5 Things I Really Like About Mewgenics, the New Game from Edmund McMillen & Tyler Glaiel

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• DEVELOPER: Edmund McMillen, Tyler Glaiel
• PUBLISHER: Edmund McMillen, Tyler Glaiel
• PLATFORMS: PC
• GENRE: Rougelite / RPG
• RELEASE DATE: Feb 10, 2026  
• STARTING PRICE: 28,99€
• REVIEWED VERSION: PC

Mewgenics didn’t come out of nowhere. Behind it are Edmund McMillen, the mind behind The Binding of Isaac, and Tyler Glaiel, his collaborator on The Basement Collection, and developer known for The End is Nigh. Together, they’ve proven once again that a familiar art style, deep RPG systems, tactical rougelite and huge replayability can find success, even beyond their existing fanbase. Mewgenics is another reminder of how valuable indie games are and how a simple idea can grow into something massive.

Let’s start with replayability. Just when you think you’ve seen it all after one run, you haven’t. Mewgenics takes replayability to another level. Every cat you find or breed is highly randomized. The goal is to breed the perfect cat for adventure and story progression, but you’ll never use the same feline twice. You’re always sending out a new team of four, or breeding them.

On top of that, there’s a huge variety of items with unique bonuses, plus different enemies across multiple locations. Boss battles can get chaotic too. The key is that you never know what’s coming next. Each playthrough feels different from the last, not completely, but with enough variety to keep you hooked for a long time.

The second thing worth highlighting is the sheer number of skills and class-based abilities. According to the Steam page, there are over 1,000 unique abilities (75 per class, across nine different classes) and each one brings something different to the table. You don’t fully realize just how many there are until you dive deeper.

A fighter can turn their attacks elemental or hit incredibly hard. A tank can use abilities to slam enemies into walls while closing the distance. Meanwhile, a wizard has so many magic spells that you’ll be experimenting constantly. There’s always something new to try. Finding the perfect build for your cat means mixing and matching skills with active and passive bonuses earned through leveling. It’s theory-crafting at its finest, and it never really ends.

The third thing worth mentioning is the house and breeding mechanics. When cats return home from an adventure, they carry scars, experience, and the ability to pass down strange skills and mutations. You can tinker with your bloodline, manage genetics, and build even stranger, more powerful cats for future runs. The house serves as your main hub. You can furnish it to create a better environment for breeding. Retired cats can also be sent to various characters in the game, who in return offer upgrades, whether for your house, new shops, or more opportunities to progress.

The fourth thing is the aesthetic and visuals. Mewgenics doesn’t go for realism. Instead, it leans into a humorous, mostly black-and-white style, like an old film where color appears now and then in certain locations. It’s easy on the eyes, never overdone, and fits the overall theme perfectly. Just as The Binding of Isaac did nearly a decade ago, Mewgenics carves out its own distinct look that sticks with you.

Finally, it’s worth noting that Mewgenics is not an early access title. It’s a full-fledged roguelite RPG with deeply satisfying turn-based combat, a complete experience you can easily sink 100 hours into. It rarely gets boring, always tempts you with “just one more run,” and never feels like a waste of time. That said, it’s not a perfect game.

My biggest issue with the game is that you can’t control pathing. Even if you have the movement speed to avoid a trap, you’re forced to walk into it. On top of that, the UI makes it difficult to track buffs and debuffs. Another problem is how long it takes to fully complete the game. After ten hours, you might still be less than ten percent done. The cat donation system also feels frustrating. You’re required to give characters like Frank multiple retired cats just to unlock another room in your house, but you only get four cats per run. Runs can last anywhere from thirty minutes to two hours, so this is definitely not a fast-paced game.

The last issue is how heavily RNG-dependent everything is. Not everyone will enjoy how often it forces you to change your strategy, especially since it’s unavoidable. Random events can be particularly frustrating. For example, you don’t get to choose which cat attempts a check. In other words, each cat has different stats that influence these events but also have huge impact on combat. These problems are consistent and become more noticeable the longer you play. That said, they don’t completely ruin the fun of everything else.

In the end, Mewgenics is a genuinely fun game, if you can look past a few issues that might bother some players. It also shows how a focused title, one that hits the right notes and generates the right kind of hype, can take off through word of mouth. Even if you’re skeptical, it’s well worth your time, especially if you’re waiting for something else to drop, like Resident Evil Requiem or Crimson Desert.

This is a review based on a copy I purchased, not one provided by the publisher