas.
- Practice chaining jumps and climbs to maintain momentum.
- Watch how level geometry encourages a steady rhythm.
02 / THE GUIDE
Liquid Transformation
The cat can turn into liquid, which lets it squeeze through narrow passages that a solid form cannot fit. This transformation also enables rapid dashes across open sections of a room.
Using the liquid state to bypass obstacles creates alternative routes and can reveal hidden spaces that are otherwise inaccessible, expanding the set of possible solutions for each puzzle.
- Seek out the smallest gaps; they often require liquid form.
- Use dashes when speed is needed to cross larger gaps.
03 / THE GUIDE
Ability Progression
As you advance, new abilities become available, such as breaking walls and floating high above obstacles. Each ability directly changes how you can interact with the environment.
These abilities are tied to exploration; acquiring them earlier opens rooms that were previously blocked, encouraging players to revisit earlier areas with fresh tools.
- Look for visual cues that hint at breakable surfaces.
- Test the float ability in open spaces to gauge its range.
04 / THE GUIDE
Visual Style
The game employs a minimalist aesthetic with clean lines and limited colour palettes, keeping focus on the cat’s liquid nature and the platforming challenges.
This simplicity aids readability; contrasting colours often highlight interactive elements, making it easier to identify passages, hazards and areas affected by newly unlocked abilities.
- Notice colour contrasts that mark breakable walls.
- Appreciate the reduced visual clutter when planning routes.
05 / THE GUIDE
Platform Support
Cats are Liquid runs on Windows, macOS and Linux, and includes full controller support, allowing the game to be played with a gamepad on any of these operating systems.
Steam Cloud is listed among the game's Steam features, while Family Sharing lets multiple Steam accounts access the same purchased copy; Steam achievements provide optional milestones for players.
- Steam Cloud is listed as a feature, so check its settings in Steam if you switch devices.
- Check the achievements list for optional challenges.
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