Full disclosure to start out off with: the rationale I’m not doing a proper scored evaluate of Wrestlequest is as a result of I did a stint of distant freelance writing for the developer, Mega Cat Studios. It wasn’t something glamorous, however I bought the chance throughout one of many lowest factors in my life. COVID was in full swing, and I had misplaced my job. It helped me maintain onto a shred of self-worth for some time. I light off shortly after, however I loved the time I spent collaborating with them.

I didn’t work on WrestleQuest, although. The closest I got here was once I was requested if it regarded like one of many crowd members was flipping the center finger. I didn’t even do not forget that till I observed that very same crowd member.

Anyway, the actual motive I’m taking part in WrestleQuest is due to Macho Man Randy Savage that includes prominently. He was one of many most interesting entertainers of all time, completely fascinating whether or not he was dropping elbows or hocking nitrite-filled meat sticks. Generally you simply need to load up certainly one of his promos to really feel higher. Sadly, WrestleQuest doesn’t carry the identical macho charisma.

WrestleQuest (PC [Reviewed], Xbox One, Xbox Sequence X|S, PS4, PS5, Change)
Developer: Mega Cat Studios
Writer: Skybound Video games
Launched: August 22, 2023
MSRP: $29.99

Whereas WrestleQuest is mainly an RPG within the Japanese fashion of wrestling, it has one other wrinkle in the truth that it’s all communicated by means of toys. Whereas the whole lot is saved legally distinct, you’ll little doubt spot a couple of traditional playthings scattered across the thematic world.

Nonetheless, an important a part of the toy theme is that it permits for a divorce from precise wrestling historical past. It definitely faucets into the ebb and stream of the trade and alludes to issues like Vince McMahon Jr.’s campaign in opposition to smaller promotions in forming the WWF. Nonetheless, the protagonists are all (principally) unique characters, and the occasions of the sport don’t require any data of wrestling to know what’s occurring.

You play as alternating events that you simply swap to all through the story. Macho Man heads none of them, however certainly one of them stars a Mexican counterpart named Muchacho Man. It really works. The story in regards to the protagonists taking completely different routes to rise on the earth {of professional} wrestling is pleasant.

On the identical time, you’ll see greats like Andre the Big and Junkyard Canine blended in as summons. It’s a good tribute to professional wrestling whereas additionally permitting for distinctive storytelling.

Cuppa espresso within the large time

As a recreation, nevertheless, Wrestlequest is simply okay. It makes use of a Tremendous Mario RPG system the place you may enhance the consequences of your assaults and defenses with timed button presses. The draw back is that these are offered extra as QTE, and a few assaults are completely ineffective (or don’t work in any respect) until you handle to drag off the QTE. It’s okay, at first, however having to repeat these sequences each time you wish to use a transfer will get actually tiresome.

Your characters additionally wind up studying manner too many particular assaults. One character learns a number of completely different variations of the identical assault, every with a special elemental impact. Nonetheless, if enemies are weak in opposition to sure parts, I by no means actually discovered a very good instance of it. I principally simply rotated between them, attempting to determine in the event that they have been weak in opposition to fireplace or microwave.

The distinction between assaults was usually mystifying to me. What advantages did every maintain? I may by no means inform. For each different character, out of the handfuls of strikes they discovered, I’d usually simply stick to 2 or three that appeared to have the perfect impact.

The dungeons are one other matter. I respect the truth that there aren’t any random encounters and a useless enemy stays buried, however I really feel like Wrestlequest’s wonky problem makes it essential to combat the whole lot. Or not. There have been sections the place I needed to tip-toe between encounters to maintain my get together alive and others the place it felt like I used to be extraordinarily overpowered. I assume that’s the scripted nature of wrestling.

Spice so good, brother

I additionally really feel like Wrestlequest doesn’t money in on the wrestling theme very effectively. There are customized walk-ons, a hype meter the place you excite the group for bonuses, and particular targets in some matches the place you need to put over your opponent to extend the drama. Nonetheless, solely the hype meter is current in smaller battles.

I feel it could have been extra useful to Wrestlequest’s mechanics if it targeted extra on boss battles. Much less fight would have made the QTEs extra tolerable and bought extra mileage out of the theme and the mechanics constructed round it. Even when some bosses repeated, it could nonetheless really feel extra like wrestling.

Truly, numerous its design would have been higher if it was smaller. I put dozens of hours into Wrestlequest and nonetheless haven’t seen the ending. I’m unsure I ever will. It’s definitely formidable to try to meet the runtime of video games just like the style greats like Last Fantasy VI, however it resulted in numerous bloat that’s troublesome to type by means of.

Artwork thou bored!?

It seems like numerous time was spent on crafting an enormous recreation, and never sufficient of it was spent tightening up what was there. On the very least, its themes and visuals assist it stand out from the glut of Kemco JRPGs on digital marketplaces.

To make sure, Wrestlequest isn’t a foul recreation, however it doesn’t fairly really feel like the primary occasion it ought to be. There are numerous nice concepts blended in right here, however they’re piled on by pointless bloat. An infectious love for the subject material doesn’t fairly handle to cover all the issues. It’s bought the spice, however not the execution.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}