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Back when I was a kid, wrestling was full of flamboyant and larger-than-life characters that would captivate audiences with passionate promos. In recent years, such extravagance is often ousted in the wrestling genre, in favour of more realistic simulations like the WWE 2K series. The latest game looking to make an impression on its debut, WrestleQuest, has clearly been heavily influenced by the old school era though.
WrestleQuest is an RPG from developers Mega Cat Studios, as they hope to embody everything that saw wrestling attract huge audiences in the ’80s and ’90s. But does it translate into a main event masterpiece capable of entertaining even those who aren’t familiar with the glory days?
In short, yes, albeit with a handful of caveats to bear in mind.
WrestleQuest is an RPG adventure following the lives of not one, but two protagonists looking to make a name for themselves in the wrestling business. There’s Randy ‘Muchacho Man’ Santos and Brink Logan, both of whom idolise one of the greatest to ever step into the squared circle, Randy ‘Macho Man’ Savage. Santos just can’t seem to catch a break no matter what he does, while Logan works hard to ensure the family-run NCW (North Country Wrestling) is a success even at the detriment of his own career.
There just might be a chance for them to finally climb up to the big leagues with PAW (Plushie and Action Figure Wrestling) and so their journeys to the top begin under your watchful eyes.
The narrative is perhaps the strongest aspect of WrestleQuest, for it introduces two classic hero archetypes and conveys their entire backstory with ease. It’s clear from the outset that real thought has gone into including wrestling tropes like backstage politics and shady promoters. The characterisation of faces (good) and heels (bad) is great too, featuring sudden reversals in their personalities for the betterment of the storytelling.
Naturally, there are lots of references to wrestling and many characters who are inspired or paying homage to some of the biggest names in the industry. Heck, fully licensed legends even play a role in the action and Mega Cat Studios have really pushed the boat out. Aside from the Macho Man, there are spots for other big names like Sgt. Slaughter, Junkyard Dog, Jeff Jarrett, and Andre the Giant. I’ve no shame in admitting how giddy I became at seeing La Parka get a chance in the spotlight too – it’s packed with moments like that.
As far as the story goes, and for those uninitiated with wrestling, there are main threads that go off on the most bizarre tangents, which is why it’s so fascinating. Expect to meet wasteland thugs, military personnel, lizards, and more along the way, with a host of interesting NPCs looking to stop the protagonists in their tracks. It’s a lot of fun and very silly at times, but the drama of it all is a hook for sure; especially in regards to plot twists.
The only slight downside to having two tales running concurrently, is the fact that it swaps between the two frequently and often at a point where a plot peak is about to occur. Sure, this adds freshness on the gameplay front, but it’s not always easy to rejoin a story without forgetting what on earth happened beforehand. You get so engrossed in one side, that it takes time to get settled again upon being forcibly switched.
Nevertheless, the quests and optional side quests see you traversing across a toybox style world inhabited by plushies and action figures ready to throw down at the drop of a hat. Every area is akin to a territory, with its own unique biome and population to help differentiate between them. Whether it’s a deadly warzone, a tropical jungle, a literal junkyard, or a snowy environment, you’re regularly exploring new places throughout the journey.
Some of these locations are similar to dungeons and have hazards to navigate, which can seriously cause damage to the travelling party. Avoiding fire, snipers and angry bovines becomes a bit of a nuisance due to a slight lack of precision when moving a character. The puzzling side is pretty good though, posing conundrums that require a decent memory and a grasp of colour mixing to access routes that would otherwise be inaccessible. There might even be treasure to find, so it’s totally worth scouring an area thoroughly.
Here also lies potential opponents and if they spot you trespassing in their zone, it’s grappling time. Upon transition to the ring, the action subsequently unfolds as a mainly turn-based affair. You’ll be able to initiate a standard attack, perform an action point draining special gimmick, taunt the crowd to garner Hype, or use an item. The end-game is to beat down your opponent enough so that you can try to pin them for the count of three. For enemies who aren’t wrestlers, they can be defeated by fully depleting their health.
Almost every form of offensive move, and counter attacks, rely on you mastering well-timed button pressing. Matching the on-screen prompt causes additional damage and, depending on the manoeuvre, possibly the infliction of a status effect. Failing in these moments however, could lead to you being on the receiving end instead. Quick-time events aren’t for everyone, but the frequency in which they occur and the benefit of succeeding, should make for enjoyable encounters to hold your attention.
As for the gimmicks, they’re essentially more powerful moves and abilities that come with cool animations. The variety is terrific as more and more gimmicks unlock as you level up, while characters often join the party and bring fresh options to the table. There’s everything from stunners, elbow drops, and slams, to hockey slapshots, chemical projectiles, and splashing allies with healing water. Throw in the tag team efforts for up to three characters to launch a devastating gimmick, and the options are vast.
That’s before factoring in the abilities possessed by managers, which include fictional folk and legends. It’s quite a sight to witness Sgt. Slaughter bawling at opponents and scaring them half to death, softening them up in the process. Some managers are more about creating Hype, which is a feature that needs tweaking. You see, Hype is garnered through having a varied arsenal and actioning taunts to get the crowd pumped up. It’s too easy for the opponent to turn the Hype in their favour and the benefits of you maxing it out aren’t worthwhile.
Back onto the positives though, and the creativity involved in the enemy designs is excellent. Some of the fun ones include a demonic Pez dispenser, a Tamagotchi shark, a barrel full of monkeys, a colourful pony, and a dinosaur that expands when wet. Obviously there are a raft of wrestlers too, but no matter who you face, everyone has a moveset befitting of their characteristics and that’s great because you have to adapt in each battle.
It can get difficult in the ring however, with up to six enemies to face off against in a handicap match. There are points where you’ll feel underpowered, even after taking on every encounter on your path, levelling up stats and equipping improved body parts to your figures regularly. Thankfully, should you find a particular match overwhelmingly tricky, then options are present to grant immortality and max damage to get you through it. You can always turn them off again afterwards.
There are a handful of minor things that might hinder your enjoyment of WrestleQuest ever so slightly. The first of which is the mini-map because it’s basic beyond belief and, as a result, you may lose your bearings occasionally. Another nuisance is just how counterproductive the bonus objectives, known as ‘Dramatic Moments’, are during the most important matches. Trying to follow the script laid out for you to obtain the special rewards is severely damaging to the Hype and the health of the party. And finally, with voiceovers limited to random sound bites, they often don’t relate to the situation at hand and can be annoying.
Overall though, WrestleQuest is a great RPG adventure that’s oozing with personality. Full of exciting grappling, it’s absolutely a love letter to a bygone era, but it also works for those unfamiliar with the wrestling business, thanks to a cavalcade of quirky characters and eccentric drama. While some features feel a tad undercooked and the QTEs won’t be to everyone’s liking, there’s nothing majorly detrimental to the experience.
So put on your tights, slip on those elbow pads and cover yourself in baby oil, before buying a ticket to WrestleQuest. You’ll have a blast!