Mewgenics: The Cat-Breeding Tactical Roguelike That Took the World by Storm
Retrograde .🐱 What Mewgenics Is
Mewgenics is a turn-based tactical roguelike where you build and manage an army of genetically unique cats and send them into procedurally generated challenges. The core loop alternates between two major pillars:
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Tactical Grid Combat: Assemble a squad of cats with specialized classes (like Fighter, Mage, Tank) and position them on a battlefield where environmental factors, abilities, and stats determine victory.
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Breeding & Genetics: Back at home in Boon County, cats can breed, pass down traits and mutations, and create ever stranger and stronger lineages. These traits — useful or disastrous — lead to surprising results from run to run.
With over 1,000 abilities, 900+ items, and 200+ enemies, every playthrough feels fresh and unpredictable.
😼 A Decade-Long Journey to Release
Originally announced in 2012 by McMillen’s indie group Team Meat, Mewgenics faced years of development delays and an eventual cancellation. The project was later revived when McMillen regained rights and partnered with Tyler Glaiel to rebuild it entirely, eventually settling on its current turn-based tactical design.
The long wait appears to have paid off. The game’s chaotic charm and strategic depth have earned wide praise from critics and players alike.
🎮 Why Players Can’t Put It Down
Here’s what makes Mewgenics special:
✔ Deep Strategy
Tactical combat isn’t just about brute force — positioning, synergy, and environmental effects matter just as much as abilities and stats.
✔ Unpredictable Genetics
Breeding introduces chaos. Mutations, diseases, and quirks can hurt or help your team in ways you never expect.
✔ Immense Replay Value
With hundreds of enemy types, legendary items, and customizable cat lineages, no two runs feel alike.
✔ Humor and Personality
While dark and often grotesque, Mewgenics carries McMillen’s signature style — strange, funny, and totally unpredictable.
📊 Early Success & Reception
Mewgenics launched on February 10, 2026 exclusively on Steam, and the response has been explosive:
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Top on Steam’s global charts soon after release, beating big titles like CS2 and Helldivers 2 in sales.
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Sold over 500,000 copies in the first 36 hours, generating millions for its small development team.
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Reviews from press and players fall largely on the positive side, praising the depth and creativity of its systems.
🧠 What’s Next?
The developers have already hinted at future DLC, but will take time to see what players truly love about the base game before committing to new content.
Whether you’re a fan of tactical roguelikes, cat chaos, or just want something completely unlike anything else on the market — Mewgenics might just be your next obsession.
Have you played Mewgenics yet? Start building your ultimate feline bloodline for just $12.99 on Retrograde.