Our next review takes us to the Purribean for a high seas sailing adventure starring cats, rats, and all kinds of cute characters. It's Cat Quest III from The Gentlebros, and here is my verdict of the game, as played on the PlayStation 5.
A Purr-ate's Life for Me!
Cat Quest and its sequel previously delved into high fantasy. Now the series dives into the high seas with a rousing seafaring adventure that decidedly doesn't stray too far from the established formula seen in the prior two games. With a more open world, however, and a boatload of wordplay, Cat Quest III sets sail and sets its sights to delight players new and old to the franchise. Will you be feline good after playing this entry?
Cat Quest III begins with an animated cutscene showing the burning remains of a ship by the nefarious and villainous Pi-Rat King and his crew. Left over from the wreckage is a bassinet containing a nameless baby kitten, who is taken under the tutelage of Captain Cappey to become a Purrivateer. The Pi-Rat King's crew searches for the North Star Treasure, which our heroes also are in the search for--how convenient and coincidental! What follows is a swashbuckling cat-venture across the Purribean, full of hack-and-slash action, witty writing, and yes, loads and loads of cat puns.
Cat Quest III is set within the Purribean, and inside its seafaring expanses are all sorts of discoveries to be found. There are dungeons to wage battles through, side quests and other optional content to engage in, mysteries and puzzles abound, and towns to talk to various characters. There is truly no shortage of discoveries in Cat Quest III. Every island has a plethora of interesting points to scope out--whether that be caves to plunder for treasure, characters to meet and fulfill their quests, treasures resting on the world map--pleading to be opened, environmental puzzles to solve, or what-have-you.
Of course, even though the Purribean is a wide open expanse--just begging to be explored--it's not always the brightest idea to explore all willy-nilly at your leisure. Enemies in sections of the map that aren't meant to be explored right away are quite high in level, meaning that they can make short work of you with just one hit. Thus, it's best to come well-leveled and well-equipped to best those baddies! Show the pirates who's boss and all that.
And if you do end up being routed, the punishment isn't severe--you simply are revived at the last "Rest Beakon" (save locations in the form of a parrot which restore your cat's health and magic to full strength) you visited, which there are an immense number in the game. Still, since death is essentially just a wag of the finger to the player, if that, it's most likely meant to be that way, to encourage the freedom to explore the seas without worry of losing tons of progress.
Ah, but what be a pirate without lots o' loot to take! Fortunately, here, Cat Quest III shines. Loot comes in the form of equipment that not only boosts your cat's attack, defense, health, magic, and provides alternate effects (such as increased fire resistance, for example), but also serves as a nice way to customize your cat aesthetically. Equipment comes in headgear, body, accessory, and weapon form. Gold coins are the primary currency in Cat Quest III, and these are used primarily to upgrade gear proficiency. The higher a level of a gear, the more powerful it is. If you discover a duplicate piece of equipment, that simply adds more levels to the original.
Combat in Cat Quest III is fast and fluid. It feels nice. Your cat has three means of dealing damage--direct melee attacks, ranged weaponry, and magic. Each serve their own contextual purpose in and out of combat, but learning to utilize all three in battles can make short work of foes as well as more importantly keep your cat alive. Starting off, you have one magic slot available to you, but as the game progresses and as you level up, your cat gains more slots. Up to four magic skills can be equipped at once, each mapped to a shoulder button. Thus, you have a multitude of potential builds available to your pirate kitty, great for discovering one that works purrfectly for you and your play style.
Yes, as stated, the Purribean is a wide open place, containing chains of islands to explore and plunder alongside myriad points of interest. And yes, you would be right to expect a swift way to sail around the ocean blue rather than having to swim. Thankfully, your kitty hero is indeed well equipped to traverse the high seas with their own ship, able to cruise on any body of water (may it be lakes, rivers, or the ocean blue itself) and put up a fight against any enemy vessel that stands (...floats?) in its way. Much like said hero, the ship is upgradeable as well, with the ability to increase its hit points, attack strength, special attacks, and more--though with blueprints.
Cat Quest III, like its previous entries, is not a lengthy endeavor to beat nor complete. In a sense, it definitely doesn't wear out its welcome. It certainly did not for me, taking about six or seven hours to fully complete and earning the Platinum trophy on the PlayStation 5 version. Your mileage may vary on how long it takes you, but at no point was I ever left wanting the game to end or feeling frustrated. In fact, it was more the opposite. I was yearning for more to do, even after collecting as much treasure as possible, clearing all the side quests, solving all puzzles that attempted to perplex me, defeating all of the bounties, acquiring all of the equipment and spells in the game, and more. It was a yearning that even the New Game+ option did not quite satiate.
I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the wonderfully implemented and hassle-free local co-op play on offer in Cat Quest III. It makes a game that is stellar in solo play doubly so by virtue of another player. I can certainly see myself returning to this game down the road thanks to this feature.
I've no idea what kind of trickery the mad lads at The Gentlebros pulled off to create such a vibrant and gorgeous game, but between the 2D characters and 3D world, it's a lovely combination. Everything looks cohesive and genuinely divine. Whereas the visuals are stunning with the excellent art style, the soundtrack is more serviceable, certainly fitting of the game and the action but nothing I can remember outside of the game. Pleasant, yes. Memorable, not really.
The Cat Quest series may not reinvent the wheel with each entry, but they're the types of adventures that I consider to be comfort gaming. If you know what you're in for and don't expect a massive revolution in gameplay, you won't be disappointed with this latest installment. Complete with enjoyable and open exploration, plenty of customization to find and finetune your play style, and copious amounts of cat and cat-adjacent puns, Cat Quest III may just be the best in the series yet. For a series full of excellent entries, that's certainly a high mark to hit.
[SPC Says: B]
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