Sequels to beloved game franchises rarely fail to make a splash, and that’s especially true forCat Quest 3. Indeed,Cat Quest 3’s cozy catventure launched on International Cat Day to a warm Purribean-winds reception and as of writing sits at a comfortable Very Positive on Steam. Game Rant spoke to Desmond Wong, CEO of developer The Gentlebros, about the new third installment in the cuddly and relaxingCat Questfranchise just before its release.The following interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.
Pi-Rats and the High Seas
Q: We’re having this interview just hours before release. What’s going through yourmind? What’s the team feeling?
Wong:Bugs, bugs, and more bugs! No matterhow much a developer prepares for a launch, there’s always going to be something that slips through the cracks. We’re all nervous on whether some game-breaking bug is going to surface once the public gets their hands on this. That being said, the team is feeling optimistic and cautiously excited to finally getCat Quest 3out the door (cat flap)!
You chose International Cat Day for your release?
Wong:Of course we would! How could a game that wholeheartedly celebrates cats not be released on the greatest cat day of all. It has also always been a tradition to release aCat Questgame during this period, so we’re not really doing anything out of the ordinary, either.
What inspired the pirate adventure vibes inCat Quest 3?
Wong:After adding dogs inCat Quest 2,we knew rats would be next. As everyone knows, theCat Questgames are huge with puns, and ‘pi-rats (pirates)' was just such a perfect fit for this! This was how we knew that the third game just had to be pirate-themed.
Q: Could you tell us about the Purribean?
Wong:The Purribean is a collection of islands just west of Felingard (where the previous two games take place). It isa lawless land where pirates (and pi-rats) rule the seas! There is a legend that everyone knows, though; the legend of how the North Star itself fell from the heavens. It is believed that if anyone were to claim the North Star, they would find their heart’s deepest desires…
Q: Can you talk about the game’s accessibility features?
Wong:We offer full keyboard rebinding to suit any accessibility needs.
Q: Early reviews have been fairly positive and highlight the amazing soundtrack, what was developing the music for the game like?
Wong:We worked with the talented Brian Harvey for this, and besides just giving some initial direction for what we wanted, he created the OST from scratch with pure talent! We couldn’t have done this without him.
Q: Can you tease some of the secrets and side content inCat Quest 3?
Wong:Teasing the secrets is as good as giving it away, and we don’t want to spoil any of the surprises. What we can say though is that we’re (The Gentlebros) hiddensomewhere in the Purribean.
What’s New on the Cat Quest High Seas
Q: How does the pirate theming change gameplay from the familiarCat Questformula?
Wong:Surprisingly, the pirate fantasy doesn’t stray too far from the medieval warrior fantasy! Both are in search of treasure and loot; both go on grand adventures, and both engage in swashbuckling action (just that pirates also battle on the high seas). This was also how we realized that the pirate theme would be a great fit forCat Quest. All we had to do was evolve the gameplay with the addition of a pirate ship!
Q: Can you talk a little about the mechanics related to sailing? It looks super cute!
Wong:Yes! The newest addition is a fully controllable pirate ship that players can sail at will throughout the Purribean. Players can seamlessly hop in and out any time, andeven do naval battle with other pirate shipson the high seas!
Controlling the ship is really intuitive, too. It behaves very similarly to the cat with fast and responsive controls and also has the ability to boost to get out of harm’s way. All in all, our goal was to create something that felt unique and wasn’t slow and lumbering.
Q: Were there thoughts about adding a female player character for the people who prefer Grace O’Malley over Blackbeard?
Wong:We received a ton of messages from fans of theCat Questgames, and one really stood out to us; it was from a little girl in the UK who said she always wanted to play as a female cat and asked us why she couldn’t do that. This message always stuck with us, and we wanted to try our best to give the option this time. Little girl, if you’re reading this, this was for you.
Q: Dungeons look a little different from the overworld this time around. How does the side-scroller approach change the experience?
Wong:The regular dungeons that players are used to are still inCat Quest 3,but we’ve added a new side-scrolling category this time! With side-scrolling dungeons, we’re now able to focus more on height and layout recognition as the key challenges when navigating these dungeons. Because ofthe side-scrolling nature, attacks that could be easily avoided in the overworld would now take a whole new feel as the playable area is now two-dimensional!
Sailing Past Cat Quest’s Release Day
Q: InCat Quest 2, there was neat interactivity with RGB keyboards. Has that continuedin the new game?
Wong:That was something added after launch with support from various partners! We hope to do the same this time, but not for the release!
Q: What’s the road forward like forCat Quest 3? Can we expect content updates or DLCon the horizon?
Wong:We’re already hard at workon the Mew Game update, a challenge mode that is popular in everyCat Questgame. It allows players to equip various meowdifiers to increase the challenge of the base game.
Q: Anything else you’d like to add?
Wong:If you’ve never played theCat Questgames before, there isn’t a better time to jump in, and for returning fans we welcome you back for another grand catventure!
[END]
Cat Quest III
WHERE TO PLAY
Get whiskered away on a hearty catventure in Cat Quest III, the third installment in the award-winning Cat Quest series!Play as a swashbuckling purrivateer in this 2.5D open-world action RPG set in a fantastical pirate-themed world – the Purribean - an archipelago swarming with Pi-rats searching for the Northern Star - a long-lost mythical treasure. Alongside your trusty spirit companion, set sail through the Purribean in your very own ship! But beware, the seas are dangerous, and a meow-tiny is nigh as the hordes of Pi-rats under the order of the Pirate King hunt you down…RETURN OF THE CAT: The cutest action RPG you know and love returns for a colorful adventure filled with furr-iously fun gameplay! Delve into a paw-geous new world with varied dungeons and biomes to explore, and encounter fierce battles with the newly refined combat system featuring tighter attack combos and weapon swapping. Playable in either solo or local co-op!SAIL THROUGH THE PURRIBEAN: For the furr-st time in the series, sail the seas and battle in your very own ship! Explore the waters on your ship, seamlessly zip to shore, and traverse the land on paw to hunt booty in the paw-esome pirate world - the Purribean! There’s treasures galore to be found, including new weapons, like the blunderpuss, furr-ocious spells, gla-meow-rous costumes, and more!
