WrestleQuest

Developer: Megacat Studios
Publisher: Skybound Games
Platforms: Switch, Xbox One, Playstation 4, Playstation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC (reviewed)
Release Date: 22nd, August 2023
Price: $29.99 – Available Here

Overview

Wrestling is one of those entertainment mediums that has been around forever, amassing a ton of fans worldwide. While the sport is no stranger to the industry, the idea of it fitting into a turn-based RPG certainly is. WrestleQuest is an all-original title, featuring mechanics never really seen in the video game world thus far, along with a lively cast of famous talent from the past and present. Does this title have what it takes, or does it job before the finish? Let’s find out.

Story

WrestleQuest‘s story isn’t really as fleshed out as it is odd, but in a good way. Players take the role of an action figure dubbed “Muchacho Man Savage”, a toy that idolizes the wrestler Macho Man Randy Savage, and dreams of being a big Superstar by setting out on a journey to learn the pastime with other names such as Brink Logan, who also is defining his path from zero to hero. Along the way, there is plenty of talent in this world of toys to show you the ropes and a ton of cheeky humor mixed in, which keeps the experience light and fun throughout, so most wrestling fans will easily have enough to chew on as they get a kick of nostalgia as they level up and conquer the mat.

As much as I love WrestleQuest‘s concept, I do think that the story can get a bit stranded by its own identity. There are some fun things going on and you don’t have to take it too seriously, but WrestleQuest is an RPG, and as such I think I expected the story to be a bit more than what it was. The opening hours feel oddly paced when telling the narrative, and aside from having a plotline, the game never seems to utilize storytelling to progress for a lot of it, instead leaning on those cameos and booked appearances to pull it through. Sure, it’s still entertaining, but a game that kind of gets lost by the amount of ideas that went into this part of the finished product. To put it simply, it’s hard to really understand what the focus is a lot of the time, as WrestleQuest has a lot to show, but not a whole lot to say.

Gameplay

This is where a lot will be made up for RPG fans who feel the pain of the under-achieving narrative. WrestleQuest is a pixel-art RPG, and has the player go from town to town, battling foes in combat in the same vein of the likes of Final Fantasy, Chrono Trigger, and Dragon Quest. Players control a squad of characters and can select to strike, perform a special technique, or even showboat to win battles appropriately, which is honestly a lot of fun. Gear and moves can be unlocked as you level up and progress, which of course benefits your toy in battle, making you eventually feel quite immortal in and outside of the ring.

Each battle can spawn a ring almost anywhere, and most of the combat comes down to winning a mini-game (or maybe even a light quick-time event) in order to dish out extra damage. You see, the main goal of each battle is to pin the opponent, and the player has to perform like a wrestler to win. Go figure, right? Everything from pinning to following up strikes has a quick little “match the button prompt” command that ensures a hit, keeping the game far more engaging than most other RPGs on the market with the same styling. In order to win, you do not just select an attack – you have to perform it, and that makes these mechanics feel interesting and involving throughout.

Outside of combat, there are a lot of secrets, cameos, and wrestling nods and finds to discover, which makes exploring this world fun, even if it isn’t as deep as your typical run in a standard RPG. As a lifeline fan of the sport, the game had me “marking out” several times, as I encountered some hilarious references and abilities that those who know the sport will be more fond of. I can imagine those who are less familiar will be a bit more hesitant to indulge in this world, but I found it lovely – even if it could have used a bit more of a play on a deeper tale to bring out a bit more of a personal touch.

Visuals

Pixel art was the assignment, and this team delivered on that through and through. The character models are lovely and endearing, resembling 16-bit toys of not just wrestlers, but almost everything under the sun. The world is also well crafted, with environments resembling your standard yet classic RPG towns and dungeons, but with an over-the-top flair where the sport comes out and shines in dramatic fashion as you dive into the details.

Audio

I hope you like Macho Man impressions. There are a ton of them here as your main character is built on his very persona. That isn’t a bad thing, but hearing the constant “Oh yeahhhhhhh!” can make moments where you play as someone else feel like a needed breather. There are other voice lines that repeat often, but I don’t think I really take that as a bad thing as these are toys and wrestlers, and the repetition just kind of fits into what the game is going for. The soundtrack is also a lot of fun, playing tunes that are sure to be enjoyed as you battle your way through the silly yet good-natured plot.

Overall

There is an episode of Nickelodeon’s Doug where Doug enjoys music and makes a band. Eventually, more and more characters keep joining the band with their own favorite instruments and it becomes congested, where he gets so overwhelmed by the chaos that he falls into the background of his own creation before eventually being kicked out altogether. The band still moves on without him and he goes back to playing with his friends, rediscovering his passion yet again for music without all of the weight of fame and fortune. I know that is a weird reference to bring up here, but it kind of reminds me of WrestleQuest.

There is so much to love here for a wrestling fan. The issue is that the charm of the plot kind of gets lost in all of the cameos and weight of the experience, making it feel weighted down by its own gimmickry, where you lose track of what the core of the narrative even is. I love a good cameo, but cameos here are treated like props. taking the player out of the immersion of a video game and that kind of hurts the overall product as a result. Sure, there are still a lot of great things here, but if Megacat ever does a follow-up, I would want to see a little more of a wrestler exploring the world and their own story, without ill-fitting surprises that kind of overshadow and weigh down the entire narrative. Either way, I still give credit for such a unique and bold take, and fans of the sport still have a lot here to pull them through.

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