It has been over a decade since Edmund McMillen first teased the concept of a "cat lady simulator," and eight years since development restarted in earnest. Now that Mewgenics has finally arrived on Steam, the verdict is unanimous: the wait was worth every agonizing second. Launching to a staggering reception that saw it recoup its development costs in just three hours, this tactical RPG has already cemented itself as one of the best roguelike games of 2026. With a Mewgenics Metacritic score holding strong at 90, McMillen and co-developer Tyler Glaiel have not just delivered a game; they have crafted a genre-bending obsession that demands your attention.

A Tactical Masterclass in Feline Warfare

At its heart, Mewgenics is a deceptive beast. On the surface, it looks like a chaotic cartoon, but beneath the hood lies a tactical RPG of terrifying depth. The combat system draws heavy inspiration from genre titans like Into the Breach and XCOM, forcing players to think several turns ahead on a 10x10 grid. Unlike the twitch reflexes required for The Binding of Isaac, success here depends on careful positioning and mana management.

The variety is overwhelming. With over 10 distinct classes—including Fighters, Tanks, Mages, and Hunters—and more than 75 unique abilities per class, the strategic combinations are nearly infinite. In our Mewgenics PC review playthrough, we found that synergy is key. A Tank can shove enemies into environmental hazards like water or spikes, while a Mage can freeze them in place for a Hunter’s long-range snipe. The stakes are incredibly high: death is permanent. If your favorite level 10 cat falls in battle and takes three subsequent hits while downed, they are gone forever, taking their unique gear and genetic traits with them to the grave.

Mad Science: The Breeding Simulation

What truly sets Mewgenics apart from other tactical RPG reviews in 2026 is the breeding system. Between runs, you return to your house hub—a dilapidated shack you must expand and manage. Here, the game shifts from battlefield tactics to a complex genetics simulator. You aren't just healing your squad; you are curating a bloodline.

The "legacy" system is brilliant and cruel. Cats inherit stats, abilities, and physical mutations from their parents. A father with high strength might pass on a "Hulking" trait, but if he also carries the "Lazy" gene, his offspring might refuse to move every third turn. We spent hours trying to breed the perfect "Glass Cannon" Mage, only to accidentally introduce a mutation that gave the entire lineage a weakness to fire. This constant balancing act between eugenics and chaos is what gives the game its infinite replayability.

Essential Mewgenics Gameplay Tips

  • Don't hoard resources: Food and gold caps are strict (often around 100 units). Spend your gold on house upgrades or items immediately rather than trying to save for a rainy day.
  • Watch the traits: Before breeding, inspect your cats' hidden stats. Inbreeding can lead to devastating defects that ruin a cat's combat viability.
  • Retirement is a strategy: Cats retire after one full adventure. Don't feel bad about retiring a powerful cat early if it means securing their superior genes for the next generation.

The Infinite Loop: Roguelike Perfection

The game loop is a masterclass in compulsion. You draft a team, navigate a branching map similar to Slay the Spire, survive procedural encounters, and return home to breed the next generation. The procedural generation ensures that no two runs are alike. One adventure might take you through the sewers fighting poop-flinging bosses, while the next sends you to a frozen wasteland populated by aggressive wildlife.

Edmund McMillen's signature art style—grotesque, cute, and disturbing all at once—shines here. The visual feedback is visceral; cats get scarred, lose limbs, and visibly mutate as they age. Accompanied by a stellar soundtrack from Ridiculon, the atmosphere is perfectly attuned to the gameplay: stressful, hilarious, and weirdly heartwarming.

Verdict: The First GOTY Contender of 2026

It is rare for a game with such a protracted development cycle to meet expectations, let alone shatter them. Mewgenics is a triumph of systems design. It respects the player's intelligence, punishes their mistakes, and rewards their creativity with hundreds of hours of emergent storytelling. Whether you are a fan of deep strategy games or just want to see what happens when you crossbreed a floating psychic cat with a tank, this is essential playing.

If this is what the rest of the year holds, 2026 is going to be a legendary year for gaming. But for now, Mewgenics stands alone at the top.