WrestleQuest Review – The Cream Rises to the Top

WrestleQuest on PC

For these well-versed on this planet {of professional} wrestling, likelihood is you’ve seen each the surprise it’s able to creating and the ugliness that’s left many scarred. With all the data we have now obtainable to us, not to mention the actual fact that there’s a multi-season documentary sequence entitled Darkish Aspect of the Ring, it’s straightforward to get misplaced within the darkness. Maybe the loveliest side of WrestleQuest, although, is its dedication to the goofiness of all of it.

Gamers are thrown into the hearth nearly instantly, coaching for matches whereas bettering their abilities on the microphone. There are numerous facet quests to occupy one’s time, but this by no means stops reminding you what skilled wrestling is about. Good battling evil; the babyface seeking to defeat the heel.

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Many years-long followers will probably smile from the start, as one in every of our foremost heroes — “Muchaco Man” Randy Santos — units off on their journey with the objective of changing into the perfect skilled wrestler the world has to supply. His inspiration, after all, is none aside from the legendary “Macho Man” Randy Savage.

Perhaps if there’s a draw back to be discovered, it’s that gamers are unable to create their very personal wrestler. Although, that doesn’t spell the tip of the world because the tales of Santos and Brink Logan provide loads of enjoyment. And thru their trials and tribulations, infinite customization is current.

When I previewed WrestleQuest in July, I spoke glowingly concerning the legends this sport leans on whereas praising the mix of normal professional wrestling fare with fantastical and humorous components. Names of the previous resembling Jake “The Snake” Roberts, Andre the Big, and Savage prominently function. A lot in order that territories primarily based on their careers are there to be explored.

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Whether or not it’s with Santos or Logan, gamers are going to face their share of unordinary encounters. You’ll usually discover that it isn’t simply your common human being seeking to hone their professional wrestling abilities. Oftentimes, you’ll be taught they’re not human beings in any respect.

For each handful of people, there might be bears, lizards, and rats to battle. To not be disregarded, aliens, post-apocalyptic raiders, and robots desire a piece of that motion. Irrespective of the place this expertise takes you, everybody and all the pieces will try to face in your means. A rival group right here, a corrupt promoter there. It’s all par for the course. In any case, what’s skilled wrestling with out a few sideshows?

That mentioned, WrestleQuest isn’t all concerning the motion inside the ring. Relating to story development, it’s so simple as following the search traces word-for-word. If the story pathways appear simple, that’s as a result of they’re. At occasions, aims will merely require you to go from location to location with the intention to advance the story. At others, gamers might want to depend on the teammates they’ve befriended beforehand.

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No matter location, gamers won’t ever cease transferring. Map markers are straightforward to select, however not all the time straightforward to uncover. That’s to say, obstacles current themselves in plenty of other ways, and that’s the place your secure of teammates comes into play. Whereas making their means by the assorted territories, gamers are tasked with new methods to keep away from its pitfalls. And, as a result of quests persistently change between playable characters, it by no means feels stale. It additionally doesn’t take lengthy to appreciate how totally different every of our central characters is.

Typically, it’ll be as straightforward as strolling to the marker on the map with nary an impediment in sight. Different occasions, the state of affairs will name for a bit of little bit of cleverness and stealth. There might be switches to set off with the intention to open alternate pathways. Avoiding gunfire with well timed dodges finally turns into a mandatory ability, whereas searchlights will spot you when you fail to show them off first.

In each space a participant travels to, there might be objects to work together with that assist you to full the puzzle. So sure, attributable to there being one goal to comply with at a time, gamers will solely need to give attention to one map marker. However, getting there might require some cleverness. Even so, these dungeons or facet areas might start to really feel extra tedious than partaking. It’s enjoyable to make use of all your obtainable stablemates to discover a pathway ahead. It’s much less enjoyable to get misplaced with out the promise of a major payoff on the finish. That appears to be the rationale why areas are suffering from treasure chests, objects, and participant boosts.

Ranging from the very backside is usually the way in which of the skilled wrestler, and WrestleQuest feels no have to stray from that individual method. It solely reminds us that we can not get to the place we need to be with out assist. There’s a probability gamers will develop annoyed in terms of getting by sure dungeons, and that’s definitely one draw back to the expertise. However there’s a stability to be discovered between exploration and in-ring motion.

This particularly reveals by its gameplay. The in-ring mechanics is the place this entry shines brightest. Gamers could have loads of time to stage up by competing in one-on-one matches. Hyping up the gang by varied gimmick strikes is one method to make your mark, however a well-placed taunt goes a good distance with these cheering you on. The one disadvantage seems to solely be throughout sure boss fights, the place hype meter aims are likely to get in the way in which of the standard match stream.

Regardless of that, the fight system is pleasant to experiment with. Early on, toying with the taunt and gimmick techniques is a enjoyable method to put together your self for what bother awaits. Particular person encounters are a staple of early development, however tag workforce bouts, trios matches, and even two-on-three battles turn into extra prevalent quickly after.

That is the place these gimmick strikes turn into extremely vital. A quantity’s drawback can really feel difficult at first, however the best mixture of strikes and taunts can assist tip the scales in your favor. Simply be sure you regulate your performer’s hit and motion factors. Regardless of the various objects merely mendacity round, together with duct tape to recuperate well being and slam shakes to regenerate motion factors, it’s crucial to have a plan of assault.

Tag workforce assaults can deal extreme harm early, however you wouldn’t need to threat shedding all of your AP too shortly. This rings even more true throughout the confines of a multi-person match. Relying on the severity of the transfer, tag workforce assaults take up quite a lot of AP. And, you’ll have to exhaust them with a number of wrestlers with the intention to pull off sure strikes. You’ll additionally discover that each character you come throughout, whether or not a good friend or an enemy, has just a few particular assaults up their sleeve.

But when it’s a one-on-one struggle, we don’t advocate going by AP until you’re battling a singular boss. Gamers can use objects mid-match with the intention to recuperate mentioned talents, however not with out burning a flip. That is an RPG, in spite of everything. Stats recuperate on their very own upon leveling up, however you’ll have to observe them alongside the way in which whereas progressing by dungeons and different enemies.

So when you’re combating a multi-person match, it’s vital to shortly determine which opponent you wish to dismantle first. Must you slightly focus all your workforce’s power on one wrestler? Or, is a extra evenly-applied method the path to take? The selection is yours. Simply keep in mind as you progress by these territories, opponents will undoubtedly get stronger. Not having a technique firstly of your playthrough shouldn’t burn you too badly. However, getting too cavalier down the highway could have you racing by objects and falling brief.

But even throughout the confines of assorted quests and matches, exploration is inspired. If you wish to focus your power on discovering hidden treasure, have at it. If you happen to’d slightly endlessly wander the territories in search of smaller fights to stage up, this doesn’t stand in your means. Gamers should proceed with the search at hand finally, however not whereas worrying about any form of time crunch.

This title serves as a love letter to skilled wrestling, however it additionally ensures that anyone who likes a bit of journey could have enjoyable. The RPG facets are intricately woven all through, as the best mixture of strikes, gimmicks, and taunts go away the viewers howling for extra Sure, your expertise might be enhanced when you’re already a professional wrestling fan. There is no such thing as a getting round that. It’s removed from a requirement, although, and that’s all the way down to the stability of this world and the gameplay it gives.

Lengthy after we cling up our boots, the talk over the world’s most excellent wrestling video game will rage. For a lot of, 2000’s WWF No Mercy is the definitive selection. Because the years handed, a few WWE SmackDown! vs. Uncooked titles made their mark. Even earlier this summer season, AEW Combat Endlessly made its debut, providing one thing a bit of totally different for followers than what they’ve come to count on from the WWE 2K sequence.

But each on occasion, a sport that prioritizes the core idea of its world actually emerges. WrestleQuest, in no way, is common fare. And in reality, thrives on this regard. It reveals as a lot like to skilled wrestling followers because it presumably can with infinite references and spectacular spoofs. And but, it by no means leaves its RPG components within the mud. This takes us on a hero’s journey, however not with out cautious consideration of the alternatives they need to make. Issues go off the rails right here and there, however there’s loads of time to take a breather.

Not with out its irritating moments, WrestleQuest seems like a refreshing various to the standard yearly simulations. A sport for wrestling followers initially, however not just for them. Via all its winks and nods and beneath all of the nitty-gritty, it’s a sport that reminds us all the foundations of our fandom. Regardless of how foolish issues get, skilled wrestling thrives after we all have the flexibility to lean into a personality’s authenticity — irrespective of how excessive.

In regards to the creator

Shaun Ranft

Shaun Ranft is a Freelance Author for Twinfinite, with a Bachelor of Arts Diploma in English and Artistic Writing from the College of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, who has been with the location and writing about video games basically since 2022. Whereas he usually covers any main sports activities title, he additionally can not get sufficient of Telltale’s The Strolling Lifeless, Fallout: New Vegas, The Outer Worlds, Arkham, and the Horizon sequence.