I have always advocated for a shorter game with less fluff, repetitive, time-filling missions, and more original, rich gameplay. I would always rather have a 25-hour game that had me on the edge of my seat the whole time than an 80-hour game of the same mundane nonsense over and over again. I’m looking at you, Ubisoft. However, Cat Quest 3 manages, somehow, to be both incredibly brief and remarkably uninteresting.
Far from Purrfect
Although Cat Quest 3 has its charm, there isn’t much game. I completed the core storyline in just under four hours and begrudgingly went back into the New Game+ afterward to clean up the rest of the side quests and bosses. I wasn’t expecting Cat Quest 3 to provide tens of hours of gameplay for review, but I expected more than just one afternoon.
A lot of the same
Within a few minutes of gameplay, I had already figured out how the rest of Cat Quest 3 would play out during the review time. A cute-looking open world provides the map for dungeons, boss battles, and a number of little puzzles. Credit where credit is due: I enjoyed blasting around the small map, picking up the various quests, and figuring out the brain teasers.
However, the pattern became very predictable quite quickly, and after a few fights, I was just trying to get them over and done with as soon as possible. Go here, clear this dungeon, kill this boss. Fill the time in between with a puzzle or mini-boss. Beyond that, there wasn’t much to it. I appreciate that the game isn’t supposed to be a AAA blockbuster, but it felt more like a F2P mobile game than a paid-for RPG.
Easy as pie
I would recommend playing Cat Quest 3 on the harder difficult because, during my review time, I was playing without looking by about half an hour in. I hardly needed to upgrade my gear and was able to walk through almost all of the boss fights without even thinking. Only until the New Game+ was Cat Quest 3 a challenge.
With little effort, I had become so overpowered that nothing could stand up to me. It is a shame, really, as the boss designs and attack patterns were well thought out. When I first started, I was excited to have a challenge on my hands, learning boss move sets and having to adapt my loadouts.
As it stands, I picked up one loadout at the beginning of the game and was pretty much able to walk through the enemies until the final boss battle, which I left unscathed. It was a shame, really, as there are a lot of options to play with in the game. However, there just isn’t much cause to really explore.
Once you have completed the game once, and New Game+ becomes available, the game starts to pose a challenge. This progression scaling was a bit of a problem and put me off starting the game again.
A late bloomer
For me, it was only once I went back into the NG+ that i recognised where the game starts to shine. Running through the bosses again, and taking the time to complete all the puzzles and get all the gear was satisfying.
There are completionist challenges throughout all of Cat Quest 3 that really demand a second playthrough. New items, endings, and options become available after completing the game once. However, I don’t think this is particularly a selling point.
The issues with the game still prevail for me. Sure, the enemies are tougher on NG+, but they’re still subject to the same mechanics. Again, if you’re playing along with a child or with friends, this could be fun. However, I found even the item collection and bounty hunting kind of repetitive.
Cat Quest 3 is a game that really only starts to shine in the NG+ and replayability areas. The first run-through feels more like a tutorial than a fully fleshed-out game. I think this is a shame.
Not a total Cat-astrophie
Although it has its problems, which, for me, really pulled Cat Quest 3 down, it does have a few saving graces. I needed to remind myself that the game was only $20, and it was really designed for young children, not bitter, old, weather gamers like myself. With these points in mind, there are a couple of things I did find rather endearing.
Looking good, feline good
Excuse the seemingly endless cat puns, but after playing through Cat Quest 3, they become engrained. The writing is nothing if not cute. Although the story is a weird one, with interdimensional beings, it still carries the same message of friendship and perseverance as the previous installments. As the various villains and enemies develop through the game, they turn out to be not all that bad.
Rather than having one-dimensional enemies, this short but sweet game creates a nice depth to each of them. Nobody is bad just for the sake of being bad, and there are a number of moments that are both heartwarming and sweet. The team has done a fantastic job of telling stories and creating the characters.
The story itself is very cute, and I found a lot of the various quests, if not a little repetitive, saved by their amusing backstories. It is a tale full of charm and imagination, with some genuinely funny parts that will have both kids and adults chuckling away to themselves.
The writing is matched by the equally cute and imaginative design of the levels and bosses. The team is happy to go a little out of the expected with their graphical choices and level design. I was pleasantly surprised by a number of the boss lairs.
The use of color, lighting, and imaginative art direction has resulted in a visually appealing game. The open-world map is simple in design but full of charm, feeling like a board game come to life. Each new enemy has their own distinct style, and despite much of the game being quite similar-looking, there are opportunities they take to do some rather inventive things.
However, this didn’t diminish how monotonous they still felt. Sure, they looked good, but as I played through Cat Quest 3 for this review, I never felt engaged or challenged. The combat systems are slightly varied and builds can be put together, but overall, there didn’t seem to be too much variation.
Casual co-op fun
With the option to play the game co-op, Cat Quest 3 opens itself up a bit more to enjoyability. It is ideal as a casual two-player game for young kids or even parents and children. It is never too challenging, and I feel the game offers enough to be played by two.
With a decent selection of builds and puzzles, some cooperation would go a long way. Although not challenging, working together to target enemies’ weak spots and puzzling away at the various secrets in the game is a nice bonding experience.
Don’t expect too much from the gameplay. Instead, accept Cat Quest 3 for what it is, and it’s not so bad. The gameplay is simple, and the enemies aren’t hard. However, the experience isn’t unpleasant, and there is just about enough to keep kids entertained for a couple of hours. However, don’t look for more than that. The completionists out there will certainly get more from it.
The tail continues
Cat Quest 3 does encourage replayability, with more than one ending available and certain collectibles available only after an initial playthrough. This can be seen as a good or bad point for the game, in my opinion. It’s nice to enjoy unlocking more secrets after the game is completed, but I feel that the effort put into this could have been put towards making the game a little more interesting.
Replayability is always nice in a game. However, I don’t know if Cat Quest 3 has enough to it to make it one anyone will rush to play through again. I found more enjoyment in the NG+ mode than I did in the initial playthrough. Suddenly, bosses were taking me down a little, and some were completely out of range.
This second playthrough nature is a risk on the Cat Quest team. I feel they may lose out on a lot of players really experiencing the game for what it should be simply due to the uninspiring first four hours.
Does Cat Quest 3 have claws?
I was feeling pretty put out when I finished Cat Quest 3 and sat down to review it. I felt like it was over before it began. As I blasted through the final two-thirds of the game without even breaking a sweat, I felt that surely this was just a tutorial stage. However, as the credits rolled and the NG+ option popped up, I realized it was really all it had to offer.
If I had known this, I would have probably taken a little more time to really ensure I had unlocked everything in the game. NG+ is where the game opens up and becomes challenging. On my New Game+ run I have taken a lot more time. It is also significantly more challenging.
No doubt, the game looks very cute. It is wonderfully stylized, and the cast list is not only well thought out but also gives real character. I felt each one had their own message and personality to portray, which was one of the biggest draws. Cat Quest 3 won’t have you on the edge of your seat, but it might warm your heart once or twice.
In conclusion, the game is short and very repetitive. However, if you’re looking for something you can enjoy with a young family member or even something for a child to play alone, this is a great choice. It isn’t challenging, it’s visually pleasing, the characters are endearing, and there are plenty of little side quests to get lost in.
Published: Aug 6, 2024 10:00 am