Cat Quest III

Cat Quest III is an excellent 2.5D open-world RPG with fun characters and even a pirate ship to pilot. My only issue is that the puns can get to be a bit much by the time you reach the end!

88%Game Brain Score

story, gameplay

grinding, replayability

95% User Score Based on 1,444 reviews

Critic Score 80%Based on 26 reviews

Platforms

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About

Cat Quest III is a single player and multiplayer open world role playing shooter game with fantasy and kids themes. It was developed by The Gentlebros and was released on August 8, 2024. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

Discover Cat Quest III on the official PlayStation website - watch trailers, view screenshots and check gameplay features for this pirate-themed sequel.

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95%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,444 reviews

story288 positive mentions

grinding23 negative mentions

Charming and humorous pirate-themed action RPG with engaging combat and exploration.
Improved graphics, polished gameplay, and well-designed dungeons offering a fun, lighthearted experience.
Excellent local co-op mode, with seamless boat and land combat, offering enjoyable multiplayer play.

Game length is relatively short compared to previous entries, which may disappoint some players.
Ship controls and combat can feel clunky and repetitive, especially in co-op mode.
Some boss fights and mechanics, such as enemy attack telegraphs and RNG loot drops, are frustrating or unbalanced.

story
1,020 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
69%
3%
Cat Quest III offers a lighthearted, fun pirate-themed RPG experience with charming humor, engaging characters, and a polished combat system. While the story is more focused and better paced than previous entries, it is shorter, less deep, and has fewer side quests and dungeons, making it feel somewhat simpler and less content-rich compared to Cat Quest II. Fans of the series will enjoy its accessibility and whimsical narrative, though some may find it less satisfying in scope and depth.
- “Cat quest iii drops many of the franchise’s recurring tropes in favor of a more classic RPG structure: a smaller but denser world, themed dungeons, multiple viable playstyles, well-characterized antagonists, a functional hub area, and a much better sense of progression.”
- “The story is lighthearted and full of heart, with characters that are quirky, memorable, and deeply entertaining. The quests strike a great balance between goofy and meaningful, giving you a sense of adventure without ever taking itself too seriously.”
- “Enhanced story and characters: the narrative is more engaging than in previous games, with a more complex plot and memorable characters.”
- “The story was never the strongest point of the Cat Quest franchise, but in Cat Quest 3 it is straight up bad.”
- “The story honestly makes me feel like it's just justifying Cat Quest 4 instead of focusing on its own story, and there's just little to no dungeons or explorable places once you get past the first three or so hours of the game.”
- “With much more focus on sailing and open water exploration, the game itself was not only shorter than its predecessors but also lacking in both combat, story, and dungeons.”
gameplay
274 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
55%
3%
Cat Quest III builds upon its predecessors with refined, accessible action-RPG mechanics, introducing new elements like pirate ship exploration and naval combat that add variety without overcomplicating the core gameplay. While praised for smooth controls, charming humor, and engaging combat, some reviews note that certain mechanics (e.g., ship handling, boss fights) can feel repetitive or underdeveloped, and the game’s shorter length and simpler story may leave players wanting more depth. Overall, the gameplay is a fun, polished evolution of the series’ signature charm, ideal for casual players and fans seeking a lighthearted adventure.
- “A streamlined action RPG with exploration, secrets, multiple weapons, and flexible builds you can switch between on the fly.”
- “The gameplay mechanics strike a good balance between ground combat, ship combat, and exploration.”
- “The mechanics, gameplay, and quests have all improved from the previous titles.”
- “There's just too many mechanics and changes in this one that are ill thought out.”
- “Weird story, inclusion of open world filler that feels tedious, and just unfulfilling gameplay that leaves you confused as to what you're meant to actually be doing.”
- “Even if I'm still playing this third one, I wanted to say that it seems that they have made some steps back with the gameplay instead of improving it: you have the boat in this game, but it's more a hassle to handle instead of a fun mechanic because without teleport is the only way to navigate between the different areas and you have to do that while you are constantly chased by other ships; the ship battles are not fun and in general it's always better to kill the other ships with a ranged weapon instead of using the ship; almost all the boss fights are the same; the dungeons are now empty and not fun to complete; the shield is useless and the 'secrets' that were a great part of the first two games are now too obvious and not so fun like in the first two games.”
graphics
123 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
54%
44%
2%
The graphics in the Cat Quest series are widely praised for their charming, vibrant, and colorful art style, featuring adorable hand-drawn and 2.5D visuals that have notably improved in detail and polish with each installment. Players appreciate the cute character designs, whimsical world, and enhanced lighting and effects, which contribute to a visually appealing and cozy gaming experience. While not cutting-edge, the graphics perfectly complement the game's humor and gameplay, making it highly enjoyable and accessible, especially for fans of casual RPGs and cat-themed aesthetics.
- “Being a Cat Quest game, the graphics are incredible, with beautiful hand-drawn illustrations tastefully mixed with 3D.”
- “Visually, the 2.5D art style is more polished and colorful than ever, and the world is packed with the series' trademark cat puns and witty writing.”
- “The visuals of the game are stunning, featuring vibrant, whimsical art style with adorable cat characters that warmly engage players.”
- “It's far below the state of the art visuals gamers expect as a result of their decisions.”
- “The second reason for a downvote is that as the production has amped up with the graphic design and incorporating the use of y-axis (entities flying), most of the time you can't see the entity you're controlling, as it's covered in sparkling lighting effects and lodged between many similar looking entities moving in the same manner.”
- “However, Cat Quest 3 is a completely different sort of game, with unresponsive controls, lagging animations, and a focus more on aesthetics than the actual gameplay.”
humor
80 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in Cat Quest III is widely praised for its charming, witty cat puns, playful dialogue, and lighthearted, cozy tone that enhances the game's engaging and fun RPG mechanics. While some find the humor a bit childish or less frequent than previous entries, it remains an endearing and essential part of the experience, with well-crafted jokes, pop culture references, and heartwarming moments that appeal to both longtime fans and newcomers. Overall, the humor complements the gameplay and narrative, making the game a delightful and amusing adventure.
- “The stories are written very well, they are funny and have great one-liners while also being surprisingly cute and heartwarming.”
- “All the cat jokes are still there and they are funny as always, the controls are almost the same, it’s the usual Cat Quest but more and better.”
- “The cat characters are endearing, and the game’s localization cleverly incorporates feline-themed puns into the dialogue, adding a layer of humor that makes the game uniquely enjoyable.”
music
43 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
49%
44%
7%
The music in the game is widely praised for its charming, upbeat, and pirate-themed soundtrack that perfectly complements the adventurous tone and gameplay. While some find it not groundbreaking, most agree it enhances the atmosphere with catchy, varied tracks and fitting sound effects, contributing significantly to the overall enjoyment.
- “The music is just as charming, perfectly complementing the upbeat tone and keeping your tail swaying through every dungeon and field.”
- “The soundtrack, filled with jaunty seafaring tunes, perfectly complements the game’s adventurous tone and keeps the mood light even during tougher combat encounters.”
- “I can only think of like two games off the top of my head that I've played with better music (Celeste and Bravely Default). It takes the best parts of the previous games and perfectly weaves them in with the pirate theming of this game, and they are all way too catchy.”
- “Soundtrack: 6/10”
- “Music ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆ - 6/10”
- “* yet again the story and music are not the strong point of the game but both fulfill their purposes good enough”
emotional
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Cat Quest III delivers a charming, heartwarming story filled with whimsical humor, quirky characters, and wholesome themes of friendship and family, often evoking genuine emotional moments despite its lighthearted and pun-filled tone. While the narrative is not deeply complex, its humor, cute art, and memorable character interactions make for an engaging and emotional experience that resonates warmly with players. The ending, though sometimes seen as a sequel setup, still provides a satisfying and touching conclusion that can move even those not easily brought to tears.
- “Whether you are playing solo or enjoying the seamless local co-op, Cat Quest III is a heartwarming, swashbuckling adventure that is nearly impossible to play without a smile on your face.”
- “The stories are written very well, they are funny and have great one-liners while also being surprisingly cute and heartwarming.”
- “The narrative is filled with whimsical humor and quirky characters, making it both engaging and heartwarming.”
grinding
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
8%
4%
88%
Grinding in the game is generally minimal and well-balanced, with streamlined mechanics that keep it engaging rather than tedious. While some players note occasional need for grinding—especially against tougher bosses or optional content—most find it less punishing than prior entries, with ample rewards from regular gameplay reducing the grind feel. Overall, grinding isn't mandatory or overly chore-like, maintaining fun and accessibility throughout.
- “CQ3 is like a very fun and small kitty pool; the depth may not be deep but the game isn't grinding the life out of you like more refined RPGs such as Larian's Baldur's Gate games. An ocean of quests and items is fun when you want it, but with CQ3 being so accessible and linear, it still makes for a fantastic game!”
- “A great little game with RPG mechanics, an interesting plot, and no grinding.”
- “Bosses are tougher than in the first two Cat Quest games and often require grinding for casual players to meet the level requirement.”
- “The combat is very simple, and any difficulty can be solved with more grinding.”
- “I find that the balance is, like a lot of RPGs—especially indie ones—rather off, because if you explore and do a lot of side quests and have a habit of grinding before the endgame (there is one spot in particular that you can basically kite around with your OP ship and quickly pick off infinitely spawning enemies to level up ad infinitum if you want), you can become so insanely over-leveled after upgrading all your gear that anything the game throws at you, even the end boss, just becomes so easy that you can take them out on your first try.”
replayability
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
53%
27%
The game offers solid replayability through features like New Game+ and various challenge modes, appealing especially to casual players who enjoy its charming graphics and mechanics. However, some find the content limited and the gameplay too basic to sustain long-term interest, hoping for more customization and quests to enhance replay value. Overall, replayability is considered good but could be improved with additional content and modes.
- “It's a nice casual game with cute graphics and fun characters - the battle system and mechanics are quite smooth and this title has tonnes of replayability (I love that they have new game+).”
- “Play all three, these are fun, wholesome micro-games with plenty of replayability.”
- “The game itself never overstays its welcome and with a new game+ feature ensures some replayability.”
- “- No replay value for me personally - the gameplay is so basic (nothing wrong with that), it gives me no pleasure to just do it again.”
- “More content will come, but New Game+ has low replayability as there is no point.”
- “Con: it's quite a bit shorter than CQII and kinda lacks replayability as well.”
stability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
63%
Stability is mixed, with some players experiencing minor glitches like getting stuck in narrow spaces, while others report a bug-free and smooth experience, including good performance on the Steam Deck. However, issues such as frequent crashes, a problematic save system, and unreliable multiplayer options have been noted by some users.
- “It's saturated in cuteness and the entire playthrough was bug free.”
- “Runs great on Steam Deck, so that's a huge plus.”
- “Combat is great and this game runs great.”
- “Buggy as heck and we bought 2 copies because we loved cq2 so much, we gifted a copy.”
- “Between the constant crashing (completely freezes up the deck) and the bad save system it is frustrating to play.”
- “They still haven't implemented proper multiplayer, making you reliant upon splitscreen or the buggy and unreliable Steam Remote Play Together.”
character development
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Character development is praised for its charming and cute designs that enhance the game's whimsical world, complemented by vibrant, colorful visuals. While character customization remains simple and accessible, players can choose to optimize builds for challenging bosses, adding depth for those seeking greater difficulty. Overall, character design improvements contribute positively to both aesthetics and gameplay engagement.
- “Great character development and cool looking and hard bosses.”
- “There are improvements to art, combat, cosmetics, character design, and character movement in cq3.”
- “The game’s vibrant art style and charming character designs are visually appealing, immersing players in a whimsical world.”
optimization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
17%
33%
The game is well optimized, delivering smooth performance even on 4K TVs without crashes or bugs during extended play. It stands out positively compared to higher-priced titles, balancing good visuals and efficient performance in a compact game size.
- “The game looks great and has good performance on my 4K TV.”
- “The price is definitely good, the game is solid, well optimized, with good story, and I did not face any crashes or bugs during my 12 hours gameplay.”
- “Runs smoothly.”
- “7 Days to Die devs, contact the Cat Quest devs for optimization tips.”
- “This game is a testament that sometimes a simple game like this is better than something that cost over $60-80 and still performs poorly, be it performance, gameplay, or story-wise.”
atmosphere
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
The game boasts a brilliant, whimsical atmosphere that is both relaxing and immersive, supported by a delightful soundtrack that perfectly complements the gameplay. Its light and breezy narrative emphasizes character moments, creating a fun and engaging environment for players to enjoy.
- “This is a brilliant game, with an amazing atmosphere, writing, improved combat, and an easy leveling system.”
- “The narrative is light and breezy, focused more on atmosphere and character moments than deep storytelling.”
- “The whimsical tone creates a relaxing atmosphere that’s easy to sink into for hours.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
Users find Cat Quest III's $20 price steep for its limited content, comparing it unfavorably to older AAA games, but appreciate the absence of microtransactions and its classic, enjoyable gameplay style.
- “Cat Quest III has the cash grab price of $20 USD, for which you could easily get any number of older AAA games.”
- “Feels like a cash grab of $20 for maybe 6 hours of content is whack.”