Cat Quest 2 Review (Nintendo Switch)

The long-awaited sequel to the lovable action-RPG is finally here with Cat Quest 2. Although it’s only been two years since the original game launched, it’s tough to continue on knowing there’s more to do in the world of Felingard. This time, though, there are more than just cats involved. Dogs mark their appearance thanks to the newly-introduced Lupus Empire. This inclusion ties into the game’s storyline while also serving the environment. There’s a great experience to be had by anyone who’s ever wanted to experience a fantasy world occupied by pets or someone looking for something new to play.

A New Story Experience

Cat Quest 2 takes place in the same area in which the original takes place, Felingard. In a long waging war with the Lupus Empire, cats and dogs are pitted against one another. Cats aren’t allowed in the dog’s territory while the dogs aren’t allowed in the cat’s territory. The two main characters are thrown into this world and are an unexpected duo tasked with saving the two kingdoms from disaster. This tale of friendship spans nearly six hours but it isn’t until the end where the story starts to drag on a bit. Some quests could have been left out or been included as side missions and the end result could have stayed the same. It’s a fairly enjoyable story but at times comes off as more childish since the main theme is centered around friendship. Although there are some interesting aspects to the plot, it does provide a vast amount of world-building to help create a more lively environment.

Quests vary throughout the experience but not enough to really stand out. Aside from the big boss fights that occur, most have you doing the same actions. Explore this cave, clear it out, get the item, then cash it in becomes very familiar very quickly. Side quests tend to follow the same formula as well. There aren’t many changes to the formula as the game goes on so it feels plenty much the same. Granted, there is a load of side quests and areas to explore which help make leveling up a breeze. Not only this but they help to keep you invested in the game long after the main storyline. In regards to these new missions, they just don’t feel as interesting or funny as its predecessor. Yes, there are still plenty of puns to take-in but there isn’t much to get out of them. They can feel a bit empty and not as creative as before.

Enjoyable Combat

What made the game’s predecessor stand out was how well it handled its gameplay. Not only does Cat Quest 2 provide an enjoyable experience but it also improves on it in a fantastic way. The most notable is the presence of a companion. Now, dogs have entered into the mix with one of which helping throughout the adventure. It’s an incredibly useful feature as players can have a designated mage and warrior. The game is centered around the usage of spells and melee attacks in order to get through various sections. However, when the last game sometimes felt a bit cumbersome finding a healthy balance between the two, this new feature helps make up for it. Both dog and cat work best as a specialized force making the game feel a bit easier to work through.

Gameplay styles can vary depending on how the user enjoys playing. If you like cats and magic more, just make that the main setup, while the dog could handle the swordplay. In addition, loads of customizable gear can be found to upgrade various skills. Finding what works best for a specific loadout is part of the fun. Although, when it comes to actually level up specific pieces of equipment is quite tedious. You can only boost an item one level at a time rather than just quickly doing it all at once for a set price. Although gaining enough coins to do so is fairly easy, the length that it takes to finish upgrading to higher levels doesn’t make it feel worth it.

Cooperative Journey

With the inclusion of both a dog and a cat, players are able to swap between the two. Swapping is similar to that of a Lego game where it only takes a quick button tap. This goes the same for choosing outfits, weapons, and spells to use. It’s a simple system and helps make combat manageable. The game throws more enemies at the player than before since now there are two characters to fight them off. Reviving when one goes down doesn’t take long but it can happen a lot, especially in later areas. Enemies also are stronger but not in a sense that they are harder to kill, just that they take more hits. This ultimately leads to them feeling like sponges rather than a meaningful adversity.

On this note, the best part of this new title is the ability to have players jump in and out of your playthrough. Another person can pick up a joy-con and help you on your journey to end the war between Felingard and Lupus. It’s very easy to hop in and out, thanks to the Nintendo Switch’s hardware capabilities. However, the game is still very much enjoyable without a second person playing. The AI isn’t hopeless and actually proves to be quite helpful. It’s also worth noting that Cat Quest 2 runs fantastically on the hybrid console. The performance was smooth in both handheld and docked modes while also looking great with no graphical stutters. There were also zero crashes or input lags.

The Gentlebros had done a swell job in creating a sequel to the lovable Cat Quest title from 2017. Its combat and cooperative elements make this an enjoyable experience despite the campaign’s shortcomings. Being able to run through this with a friend while also having the company of man’s best friends helps make this a worthy release. Anybody who’s a fan of cats, dogs, or just a fun action-RPG can definitely find something to enjoy while playing Cat Quest 2.

Thank you to PQube for providing us with a review code!