The Core Game Loop
Cathartic turns studying into strategic gameplay in a simple but addictive loop.
Flashcards Appear
During gameplay, flashcards from your loaded dataset pop up on screen. You see the question (front of card) and must recall the answer.
Answer Correctly → Spawn Units
Get it right and you produce combatants — warriors, archers, and other units that march toward the enemy. The faster and more accurately you answer, the stronger your army.
Build Towers
Correct answers also earn resources to construct defensive towers. Place them strategically along the path to maximize your impact on each mission.
Conquer the Missions
Missions keep getting harder as you progress. Your knowledge is your weapon — the more you study beforehand and the better you recall during gameplay, the further you advance.
Review & Improve
After each session, see which cards you got wrong. These are the ones you need to study more — and the game naturally surfaces them more often through spaced repetition principles.
