Are you looking for a casual game for a relaxed evening that you can also play with gaming beginners in the family? Then Cat Quest 2 is a good choice.
Cat Quest 2 puts you in a fantasy world populated by cats and dogs. But as is the case with cats and dogs, the two kingdoms unfortunately don’t get along at all. A war has broken out between the two – and now it’s time to repair the broken bonds.
This is where you come into play: You take on the role of two former cat and dog kings. You return as fallen rulers and must work together to reclaim your thrones. To do this, you embark on an epic quest across the kingdom, full of dangers, magic, monsters and other hurdles.
At its core, Cat Quest 2 offers a classic, epic fantasy story. But the game gets its very own touch not only from the dogs and cats that roam around here: the whole world is colorful and bursts with character. Take a look at the trailer here to get a first impression:
Cat Quest II – Trailer for the animal action RPG
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How does Cat Quest 2 play?
I started Cat Quest 2 on the Nintendo Switch with my girlfriend, but the game is also available for the PS4, Xbox One or PC. It has garnered really strong reviews on Steam. The game can be played alone, with AI support, but the two protagonists actually scream to be controlled through their adventure by two controllers.
The game is played in co-op mode, and purely in terms of gameplay, Cat Quest 2 in couch co-op reminded me noticeably of the couch co-op mode of Diablo 3 – or of old classics like Champions of Norrath, which we used to enjoy playing together have played. Just sweet and fluffy.
Sure: The whole thing is significantly less complex and not even remotely as dark as it is with Diablo. But the principle of looting, leveling, learning skills, destroying enemies in the open world, wandering around in dungeons and jumping from side quest to side quest – it’s basically the same.
You share your loot pool and inventory. Both characters can use all weapons and abilities in the game, in theory you can swap your equipment back and forth as you like.
However, it is definitely a good idea to train one character more towards close combat and the other towards ranged combat, while at the same time making sure that the skills are distributed sensibly. Your opponents in the open world are relatively easy to beat, but only if you attack with the right weapons or elements.
Cat Quest 2 isn’t difficult, really, but you shouldn’t turn your head off completely either. Because otherwise you will be flattened by an opponent who is a little too strong.
By the way, the open, 2D-look world is a star in itself: it’s set up like a map or a board game – including place names when you enter a new village. The creative design exudes a lot of charm, and the animals scattered around the world also add to the good mood.
They need your help, provide you with quests, distribute loot and generally contribute to word building – for example when the kittens actually want to run away from your dog king instead of teaching him how to throw a fireball.
It feels like every dialogue is peppered with cat-and-dog puns; the fantasy genre is repeatedly mocked or played with the setting. It’s not silly, but rather humorous and doesn’t detract from the seriousness of the game.
Shortly: Cat Quest 2 is a wonderful game if you just want to play a game with your family, friends or children that everyone can quickly understand. It’s a good introduction to the topic of “looting and leveling” if you haven’t had any experience with it before – but it’s never so easy that you’ll get bored as a gaming veteran. The lovingly designed world also ensures that you always have something to discover or look at.
You just have to have something left for the colorful and childlike charm of the game. Otherwise Cat Quest 2 isn’t for you.
What are your tips for cool co-op games? Tell us in the comments! And if you’re looking for even more tips: Here you’ll find some of the best co-op games ever.