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Introduction

Basic information

Developer Name: The Gentlebros
Full Name: Cat Quest II
Release Date: 2019 (PS5 via backward compatibility)
Released on: PS5 (BC), PS4, Nintendo Switch, PC, iOS, Android
Cross Play: Not applicable (local co-op and single-player with AI partner)

Initial thoughts

We were overly interested in playing this co-op game together. Within the first hour, the loop clicked: one of us drew aggro and controlled space with melee and shields while the other weaved in spells, DoTs, and bursts. Gear drops continually nudged us to swap roles, so cooperation felt fluid rather than scripted.

Story and setting

Plot overview

A buoyant fable about a feline king and a canine king uniting rival realms. It’s a road trip of short quests, dungeon crawls, and boss dust-ups wrapped in wordplay that somehow stays cute rather than cloying.

World building and immersion

Archetypal leads, but animation sells personality. The cat’s regal swagger against the dog’s eager bounce. Side characters add texture with one-line gags that double as lightweight lore.

Character development

Co-op amplifies emotional beats: rescues, reunions, and final pushes land better when you both clutch the controller during low-HP scrambles. It’s cozy rather than dramatic, which fits the tone.

Emotional impact

Overworld biomes feel distinct (plains, tundra, volcanic ridges), and towns act as cheerful pit stops. The map is dense with optional caves and trials; you’re never more than a few steps from a detour that rewards curiosity.

Rating for story and setting

I have visited multiple aspects of the story, and after some thought and objective thinking, I rated the story and setting with an 8

Gameplay and mechanics

Core gameplay mechanics

Snappy real-time action: dodge-rolls with generous I-frames, melee weapons with clear arcs, and a spell system that rewards timing. Mana regenerates on hits, encouraging proactive play and co-op combos (freeze → shatter, oil → fire, stun → burst).

Difficulty and balance

Baseline accessibility is high; optional dungeons and higher-level zones add teeth. The game rarely hard-gates, if you wander into a tough cave, it lets you try, learn patterns, and come back stronger rather than scolding you.

Pacing of the game

Perfect for two players: compact dungeons, fast travel nodes, and frequent upgrades. Even short sessions feel productive, while longer runs become satisfying region clears.

Innovation and uniqueness

The dual-monarch setup isn’t just flavor; many gear sets and spells interlock in ways that make two-player synergy feel designed, not incidental.

Controls and user interface

Tight movement, forgiving roll windows, and readable enemy telegraphs. Quick-swap for spells and tidy menus minimize downtime. Shared-screen framing keeps both players visible even in hectic arenas.

Microtransactions

None. Progression is earned through play, not purchases.

Rating

After combing through many of the mechanics, the pacing, and other factors of this game, I rated the gameplay and mechanics with an 8.8.

Graphics and art style

Quality of graphics and art direction

Storybook clarity: bold silhouettes, saturated colors, and animations that telegraph states (charging, casting, stunned) at a glance, ideal for couch co-op readability.

Technical performances

On PS5 (BC), performance is stable with very short loads and smooth combat even during heavy spell spam. Rumble is standard and unobtrusive.

Environment and design uniqueness

Biomes have visual identity and distinct enemy mixes that gently push you toward different tools (ice in deserts, fire in tundra, etc.), keeping builds fresh.

Rating

It took me some time to give the graphics and art style an objective rating. There are many things to consider, but ultimately, I rated this section with a 8.5.

Sound and music

Music score and how it contributed to the game

Buoyant overworld themes and triumphant dungeon stingers that lift momentum without tiring the ear. Boss cues ramp tension effectively.

Sound effects quality

Crisp hit sounds, clean spell tells, and helpful audio warnings for enemy wind-ups, useful when the screen is busy.

Voice Acting

None, beyond expressive text and creature noises, which suits the fairy-tale presentation.

Rating

After a lot of consideration, I rated the sound and music section with a 8.

Replayability

Game Length and content volume

A full campaign plus a generous lattice of optional caves, trials, and secrets. The map steadily fills with icons that make one more discovery irresistible.

Extra Content

Post-game cleanup and revisiting high-level caves with new builds. Mix-and-match gear sets to discover fresh synergies (tank + burn, slow + crit, DoT + lifesteal).

Replay value

High for co-op pairs: swap roles on a second run, chase 100%, or challenge yourselves with under-leveled routes and minimalist gear. Whatever floats your boat!

Rating

After thoughtful consideration, I decided to rate the replayability and game length of Cat Quest 2 with an 8.3.

Suggestions and comparisons

Suggestions and feedback

Add scalable difficulty modifiers (enemy speed, damage, elite affixes) for a bespoke NG+.

Introduce timed arena rush or boss gauntlets tuned for two-player coordination.

More late-game set bonuses that trigger on cooperative actions (e.g., combo finishers).

Comparisons

Think Zelda-lite exploration blended with Diablo-lite timing. Leaner than a full ARPG, friendlier than a hardcore roguelite. For couples’ co-op, it sits comfortably alongside titles like Overcooked and It Takes Two as a lower-stress, higher-smile option.

Personal experiences and anecdotes

My wife and I enjoyed cruising through every cave and collecting gear, upgrading, and the story was amazing! Our favorite flow: I’d freeze a pack, she’d swap to a heavy weapon for shatter crits, then we’d roll through the follow-up AoE. The gear treadmill never felt grindy; it felt like steady encouragement to try a new duet.

Rating

Taking in all the personal experiences with Cat Quest 2, I give it a personal rating of 9.

Last words

Pros

Cons

Cat Quest II is a model of approachable co-op design: generous with rewards, respectful of your time, and constantly encouraging teamwork. If you want a cheerful campaign that you can truly play together, this is an easy recommendation on PS5.

FINAL RATING

8.5/10

8.5

Please let me know what you think of Cat Quest 2 in the comments!
I hope you enjoyed reading this review. I hope to see you in the next review!
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18 thoughts on “Cat Quest 2 review”

  1. Avatar

    CAT QUEST!!!!! Btw you should revisit the game in singleplayer, it can be uniquely different to the co-op experience. Instead of there being a cat and a dog playing together, you can swap between playing as a cat or dog which basically means that can swap to another build on the fly during combat. I’m not sure if there’s enough complexities for ARPG build for it to be worth spending lots of time on it but I thought it was a neat way of differentiating solo play.

  2. FranckCastle

    Funnily enough, I never looked into this game before the Screenshot of the Week. I only saw the Steam/Epic thumbnails and thought I wouldn’t be interested in the game at all. Now it looks at least a bit interesting! Also, I never noticed there was a dog on the title art, lol.

  3. Avatar

    It’s a game with a low difficulty level that I can recommend to all kinds of people!

    I remember it being a really fun game!

  4. Avatar

    From the review, I can see that this game is built with coop in mind, and it sounds like a lot of fun when the combo works. However, as the lone wolf I am, I will need to solo it when I get to try this game.

  5. Avatar

    I need to try part 3. I agree with almost all, camera could have been better and story is just okay. Gameplay is great for me! So addicting and fast, I love it.

  6. The game looks overall wonderful, and you mentioned it is perfect for two players, good that they upgraded from 1 by adding co-op, now I only need someone to play it with. 🙂

  7. Alamar

    Nice arts and CATS 🙂 Great that you enjoyed your co-op play, in this mode Cat Quest is probably best? I read previously review of Cat Quest 3 and from what i remember CQ2 i in some cases more deep. Anyway i prefer more in depth games then CQ but for co-op it can be no doubt great fun.

  8. Avatar

    I love the Cat Quest games. I enjoyed the first one, but Cat Quest 2 really improved upon pretty much every thing from the first one (and Cat Quest 3 was just as good).

  9. Avatar

    uh, another game that looks really cool and is still sitting in my library untouched. time to get it out. we do love a good coop 😀

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