Ever since its inception way back (be it only seven years, it’s odd how it so eerily feels like an entirely different era) in 2017, developer The Gentlebros' series of feline-focused, light-hearted and admittedly lite-on-systems action RPGs in the form of Catquest have always felt catered to the crowd of folks fascinated – maybe even interested enough to give one a go – by the assumable pull of loot-based RPGs. A far-cry from some Diablo, Dota, Division or Destiny (I swear, the four-word alliteration wasn’t intentional there) alike, something like Cat Quest could very well be described as the kind of series, now into its respective third entry, for the more “casual” loot-grind fanatics. And by casual, that’s not in some derogatory manner, be it on the player, the game or certainly not Gentlebros themselves.
But as someone far from an expert on such a sub-genre,Cat Quest IIIon the surface feels like the kind of approachable, more laid-back, slower-paced progression towards over-powered supremacy, that doesn’t find itself bogged down by systems and other such nonsense. Speaking as someone whose experience, if you want to call it that – outside of gear-based RPGs – is of relatively enjoying The Division (as much its sequel) and comically investing a “measly” 50 hours into Destiny 2…before growing bored and dropping it entirely. As far as games with a distinct loot-grind and level-gating of objectives are concerned, Cat Quest – and I suppose Cat Quest III by that very definition – gets the basics right when it comes to warming to this kind of gameplay design.
A Change in Perspective
I specifically note this as an accolade of the series, rather than that of the third entry on its own, as one simple glance will prove that whether it’s comfort in the familiar or fear of alienating the niche it’s already cultivated, you know exactly what you’re going to get with a third entry that doesn’t necessarily go for anything drastic or dramatic with changes. And even for people like myself, completely new to this series,Cat Quest III’s cutesy demeanor, all-ages-friendly attire and simplified interface, suggest that while it may not be reaching for anything bold, The Gentlebros andCat Quest IIIare happy coasting along with essentially more of the same. That aforementioned more being a competent-enough grind that juxtaposes rather neatly with a charming, at times splendidly-executed, visual style.
In any other scenario, this plateauing of expectations might’ve manifested a more deflated response to what’s in store here. But it’s thanks to the game’s broad, far-from-intrusive approach to progression coupled with a few smart choices in so far as customization goes, that helps stave off most (though not all) the malaise of a game clearly playing it safe. In spots, that comfort in the familiar is replaced by a flash of promise, but the harsh reality is that as far as mechanics and agency of one’s feline protag go, the first hour ofCat Quest IIIplays pretty identically to that of its twentieth.
As a little shallow and one-note the main combat can be; both on land as you explore numerous islands amid the Purribean Archipeligo serving as the setting this time roun, or out at sea where you take control of a ship and battle it out with cannon-fire against fellow hostile ships of various factions. On land, the standard template of attacking and timing one’s dodges seldom wavers from this main path, even in the face of coming up against some of the more major end-of-dungeon boss fights and higher-leveled, side-quest foes. Visually, there’s a clear effort to at least make such encounters feel unique or deserving their stand-out placement. The fact certain side-quests situated inside buildings, shift to a purely 2D perspective, offers a neat change. Even if the mechanics of combat themselves stay unchanged.
Review: Cat Quest II
Overall, Cat Quest II is a fantastic adventure that’s easy to recommend for players of any age.
A Surprise to be Sure…
Even so, there are moments – even if it is outside of combat – thatCat Quest IIIdabbles in a change of presentation. The seamless way the game shifts from its low-altitude, overhead perspective while out exploring the islands, only to then switch to a more isometric angle in a dungeon, is a neat change. And as noted, the 2D shift inside buildings does suggest that this series isn’t shy of a shake-up or two, when it deems it necessary. On a pure gameplay basis,Cat Quest IIIisn’t completely devoid of ideas. The requirement to knock down gates with your ship’s cannons, for example, provides some brief moments of deduction in making sure your ship is within firing range.
Especially so for locked gates positioned at the end of a river or stream. Given you can only respawn/board your ship at designated ports marked by an anchor icon, it’s not necessarily complex or lengthy, but the game does offer some sufficient deviation in the kind of quests and activities one can get up to. Such activities serving as the means by which one naturally levels up your character – gaining increases to one’s base stats – beyond simply beating groupings of enemies to a pulp when spotted.
Master Quest
Quests and partaking in generally anything the game has on offer also providing valuable currency with which you can use to upgrade your very weapons and apparel. Upgrading their level naturally boosting their base stats. Frustrating it may be to spend a considerable amount on one weapon, only to find a new variant some ten minutes later with better stats by default,Cat Quest IIIdoes mitigate some of this by automatically upgrading any acquired loot you find, should it be a duplicate of an item you already own.
Another smart inclusion is the ability to alter the appearance of clothing already equipped to something else without losing any of its attached stats. Or transmog, for those in the know. A feature that is not only free and accessible from pretty much the early parts of the game, but better still is hidden away/eventually discovered with what might be one of occasionally yet genuine moments of clever design.
Venture Forth
That’s not to say that the curious meandering between islands, which may or may not lead to the discovery of a cave or side quest, doesn’t deserve acknowledgment of keeping players sufficiently engaged, but it’s a shame that the pots of surprise or breaking away from a series mold, are so few and far between. One of the game’s more narrative-led shifts with visuals, sets itself up to be a point where the seemingly cutesy demeanor gets subverted, only for it to fall back into that of mere background fodder.
Again, the unexpectedness of its emergence at one point – lending itself to maybe some more interesting story implications – is used as little more than to serve as the acquisition of upgrade material. The effort is there, yet the execution and end goal feels at most points like a missed opportunity developer The Gentlebros are clearly more than apt at following through on. But for whatever reason, again, the game favors comfort in the familiar over truly standing above and beyond its fellow entry brethren.
Closing Comments:
Ticking all the right boxes to keep one engaged, yet doing little else to stand out even in the confines of its own series,Cat Quest IIIprovides a competent, at times charmingly so, quest for better loot and better opportunities to use it all on. How well you fair on that latter objective will depend on how detrimental you rate a kind of simplistic combat, whose only true barrier to entry are the gear numbers the game ends up dictated by. Yet even with this reliance on player levels and hidden numbers to deducw, what it may lack (or deliberately ignore) in depth, it makes up for with a sufficient loop of activities to hunt down and well-implemented visuals on top. Whether a fan of the series prior or entirely new to what The Gentlebros usually cook up,Cat Quest IIIstill manages to make its island-hopping adventure, a curious one all the same.
Cat Quest III
Version Reviewed: PlayStation 5
The third entry in the Cat Quest series, Cat Quest III takes players to the archipelago of the Purribean Islands. Battling pi-rat foes, helping fellow feline denizens and gathering loot in a quest to track down the legendary Northern Star treasure.
