Cat Quest III is the long-awaited sequel in the award-winning franchise. If you’ve been following the adventures of this infamous cat, you know that the developers like to bring something different with every new entry. This time, you can explore the pirate life which looks like the purrfect next step. Is it worth it? Let’s sink some ships.
What a purrdicament!
In Cat Quest III you’ll play as a purrivateer who ventures through the seven seas in search of the mysterious North Star treasure which is said to be hidden somewhere on the small little islands. You are not the only one looking for the treasure as you’ll compete with some of the biggest pirate bosses like the Pi-Rat king and others. The story of Cat Quest III is pretty straightforward and perhaps a bit cliché considering its theme but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a fun story. In true action-RPG fashion, the story is told through a lot of dialogue and although there’s a fast-furrward button during those dialogues, I recommend just reading them and letting the story unfold at its own pace. It’s so well written and full of cat puns (like you might have noticed in this review too) so it’s a blast to follow. I liked how well-written both the main quest and side quest characters were, really motivating you to explore and discover all of the secrets this compact open world has in store for you. You won’t play this game for its story alone but it’s always nice to see that the developers really went all out and created one of the most fun and unexpected stories in the genre.
Get ready for claw-some battles!
As an action-RPG, combat is a crucial part of Cat Quest III and it’s as good as they come. You simply attack enemies by combining your short-range and long-range weapons with magic. Sounds easy but don’t be mistaken. If you aren’t playing this in easy mode, the game is rather challenging and demands a lot of grinding in order to become really good in combat. Every weapon and magic spell has a weakness and strength and the more you advance, the more you’ll need to find the perfect combination of weapons and magic to take down your enemies. In easy mode, you can blast through enemies without truly grasping the potential of your weapons but in normal mode, you better prepare to put in some work. As a true RPG, there are tons of weapons hidden in the world, some are found in treasure chests, and others are only obtainable by defeating certain enemies. Finding better weapons is just one part of the deal, you’ll need to find resources to be able to upgrade your weapons and magic as well. If you didn’t realize it yet, you’ll realize it now, Cat Quest III demands exploration and some grinding and although I’m not the biggest fan of endless grinding, it didn’t bother me at all in this game. The main reason is because of how tight the controls are and how easy it is to get into that flow of combat and exploring. As you can see in the video above, the game is set in one big overworld where you can freely walk around. Finding the right approach to defeat the enemies and finally being able to defeat them thanks to a smart combination of weapons is extremely satisfying. It also helps that there are tons of great hidden objects and characters to meet along the way. Combat is fun in the overworld but shines in the dungeons where you’ll have to defeat a set of enemies and end with a thrilling boss fight. I’ve completed the game and must say some of those bosses really took a lot of skill to defeat. It’s not the longest of games but you’ll enjoy mastering your combat skills for sure.
All paws on deck!
Now, what would a pirate be without their ship? Needless to say, you’ll claw your way on your very own deck in this game, and man is it fun to sail around those islands! You’re not controller a hyper-realistic slow ship where you have to time your turns before you can even blow your cannons, instead, you’re cruising around in the most agile ship that ever shipped. Naval warfare was never this fast and I loved it. Just like your main character, you can buff out your ship along your journey. Adding new canon balls and better stats for more health and better defenses, your ship gets more and more powerful. It’s great to take down other pirates but you can also use your cannons to blast some of the tougher enemies on land. Your ship is a true weapon and on the other hand, also the perfect vessel to discover the gorgeously created world. It’s a compact open world where floating around is both fun and relaxing. It even reminded me of my GameCube days when I would boot on The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker and float around in the King of Red Lions to relax. Cat Quest III has that same kind of appeal and it truly feels amazing. Your ship is more than just a way to go around, the more you play, the more you’ll see your ship as another playable character. The combination of combat and world exploration works incredibly well together with this ship and I can only applaud the developers for pushing the game like this.
I’m in claw-some company
What better than playing this game on your own? Playing it with a friend! Just like its predecessor, Cat Quest III is playable in local co-op! Your friend can jump in at any time, if you find a resting point in the game, your player two can easily jump in and join your adventure. Discovering all secrets and fighting the enemies is great alone but also works surprisingly well in co-op, making it one of the better co-op games of this year so far. It also helps that you can easily jump back into the game if you haven’t played it for a while, there’s always something to discover and you’ll jump back into that flow immediately. It’s not the longest game if you’re just following the story but if you want to see and explore everything, you’ll finish it in around ten hours. Be sure to look for surprises, the developers added some of the most fun bonuses I’ve ever seen. Finding those together with a friend is just pure gold.
Conclusion:
Cat Quest III is the purrfect game for the Summer as it combines stellar combat and transportation with snappy dialogues and tons of secrets. It’s one of the best in the genre and for its lower price, this is a no-brainer.
