Cat Quest 3 review

Starting up Cat Quest 3 brings a smile to your face. The quick opening animation takes you back to childhood, watching cartoons on weekend mornings. That feeling takes hold even more the moment you take control and never leaves. If there’s one thing Cat Quest 3 excels at, it’s its presentation and commitment to providing light-hearted adventure. The characters, locations, and enemies in this pirate-themed world are all bright and inviting. Sure, there are a few too many puns for my taste, but it all feels like it’s done to preserve that childlike sense of wonder and adventure.

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Cat Quest 3 strives to be as smooth an experience as possible without sacrificing depth or choice in mechanics. Unlike many games aimed at kids, it doesn’t belittle or condescend to the player. Instead, it feels like a clean, streamlined RPG that cuts through the clutter and makes every moment count. It’s tedious in parts and the main story is disappointingly shallow, but it’s a lot of fun navigating these waters.

Cat Quest III

release

August 8, 2024

Developer

Gentle Brothers

ESRB

E10+ For ages 10 and up For comedy pranks and fantasy violence

Strong Points

• Great art style
• A great world to explore
• Incredibly deep customization

Cons

• The main story feels like an afterthought
• Repetitive dungeon layout and design

Price and availability

Cat Quest 3 will be available on PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, and Steam on August 8th for $20. It’s a 2D action RPG starring a cat chasing the legendary North Star in the region of Pribeen.

Embark on an adventure

Have a nice trip

This time, our silent cat protagonist sets off on a pirate-themed adventure in search of a mysterious treasure called the North Star that only they can find. Also on the hunt is an evil pirate king and the various pirate captains he leads. After this introduction, there is no real or interesting change in the main plot. We are shown the goal, all the obstacles and bosses that get in our way, and then we get to work. With a silent protagonist, there is very little room for interesting development or growth, and even what we have feels boring and disposable. This is a real shame, because everything surrounding this formulaic plot is so engaging and vibrant.

The real treasure of Cat Quest 3 is the side content and exploration. The archipelago is filled with bite-sized side quests that are sure to entertain in one way or another. Even if the tasks are a little boring, the short storylines and plot twists almost always make it worth your time. As with any pirate adventure, it’s not the treasure you set out to find that will ultimately be most rewarding, but the people you meet and the things you see along the way.

Cat Quest 3 also doesn’t force players to do additional exploration or side quests if they don’t want to. For the most part, the main plot gives you enough experience and level that you won’t hit any major roadblocks as you slog from objective to objective. Bosses will be tougher this way, and you’ll miss out on a ton of great story and items, but you’ll never be forced to stop and grind.

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Gentle Brothers

One might expect the combat and mechanics to be watered down in a game with an art style and atmosphere like Cat Quest 3. Taking inspiration from previous games, I expected some simple attack sequences, dodges and spells, but the combat loop and progression was a pleasant surprise.

From the start, you have a melee weapon, a gun, and magic, each with their own role and synergies. Once you’ve shot out all your ammo, you’ll need to switch to a melee weapon or magic while it’s on cooldown. Once you’ve used up all your magic, you’ll need to pull off a combo to recharge it. This creates a satisfying rhythm of cycling through your tools to maximize your offensive potential.

As you unlock new equipment, your strategy continues to evolve. Different armor and weapons not only change your base stats, but also your playstyle. I chose a lightning-focused build, equipping equipment that buffs lightning damage and weapons that cause a lightning strike on the final hit of a combo. There are dozens of options between armor, weapons, and trinkets, but I never felt like I couldn’t experiment. Equipment can be upgraded by finding duplicates and raising them to the current level, or by spending cash at the blacksmith. Coins are distributed very generously, so I never ran into a situation where I couldn’t enhance my new equipment to its equivalent strength due to lack of funds.

While the combat stays fresh, the dungeon design unfortunately becomes repetitive quite early on – the caves and interiors all have the same look (maybe different colors) and progression structure – knowing exactly what a dangerous cave or pirate hideout looks like before you enter it ruins the excitement you’re meant to feel when exploring.

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Want to give Cat Quest 3 a try?

A smooth RPG experience with a boring storyline

Cat Quest 3 quickly puts you on board and sets off on a light-hearted pirate adventure. Despite being mostly water, the world is full of charm and vitality. If it weren’t for the forgettable main story and tired dungeon design, this could have been the perfect answer to the current trend of bloated RPGs. Even with these shortcomings, Cat Quest 3 kept me smiling the whole time I played, which is something not many games can do.