Escape room games have exploded in popularity over the past decade, with countless physical locations and virtual versions challenging players to solve devious puzzles against the clock. Escape Simulator, developed by Pine Studio, distills the thrilling experience into a charming, brain-teasing PC game.
One of the trickiest rooms to unlock is Cats in Time, an eccentric escape that tasks you with rescuing felines lost in the space-time continuum. It‘s the second bonus level, offering a stiff challenge even for seasoned players. On average, only 32% of players complete the room within the 30-minute time limit, with a median solve time of 27 minutes based on global leaderboard data.
In this comprehensive walkthrough, we‘ll guide you through each puzzle step-by-step, sprinkling in technical insights, thematic analysis, and insider tips along the way. Whether you‘re a veteran escape artist or a curious new player, this guide will equip you with the knowledge to conquer Cats in Time. Let‘s dive in!
The Secrets of Fibonacci and Lucas
Your first clue lies in "The Magic of Numbers" book, which introduces the famed Fibonacci sequence. Originating in 13th century mathematics, this series of numbers starts with 0 and 1, with each subsequent entry being the sum of the two preceding numbers. It appears in nature, from seashell spirals to petal arrangements in flowers.
The book‘s erroneous sequence is missing the numbers 8 and 34, instead showing "a" and "b" as placeholders. This classic pattern recognition puzzle requires you to calculate the missing integers based on the Fibonacci formula: F(n) = F(n-1) + F(n-2). Decoding the pattern lets you set the thermometer to the correct temperature, 34.8°C, to progress.
A later clue references the related Lucas numbers, named after mathematician Édouard Lucas. This series follows a similar rule, but starts with 2 and 1 rather than 0 and 1. The puzzle replaces the 4th, 6th, and 8th Lucas numbers with X, Y, and Z. Since the Lucas sequence goes 2, 1, 3, 4, 7, 11, 18, 29…, you can deduce X = 4, Y = 11, and Z = 29 to crack the safe combination.
Unraveling the Strange Device
Lighting up symbols on the peculiar machine based on a digital clock display is one of the more esoteric puzzles in Cats in Time. The eureka moment comes when you realize the 7-segment patterns correspond to the device‘s alien iconography.
From a game design perspective, this challenge tests the player‘s ability to think laterally and apply information from disparate sources – a hallmark of escape room puzzles. It rewards thorough exploration and keen observation skills.
Interestingly, the symbols on the device don‘t appear to match any known human writing system, suggesting they may be extraterrestrial in origin. This ties into the room‘s cryptic story of felines lost in time and space. By engaging with these otherworldly mechanisms, you‘re piecing together a larger narrative and unraveling the mysteries behind your predicament.
Mastering the Control Room
Progressing through Cats in Time brings you to an imposing control panel, where you must sync up malfunctioning systems to stabilize the time machine. A note provides a clue in the form of circles and squares, which you must map onto a series of switches.
This tests the player‘s pattern recognition and memory skills, as the solution lies in another part of the room – the cabinet with blinking lights. It‘s a prime example of gating critical information behind a sequence break, requiring you to backtrack and connect puzzle elements in a non-linear fashion.
The control room also features a computer with a password prompt. The clue "I love October the most" refers to the wall calendar, where certain dates are circled. Reading them in order – 5, 14, 1 – spells out the code 5141. This demonstrates the importance of the room‘s set dressing in providing subtle hints. Every object is placed with intent, and parsing how they relate is crucial to escaping.
Behind the computer‘s password lies a UV light puzzle, where you must aim a blacklight at a specific spot to reveal a hidden message. This represents another common escape room trope – using alternate light spectrums to uncover secrets. It‘s a clever bit of game design that adds physicality and makes the room feel more grounded and tactile.
Powering Up the Time Machine
The central set-piece of Cats in Time is an elaborate contraption that appears to be a time travel device. Charging it up requires three batteries, which you‘ll need to re-energize using different mechanisms.
The bio-charger puzzle necessitates extracting components from plants according to a research log. This blends science fiction with botanical elements, grounding the fantastic premise in a veneer of reality. It‘s also a sly nod to the restorative powers of nature, as harnessing organic energy brings life to depleted cells.
Meanwhile, the golden mirror puzzle tasks you with redirecting a beam of light through a series of reflectors and prisms to charge a battery. This is based on optics principles, illustrating how precisely angled mirrors can focus light. The satisfaction of aligning the perfect path and watching energy flow into the cell makes for a memorable "aha!" moment.
Finally, the kite puzzle takes advantage of the room‘s vertical space, forcing you to look beyond eye level for the solution. Wind power is one of the most promising renewable energy sources in the real world, adding a layer of authenticity to the fantastical scenario. There‘s a poetic resonance to harnessing elemental forces to achieve your high-tech goals.
Time Travel Triumph
With your batteries charged and loaded into the enigmatic device, you‘re finally ready to activate the time machine and complete your rescue mission. The ending cutscene shows your feline companions returning to their rightful eras, all thanks to your skill and determination.
This narrative payoff gives meaning to your puzzle-solving efforts and provides a sense of closure. The time travel premise, while outlandish, taps into the human fascination with altering history and exploring alternate realities. It calls to mind classic sci-fi tales like H.G. Wells‘ "The Time Machine" or the Back to the Future film trilogy.
On a deeper level, Cats in Time can be read as a metaphor for the importance of preserving the past while moving towards the future. By rescuing the cats from temporal displacement, you‘re restoring the natural order and ensuring the continuity of their lineage. The idea that small actions in the present can ripple across history is a powerful theme that resonates beyond the game.
Feline Fandom
Since its release in October 2021, Cats in Time has become a fan-favorite escape room among the Escape Simulator community. Players have shared their experiences on the game‘s active Discord server, swapping strategies and competing for the fastest solve times.
The room‘s quirky premise and challenging puzzles have made it a popular choice for Twitch streamers and YouTubers. Notable creators like PauseUnpause, Pravus Gaming, and GrackleGaming have all featured playthroughs on their channels, racking up hundreds of thousands of views.
Cats in Time has also inspired a wealth of fan art and memes, with players riffing on the absurdist humor of the time-lost felines. The official Escape Simulator Twitter account even got in on the action, sharing a mock movie poster parodying the sci-fi classic "The Terminator" with a cat in Arnold Schwarzenegger‘s iconic pose.
Bonus Escapades
Once you‘ve conquered Cats in Time, you can return to the room to hunt for bonus collectibles and Easter eggs. One notable secret is the "Cat-vatar" achievement, unlocked by finding a hidden VHS tape and inputting a code from a previous escape room.
The tape contains a glitchy video of a cat avatar dancing against a green screen backdrop – a surreal and hilarious reward for intrepid explorers. This sort of extra content adds replay value and depth to the game, encouraging players to scour every inch of the environments.
Other Escape Simulator rooms also contain subtle references to Cats in Time, cementing its status as a fan-favorite. The time travel theme is revisited in the "Trials of Time" map, while feline motifs appear in several other stages. These interconnected details help build a cohesive world and make the game feel like more than just a series of disconnected puzzles.
Purrfect Conclusion
Cats in Time is a sterling example of the ingenuity and creativity possible in virtual escape rooms. By combining engaging puzzles, evocative storytelling, and environmental detail, it crafts an unforgettable experience that challenges and delights in equal measure.
Whether you‘re a puzzle aficionado, a science fiction fan, or simply a cat lover, this room has something to offer. It‘s a testament to the power of interactive media to transport us to fantastical worlds and test our problem-solving skills in imaginative ways.
So grab your trusty notebook, put on your thinking cap, and prepare to embark on a temporal odyssey to save some very special felines. With this guide as your companion, you‘re well-equipped to unravel the mysteries of Cats in Time and cement your status as an elite escape artist.
Happy solving, time travelers!
