GamesAdventurePortal 2A Valve veteran spent his career “focused a lot on violence,” before Portal 2 inspired him to make Little Kitty, Big CityWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
GamesAdventurePortal 2A Valve veteran spent his career “focused a lot on violence,” before Portal 2 inspired him to make Little Kitty, Big CityWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Double Dagger Studio)
Director Matt T. Wood was formerly a Valve employee who contributed to everything from Team Fortress 2 and Half-Life 2 to Portal 2 (all the 2s), before heading down the indie route and founding Double Dagger Studio, the indie outfit that eventually pspspsps’ed Little Kitty, Big City into existence.
During an’Ask Us Anything' sessionon the Nintendo Switch subreddit, the director shed light on the game’s inspirations, explaining that a career embedded in hero shooting and headcrab squashing made him yearn for something less bloody, less violent, and more Portal 2-y, as all things should be.
“I spent most of my career working on games that focused a lot on violence or gameplay that derived from conflict and I wanted to do something that wasn’t that,” Wood explains. “The most fun I had working on a project was one that had the least conflict in it and that was Portal 2. I wanted to do more of that because I think the world needs more games like that and also, it would be a new challenge for me as well.” (I’d say GLaDOS' ‘jokes’ were pretty violent, but I get Wood’s point.)
The director also reveals that he began prototyping Little Kitty with his children, which made him realize “that there aren’t enough games” that can be “entertaining to both kids and the parents.” Most parents might still view games as the Candy Crush and Call of Duty timesinks, Wood said, but his goal “was to hopefully increase awareness there and create something parents feel comfortable with their kids playing and want to actually play with them.”
Leaving a storied studio like Valve must be intimidating, but Wood’s indie pivot was met with major success as Little Kitty, Big Citysold over 100,000 copiesin less than two days - and that’s despite a simultaneous launch on Game Pass. A sign to all developers everywhere: give us more dedicated “Meow” buttons.
Don’t let the wholesome vibes fool you - Little Kitty, Big City is full of Dark Souls’ DNA.
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GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS
1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1
Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
2
Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
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Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
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5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
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1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
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3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
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Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
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5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
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Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
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2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
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Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
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5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
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Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”