Introduction
Basic information
Developer Name: The Gentlebros
Full Name: Cat Quest: Pirates of the Purribean (Cat Quest 3)
Release Date: 2024
Released on: PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, PC
Cross Play: Not applicable (local co-op only; no cross-platform play)
Initial thoughts
My wife and I loved Cat Quest II, and just as we finished it, Cat Quest 3 showed up in a Humble Bundle. We dove in immediately. The new ship mechanics felt off right away, serviceable, but floaty and repetitive. Player 2 joined easily, yet it became obvious the second character is treated like a ghost by the story. Exploration still worked; the map is dense with caves and little jokes, and a gothic, Castlevania-style castle area genuinely stood out. But across systems, we kept saying, CQ2 did this better.
Story and setting
Plot overview
A breezy pirates and curses treasure hunt spanning an archipelago. It sets a playful tone, but the throughline rarely lands; main beats arrive quickly and resolve faster.
World building and immersion
The lead hero gets the nods; Player 2 is never acknowledged in cutscenes or quest text. NPCs are cheerful quest dispensers with minimal growth, more punchline than character.
Character development
Light, harmless fun, fine for an afternoon, rarely memorable the next day. Climaxes feel tidy rather than triumphant, and stakes never quite escalate.
Emotional impact
Islands have cute themes and enemy mixes, but towns blur together beyond vendors and boards. Lore tidbits exist, yet nothing invites deep 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 a 5.5.
Gameplay and mechanics
Core gameplay mechanics
Top-down action with dodge-rolls, melee, staves/spells, and the big additions: guns and ships. Co-op remains the best way to play, but land combat plays it safe while sea encounters loop quickly.
Difficulty and balance
Scaling feels uneven: the golden path is relaxed, while some optional caves spike hard. Mages feel underpowered most of the game, and guns hit okay, but the reloads overstay their welcome, killing co-op momentum.
Pacing of the game
Island hopping is snappy at first, then slows as bounty boards and fetch quests pad progression. Sailing between small objectives inflates travel time without much variety.
Innovation and uniqueness
The ship could have been a differentiator; instead, engagements repeat and upgrades don’t meaningfully change the feel. On foot, builds offer fewer interesting forks than in CQ2.
Controls and user interface
Responsive movement and clear enemy telegraphs. Inventory/spell wheels are fine solo, but Player-2 gear and spell management require too many menu hops. Map markers help, yet bounty lists get cluttered.
Microtransactions
None encountered—progression is earned in-game.
Rating
After combing through many of the mechanics, the pacing, and other factors of this game, I rated the gameplay and mechanics with a 6.
Graphics and art style
Quality of graphics and art direction
Still charming: bold silhouettes, readable FX, and cozy color palettes that make co-op clarity strong. The pirate flair is cute without overwhelming the core look.
Technical performances
Stable with quick loading and consistent framerate, even during spell-heavy encounters or mob density.
Environment and design uniqueness
Several biomes stand out (the gothic castle zone is the highlight), but many caves feel like remix templates. Visual variety outpaces mechanical variety.
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 7.0.
Sound and music
Music score and how it contributed to the game
Jaunty sea shanty energy on the water; pleasant, light adventure cues on land. It fits, if not particularly sticky.
Sound effects quality
Clean hit sounds and readable spell tells; gun SFX are fine but don’t compensate for the reload drag.
Voice Acting
None; text and expressive barks/meows carry tone, consistent with prior entries. There is voice acting with the intro scene, which is a nice bonus.
Rating
After a lot of consideration, I rated the sound and music section with a 7.
Replayability
Game Length and content volume
A respectable campaign with lots of side caves, bounties, and collectibles. There’s plenty to do if you’re chasing icons.
Extra Content
Post-credits cleanup and tougher caves exist, but they mostly extend the same loops. No new co-op modes or twists to refresh the formula. We have not tried New Game+, but it did not seem to add much compared to Cat Quest 2.
Replay value
Moderate. Co-op pairs can enjoy a relaxed second run, yet thin build diversity and the story’s low impact shorten the tail compared with CQ2.
Rating
After thoughtful consideration, I decided to rate the replayability and game length of Cat Quest 3 with a 5.5.
Suggestions and comparisons
Suggestions and feedback
Make Player 2 visible in cutscenes and quest dialogue.
Buff mage damage and defensive options; shorten or perk-up gun reloads (e.g., perfect-reload windows).
Smooth level scaling and optional cave spikes for co-op flow.
Reduce bounty/fetch repetition; diversify ship encounters and add more naval elites.
Add late-game gear sets that reward coordinated co-op combos.
Comparisons
Versus Cat Quest II, this is bigger on the map and smaller in soul: more islands, less duo identity. It’s still a Zelda-lite/Diablo-lite blend, but CQ2’s intertwined heroes and encounter tuning felt sharper.
Personal experiences and anecdotes
We liked playing together, enough to see the credits, but we had little desire to 100% the map afterward. The co-op laughs were there, yet the narrative didn’t invite us back, and the balance quirks (mage weakness, long reloads, odd spikes) wore on us. Cat Quest II felt like a tiny masterpiece of co-op clarity; Cat Quest 3 tries to go broader and, for us, ends up thinner.
Rating
Taking in all the personal experiences with Cat Quest 3, I give it a personal rating of 5.5.
Last words
Pros
- Drop-in local co-op remains fun and accessible
- Bright, readable art with strong combat clarity
- Core dodge/telegraph combat still satisfying
- Large map with plenty of short-session caves and bounties
- A few standout zones (the gothic castle area)
- Clear UI and map markers for navigation
- No microtransactions
Cons
- Story is a letdown with low stakes and thin payoff
- Player 2 is ignored by the narrative/cutscenes, feels tacked on
- Mage builds feel underpowered most of the game
- Gun reloads take too long and break co-op momentum
- Scaling is off (breezy mainline, spiky optional content)
- Bounty/fetch repetition pads runtime without depth
- Ship mechanics grow repetitive and feel clunky in co-op
- Player-2 gear/spell management is clumsier than necessary
Cat Quest 3 is a pleasant couch adventure best enjoyed with a partner, but it can’t match CQ2’s tightly woven duo design. If you want a cheerful co-op romp, it delivers; if you crave the same elegance and balance of the previous game, you’ll likely come away lukewarm.
FINAL RATING
6
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