If the Gentlebros, developers of the Cat Quest series, are anything, it’s consistent. Cat Quest has been the same since the original, and I imagine that for the target audience, that’s comforting. I could probably cut this review down to a single paragraph that would include everything you need to know about Cat Quest III. It’s the same as Cat Quest I & II, in almost all ways except for the story, and even then some beats are pretty darn similar. But I think one incredible thing about these games is that without narrative consistency, you can jump in at any point and enjoy the games. If you picked up Cat Quest III, you wouldn’t be lost to an overarching narrative, the gameplay elements are mostly the same so you won’t be lost there. Because Cat Quest I – III were developed and released within seven years of each other, they’re all playable on the same consoles and more importantly, not lacking in design elements that would make you think going back to an earlier game would be tough. So maybe there’s some brilliance in Cat Quest III‘s design.
Cat Quest III
Developer: The Gentlebros
Price: $20
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 (Reviewed) and PC
MonsterVine was provided with a PS5 code for review
Cat Quest III starts out, like the first two, where you’re some chosen cat with a lil’ blue ball that follows you around and talks for you because you’re a silent protagonist. This time, instead of a cat knight you’re a cat pirate. You’ve got a pirate ship and you’re looking for booty, and also the magical north star. It’s a hacky and slashy action RPG that allows for co-op throughout the entire game. Co-operative gameplay merely requires you to either start a co-op game session or find one of the many save points littered throughout the game to summon a partner. It’s a very simple process and is perfect to get younger players going.
Cat Quest III is primarily about cat puns. Just lots of sticking ‘meow,’ ‘purr,’ and ‘claws’ where it doesn’t belong. For example, the pirate world you’re exploring is referred to as the ‘Purribean.’ It’s charming at first, and wears on throughout, but truthfully I never got sick of it. It kind of just becomes expected at some point and while the charm is lost, never really got to the point where I was annoyed. Equipment is simple, you have something to wear on your head and body, a melee weapon, a ranged weapon, and eventually three accessories. Generally, gear can improve four stats: health, attack, magic, and armor. Sometimes they’ll improve something else a little more specific like fire damage or adding an extra attack onto your attack chain. Accessories provide the most variety in the extra arena, but you’ll have to level up to unlock all three accessory slots.
The simplicity of its design is what makes the Cat Quest series stand out. Even for an action RPG it has some very simple concepts. Attack, chain several attacks to get a chain attack going, and dodge when an enemy broadcasts an attack. You’ll also be given a few magic spells to use on the trigger buttons. Fire spells that set enemies on fire, lightning spells that stun, healing spells, etc… You’re given a lil’ gem under your health bar that fills up as you perform attacks, and once full, you can cast a spell. There are a couple of combos in the game that are just gnarly and can almost break the game. I equipped an accessory that made me attack faster with every attack, allowing me to regenerate mana very quickly. So I’d fight a boss, start a combo up, and just tap the lightning button as a mana gem filled up and essentially stunlocked them until they were dead. This trivialized a lot of the end-game content.
While most of the game is viewed from the isometric perspective, some dungeons mess with that by becoming side-scrolling affairs. Dungeons are some of the most interesting parts of Cat Quest III. Breaking away from the simplicity of the combat and providing some minor puzzle solving or fun narrative events that are comical or result in some pretty nice gear or gear upgrades. More importantly, the dungeons reflect the exploration ethos that is baked deep within Cat Quest. These games are all about exploration, minor puzzle solving, and treasure. While enemies drop experience points after defeat, the best way to level up is to find treasure chests.
As a pirate, obviously, you’ll need a pirate ship. The ship acts as a way to get around the water-heavy map a little easier and there is naval combat. It’s not thrilling. However, you can slap eight upgrades onto the ship in total, and boy do you become a powerhouse with the right upgrades. Ships even get special attacks that function similarly to magic when you’re on foot. There are also several naval boss battles that I found enjoyable once I overcame the controls. Cat Quest III is so snappy on land that it’s a little bit of an adjustment to have to make these wide turns to get around. At least they give you a lil’ boost on the ship.
As I mentioned earlier, Cat Quest III is about exploration, and while the story is straightforward enough, there’s lots of side-questing to do to keep you occupied for a few hours beyond what the story offers. For example, there’s a large inflatable pirate duck that roams the map and becomes hostile when you attack it. I recommend waiting until you’re closer to level 100 before engaging in this balloon bird. With lots of puzzles around the map and lots to explore, Cat Quest III can keep you occupied beyond the story, just not for a whole lot longer. I imagine it would take around 10 hours at the most to see everything Cat Quest III has to offer.
The Final Word
Cat Quest III offers a decent amount of gameplay for the price, a colorful, consistent, and fully realized art style, and a game that can be completed 100% with a friend.
MonsterVine Rating: 3.5 out of 5 – Fair
