A Feline Empire, a Rodent Revolution: Build Factory Towns for Fat Cats in Whiskerwood

From the creative minds behind the train-based economic simulator Railgrade comes a new sooty strategy sim with a charming, and surprisingly dark, twist. Developer Minakata Dynamics and publisher Hooded Horse have announced Whiskerwood, a city-building game where you, an industrious mouse, must build and manage sprawling factory towns to appease your “cat overlords.” The game is set to launch into Early Access on November 6, 2025, and a new demo is now available on Steam, giving players a first taste of this unique blend of cozy art style and ruthless capitalistic simulation.

A Unique Blend of Cozy and Cruel

In Whiskerwood, you are a mouse governor dropped onto a secluded island archipelago with a simple directive: build a thriving economy and pay your taxes to the “Claws,” a group of posh, demanding felines who rule from above. The game’s core loop is a classic city-builder, requiring you to manage resources, establish production chains, and expand your colony. However, the game’s unique narrative hook adds a layer of moral and strategic complexity. As you build and produce, you must constantly balance the needs and desires of your “Whiskers” (your mouse colonists) with the ever-increasing demands of the cat overlords. The cats demand taxes in the form of specific goods, and failure to pay can result in dire consequences. However, overpaying your taxes can unlock new rewards and schematics, a crucial part of the game’s progression system.

The game is a masterclass in contrasting tones. The art style is adorable, with chunky, low-poly mice scurrying around, chopping wood, and building charming little houses. Yet, the underlying themes are those of exploitation, class struggle, and survival. As one preview puts it, “Being a governor was never this cute or stressful.” This duality is what makes Whiskerwood so compelling. You’ll find yourself building a beautiful, quaint little town, all while being fully aware that its purpose is to fuel the oppressive and absurd desires of a group of fat, lazy cats. It’s a game that is as much about managing a supply chain as it is about navigating a political and social landscape.

From Trains to Towns: A New Kind of Strategy

For fans of the developer’s previous work, Railgrade, Whiskerwood will feel both familiar and new. While Railgrade was a more straightforward logistics sim, Whiskerwood adds a layer of colony management and a more detailed simulation. Your mouse colonists have individual traits and a “desire” system that you must manage to keep morale high. They require not only food and warmth but also luxuries and decorations. The game’s islands are also designed with a surprising amount of verticality, encouraging creative solutions to space constraints. This forces you to think in three dimensions as you build ramps, paths, and vertically stacked buildings. The result is a game that is a bit more intricate and sprawling than its predecessor, with a greater focus on the lives of your individual colonists.

Whiskerwood is a promising new title from Hooded Horse, a publisher known for its excellent and in-depth strategy games like Against the Storm and Manor Lords. The game’s launch into Early Access is a smart move, allowing the developers to work with the community to refine the gameplay and add more content. The promise of new buildings, more production chains, and a deeper narrative is an exciting prospect for fans of the genre.

Conclusion: The Paw of Oppression Awaits

Whiskerwood is a charming, clever, and compelling new entry in the city-building genre. Its unique premise and its blend of cozy visuals with complex and cruel themes make it stand out from the crowd. For players who love intricate production chains, strategic management, and a good dose of personality in their strategy games, Whiskerwood is a must-play. The demo is available now, and the full Early Access launch is just around the corner. So, get ready to build your little mouse utopia, because the “fat cats” are waiting, and their taxes are due.