Solnest

A hand-drawn hidden object game built entirely around cats

Solnest is a relaxing hidden-object game from Gallic Entertainment that scatters over 700 cats across 11 hand-drawn, solarpunk-themed rooms for players to find solo, in co-op, or in competitive PvP. Reviewers consistently praise the artwork as the game's clear standout feature. "I've been spending time finding cats in this game, and I have to say, I'm really impressed! The environments are very well designed and detailed; you can tell that the developers cared about every part of the map. It's not just a game where you have to find something, it's a work of art," wrote one reviewer, who also praised a specific accessibility tool: "The Magnifying Glass: This is a huge help. It works so well that it helps you narrow down the search area when you're stuck without making it feel like 'cheating.'" That reviewer added a note about the difficulty curve: "I have to say that some of the cats are so well hidden that they look like they aren't there at all! But I really like that because it makes the game harder and makes the last 'aha!' moment much more satisfying."

A more detailed review comparing the game to a genre rival called it a clear step up: "We love a responsive dev, and this one clearly listened. Compared to" a rival hidden-object title, "this is WAAAYYY better. You're collecting dozens of cats across 11 available levels in a solarpunk world that can be relaxing (or mildly chaotic, depending on the mode you pick)." That same reviewer praised the mode variety: "There are 4 modes to set the vibe: Relax (no time limit), Chill (10 min), Moderate (5 min), and Hardcore (3 min). Solo is there, but there's also VS and coop multiplayer," and noted an unexpected bit of educational flavor: "there are surprisingly educational boards about solarpunk, which I knew absolutely nothing about before." Another reviewer summed up the appeal simply: "If you enjoy relaxing games, hidden-object puzzles, or just love cats, Solnest is definitely worth trying. A simple concept, but very charming and wholesome. What I really liked is that you can play it with friends."

Charming, but over almost as soon as it starts

The most consistent complaint across nearly every review, positive and negative, is that the game's runtime is extremely short relative to a full-priced hidden-object release. A critical review put it bluntly: "It's a cute game and I like the stickers but the zoom in and out visuals are really weird and take a while, there's no way to know what level you've completed which is really annoying. It only takes around 30 mins to completed all the levels too so I think for a game that can be finish in less than a hour (non achievement hunting) it shouldn't be the price it is." The genre-comparison review reached a similar conclusion despite recommending the game overall: "My full 100% run clocked in at 28 minutes. And yes, I inhaled it," and later noted, "There's also less content than in Silktrails 2, around 30 minutes total instead of an hour, which makes the full price a bit steep."

That same detailed review flagged a specific structural annoyance around replaying levels: "You have to reset all levels to replay one, which feels counterintuitive in a game with leaderboards," alongside confusion around the achievement system: "Achievements lack clear descriptions, so you unlock them... but why? I got them all naturally, but I couldn't tell you the logic behind half of them, and discussions suggest that's not universal." A different reviewer echoed the missing-progress-tracking complaint from their own playthrough: "It's also hard to tell in the main screen what levels have been completed and which ones haven't." The same reviewer wasn't sold on the game's audio design either: "The voice and the meowing weren't up my ally, so I'd probably look for muting that next time I play," a sentiment echoed by another reviewer who summed the whole experience up in one line: "Nice game, however the cat noises are irritating and the achievements make NO sense. Pleasant with sound down."

Small rough edges around a solid core

Beyond runtime and audio, reviewers flagged a handful of smaller presentation issues without treating them as dealbreakers. One reviewer who otherwise enjoyed the sticker and difficulty systems noted a visual quirk: "I think the linework (pixelated, like an image that was zoomed in too far) is a little messy, which adds to the difficulty, but I'm not a fan," while also noting the sticker-collection design felt like busywork: "I like the idea of stickers, but when I realized you'd get them for redoing the same levels on different difficulties, nah, not worth it." A reviewer who put significant time into the game's timed leaderboard modes found a couple of specific quirks worth flagging: "on some levels some cats may be out of frame and impossible to see when you're zoomed in. Even when you slide all the way to edge of the screen they don't show up. Zooming all the way out can help you spot the ones on the edges," adding, "This didn't spoil my fun at all and only happens on a couple levels." The genre-comparison review noted similar minor friction: "Some cats are slightly see through before being found, which can make scanning odd at times, and movement at max zoom feels a bit like sliding through molasses. Not disastrous, just noticeable," while also flagging an unselectable twelfth level slot the developer has said is coming in a future update.

Verdict

Solnest is a gorgeous, well-crafted hidden-object game let down mainly by how quickly it's over — nearly every reviewer, positive or negative, finishes the entire 700-cat, 11-level package in around half an hour. Its art direction, magnifying-glass hint system, and unusually generous mode selection (solo, co-op, competitive, and multiple timed difficulties) give it more replay value than most games in the genre, and its developer already shows signs of active post-launch support. But confusing achievement logic, no visible level-completion tracking, and grating default sound design are avoidable rough edges, and at $2.99 for roughly thirty minutes of core content, value-conscious players may want to wait for a sale. It's an easy recommendation for anyone who wants a short, beautiful, low-stress cat hunt, especially with friends, but not for anyone expecting hours of content to match the asking price.