We did a hands-on preview for Skybound Games and Mega Cat Studios newly announced game WrestleQuest at PAX East 2022.
Are you a fan of wrestling? Do you feel that wrestling was better before the PG era? What are your thoughts on Japanese role playing games? Well if you answered yes to all three of these questions then you are in luck.
Skybound Games will publish developer Mega Cat Studios’ latest game, Wrestlequest. Wrestlequest blends typical JRPG adventuring with the developmental process of a wrestler rising through the superstar ranks. Learn from WWE, WCW, and WWF legends to go from rookie to wrestling legend. Follow in the footsteps of Macho Man Randy Savage, Jeff Jarrett, and even the icon Hulk Hogan.
Wrestlequest teaches players how to wrestle, cut promos, and lay down the smackdown on their opponents. At the start of the game, you will be tasked with designing your wrestler and moving throughout the world. Rather than ancient deities, the world that you inhabit worships wrestlers.
Hands-On Preview
Before our hands-on gameplay with the WrestleQuest demo, I had not heard of the game. What ultimately put the game on our radar was a tweet from Mega Cat Studios stating that Jeff Jarrett would be at their booth to promote their upcoming game.
Sadly, we did not have the opportunity to meet Jeff Jarrett but did get the chance to preview WrestleQuest and World Championship Boxing Manager 2.
As someone who has enjoyed wrestling for the last two decades, it was interesting seeing a new type of wrestling game. Yes, it was a bit weird playing a JRPG wrestling game revolving around a wrestling religion, but the way it was presented made sense.
As you explore the world, you learn that there is more to being a wrestling superstar than pinning your opponent to the apron. Nefarious plans lie behind the scenes and there is more to the world beyond wrestling.
Learning the combat system took a little bit to get used to, but ultimately, getting the winning pin wasn’t difficult. Obviously, a demo doesn’t show what the game fully has to offer, but it gave us a taste of what a world ruled by wrestling has to offer.
The demo left us wanting to explore the world even more and see how the overarching tale plays out. Will wrestling be at the forefront of the game or will the decisions you make as a Hell or Face control how the RPGs story plays out.
The wrestling isn’t too difficult to get behind but feels like it’s meant to enhance the narrative rather than be the primary factor. Yes, the world revolves around wrestling, but the wrestling mechanics are just a part of it. Moving throughout the world feels a bit sluggish but flows similar to other JRPGs.
Upcoming release & Final Thoughts
As someone who enjoys wrestling, WrestleQuest has potential. Hopefully, the story progresses at a faster pace once it starts going. Otherwise, the bit of the demo we did get to play was fun but a bit too slow.
Hopefully, Mega Cat Studios does a better job at storytelling than WWE creative. I did feel that the combat was overly simplistic, so hopefully, it becomes more difficult as the story progresses. If this game is anything like the old Final Fantasy or Dragon Quests then we are in for a surprise hit.
Mega Cat Studios’ WrestleQuest is set to release on the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Steam, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X. At the moment, no release window has been announced, but with how polished the demo was, we could expect it sooner than later.
