Mewgenics is finally here. Edmund McMillen’s long-awaited tactical RPG launched on Steam this week after spending years in development limbo.
The game positions itself as a turn-based tactical RPG with grid-based combat wrapped in a roguelike run structure. Players build teams of four cats and take them through procedurally generated encounters. The hook is a breeding system that lets you combine cats between runs to pass traits and abilities to the next generation.
McMillen made his name with The Binding of Isaac and Super Meat Boy. Both games became landmark indie releases that maintained player bases for years. Mewgenics has been discussed publicly since the early 2010s, making it one of those projects fans started to wonder would ever ship.
The game pulls from multiple genre influences. Players compare the combat to XCOM or Final Fantasy Tactics. The run structure feels closer to FTL or Slay the Spire. The breeding mechanic adds a meta-progression layer that changes how each playthrough plays out.
Early players report the game includes over 1,500 abilities and substantial enemy variety. Some reviewers claim they’ve put in 100–150 hours already. The Steam page suggests full completion could take 500 hours or more.
Steam Deck performance appears solid. Multiple players confirm the game runs smoothly on the handheld with support for face buttons, trackpads, and stick-controlled cursor navigation. McMillen reportedly said many playtesters preferred the Steam Deck experience.
The breeding system comes with McMillen’s characteristic irreverent humor. The game includes explicit comedic scenes tied to cat reproduction. Players who find this off-putting can disable these scenes in the settings menu. The game still handles breeding mechanically but presents it differently.
McMillen posted a 50-minute gameplay intro video on his channels. IGN and GameSpot have published video reviews covering the first 28 minutes and deeper gameplay systems. The Steam store page includes additional trailers and feature breakdowns.
