Thirsty Suitors review: For the culture

interpret our reassessment of Thirsty Suitors to see out if it ’s the proper fit for you .

At the risk of sounding like the start of a bad joke , what do you get when you hybridise preparation , skating , and round - found combat with a cluster of regrettable ex and defeated parents ? Thirsty Suitors is what you get , the new secret plan from minority - lead indie studio Outerloop Games .

But is Thirsty Suitors ’ mixture of gameplay genres as beautiful as a plate ofpanipuri , the story as spicy asnihari , or is it just a mixed affair ofkarelaand blanddaal?Well , I went down the hare golf hole of Timber Hills to find out . I met past ex-wife , gave some suitors a hello in the form of my fists , and skate around for a unearthly guy rope dressed as a bear . Here ’s what I thought !

The story

On its surface , Thirsty Suitors look like a simple turning - base plot with cooking , skating , and conflict . But once I got immersed into the taradiddle at around the two - minute marker , I make it was so much more than that . The narrative is an vivid conversation surrounded by intergenerational trauma , personal responsibility , and family pressures . It ’s a dearest alphabetic character to those of us who grew up in an immigrant family having to stock those burdens , while also carve our own route through the twisted web that is life . I ’ll tell you aright now , one thing Thirsty Suitors has going for it is the story . There is a real portrayal of various South Asian characters that is n’t almost as stereotypical as you ’d find elsewhere .

Jala is a South Asiatic immigrant ( described in the game’sThirstpaediaas a bisexual disaster ) whose life is hassle by complex house outcome and dumpster - fire family relationship . At the start of the story , Jala render to her hometown of Timber Hills follow a calamitous breakup , set out to call on over a fresh leaf and reconnect with her parents and supporter / enemies whom she has n’t see to it in years . But mending preceding relationships means reconciling with her six Scott Pilgrim - cosplayer exes , with whom Jala left thing quite unsavory before getting out of Dodge . Throughout the secret plan , Jala has to face accountability for her past actions and furbish up these human relationship , all in preparation for her estranged sis Aruni ’s wedding ceremony and the arrival of the sept matriarch Paati , Jala ’s grannie whom everyone seems to be very scared of .

Gameplay

Battles

The struggle against ex and random suitor that Paati sends your way are cinematic , colorful , and a joy to take in . I feel the body invigoration deserve special mention because they areexemplary . They’re just so unbelievably pantry smooth . I care I could slip out of my work wearing apparel and into something more comfortable after a toughened daytime like Jala does with a cartwheel .

The actual gameplay , however , was a bit of a disappointment . Like cooking , battles rely on spry fourth dimension events to take out moves . That ’s ripe , gameplay - wise , Thirsty Suitors is wedge - full of quick clip events , the game automobile mechanic that is only second to Nonproliferation Center not walk at the same speed as your character . They ’re fun in volley , but they get former quick . Thankfully , you could toggle quick prison term events off in the game ’s accessibility options , but the on - filmdom prompt for which clitoris to press still remain . You would think now you could rather focus on strategy and pulling off cool fighting moves , but the conflict themselves do n’t require much effort .

Battles in Thirsty Suitors are fairly chill . It ’s clear they ’re made to be doable even with a initiate skillset in turning - based games . The battles themselves are repetitive and the gameplay loop gets pretty cold chop-chop . It ’s just a matter of taunting the opposite and then using the correspond skills for that taunting , again and again until their wellness hunt out . In the middle , you downgrade to a normal blast to get some of your stamen or “ Willpower ” back . This is the de facto agency to overcome most of the enemies . When there is such a ho-hum yet efficient strategy to take in scrap , it disincentivizes me from look for for unlike creative and enjoyable approaches because they just do n’t deal that amount of impairment . woefully , out of the multiple creative attack and taunts , there are limit creative approaches for you to take with them .

Jala And Aruni In Thirsty Suitors

Screenshot: PC Invasion

The conflict are better consider as a way to visualise the conversation that ’s going on between Jala and her ex-husband . It ’s more enjoyed by check it for what it ’s signify to be , two defective people fix their heartfelt feeling out of their system , hyper - realized with over - the - top action move .

Facing the exes

Each ex has their own news report and deepness , and ex battles boom the traditional knowledge further with talks in between turn of events where Jala and the X talk it out . These battles have more of an closing result than just “ Jala was get the better of ” or “ The ex was kill ” because , in the midst of dotty combat move , the dialogue I was talking about earlier create a conversation place where the nuances and intricacies of a tangible - animation human relationship are explored , and we see that thing are not just what they seem . No doubt if this was an gum anime or cartoon , I ’d unquestionably watch it .

Meet the parents

Then there ’s Jala ’s overbear mother and cool - as - beans pappa who perfectly complement each other . You interact with them chiefly through cooking , which we all know is the love language of Asian parents . Jala prosecute in cooking a variety of South Asiatic dishes , to either her mamma ’s entertainment or dismay , shown by an approval bar filling up as you electrocute thosejalebis . cookery is used as a accelerator to touch off conversation between Jala and her parents about complex issues , her personal life , and sometimes as expo . It ’s a way for you to connect with the parents while annoying them with little joke .

All of the natural process here is done through quick time release press as well , and I can see a lot has been carry over from the battles . The unlike choices for misrepresent the nutrient , normal or Super Captain Cook , and an favorable reception rating establish on truth make it so you ’re in a kind of fight , but against an inanimate stool of sustenance rather of a begrudging ex-wife .

Tony Hawk simulator

amount to my favorite thing to do in Thirsty Suitors , skating . Armed with her trusty skateboard every step of the way , Jala can cranch , wall - runnel , and do tricks on whatever object in the world there are to crunch , wall - run , and do tricks on . And believe me , there are loads . See any world aim like a bench , light pole , electricity line , fervency hydrant , and more , you bet you could drop some sick moves on them . The colored looks remind me of Sunset Overdrive a bit . These “ skate object ” are placed to see lifelike in the worldly concern , but they also collectively make up several pathways you’re able to use to cover your combo . A skating playground sandbox is masked as a liveable urban environment — or is it the other way around ?

Whatever it may be , almost every square time of Thirsty Suitors has been designed to be skateable . you may do a masses of magic trick easily as there ’s a singular “ Shift ” button for that . Racking up your scotch is a fun and relaxing activity instead of a competition to beat your eminent account . Likewise , the game does n’t punish you much for making misapprehension . One beef I do have with skating is that you ca n’t increase or decrease your speed . There ’s just one default focal ratio at which Jala skates , which is too sluggish for me and feels quite limiting .

Voice actors had their fun

With wacky armed combat and wackier fiber , it was only appropriate that the dialog had to pair . Throughout playact the secret plan , multiple interactions had me burst out into laughter , and the main culprit of this was Jala ’s inner dialog , a personification of her sister aptly named The Narrator , though other case like Jala ’s ex Sergio were no less . She is a no - frill sassy talker who can enter the scene at any moment and tolerates none of Jala ’s falderol . Much of the credit goes to the talented vocalisation actor , who were able to make any scene in the story sound impactful and aroused when it needed to be . Minor details in profound design like clicking buttons in the menu draw out a “ tabla ” drum sound were also appreciated .

The culture

Thirsty Suitors is , at its nub , an impactful festivity of South Asian finish . From the intricate storytelling to the mouthwatering South Asiatic dishes , this game pays homage to the robust heritage and diverse experience of the community of interests . The narrative resonates with those who have walked the path of navigating their identity within the immigrant fellowship context .

I commend the game on its portrayal of South Asiatic character . Unlike many stereotypes found in mainstream media , Thirsty Suitors provides a refreshing and authentic representation of the culture . Jala , the protagonist , grapples with complex family issue and break relationships , just like any other person her age .