Thirsty Suitors is a RPG Featuring Family Dynamics, Skateboarding and Food

Thirsty Suitors is a new game that has old-fashioned turn-based RPG elements interwoven into its vibrant world. This title is an action-adventure game in many aspects. However, at its core, this game is very much an RPG. The story is about Jala, who is on a quest to discover herself, heal broken hearts and make amends with her past. This is a very relatable story, which will resonate with many gamers. The cel-shaded design gives this game a ‘Breath of the Wild’ type of charm. Not to mention the ‘tongue and cheek’ humor that’s associated with the interactions with all the characters. The colorful culture is well-realized in this title. It also gives this adventure a Bollywood vibe concerning the cinematics and action sequences. There is a light-heartedness and simplistic nature in how this game will play. However, let’s not overlook the fact that there is also a surprising amount of depth in its mechanics.

The three main pillars of gameplay with Thirsty Suitors are; battles, skateboarding, and cooking. All three of these segments are very distinct in how they play and feel. They’re almost like different genres layered into one game. They all seamlessly blend into the overall narrative, providing ample choices on what to do and how to garner XP. Jala’s sister is having a wedding and she needs to clean up her life before it’s time to commence celebrations. The biggest problem is that Paati, the family’s matriarch, is showing up for the wedding. Jala must iron out all her problems so she can have her blessing regarding her life. Parents and grandparents play a vital role in this game. Not just in terms of narrative, but also with the gameplay mechanics. This is especially true when it’s time for the turn-based battle features to be utilized.

Family, Friends, and Food

The most elaborate feature in Thirsty Suitors will be the turn-based battles. They function differently than the classic variations found in Final Fantasy and its ilk. How it works is that there will be branching ‘narrative choices’ during battle. Jala can ‘taunt’ her opponent which will differ in effects. One example is that if Jala does a “Thirsty Taunt”, which is basically flirting, then this will swoon the opponent and their attacks will do less damage. Then, Jala can counter her attack by executing a “Thirst Attack” which will do double the damage. There are a variety of taunts and attacks to choose from. All of which will have varying effects depending on the opponent. If players get overzealous with these taunts, they can be pulled into the “Inner World” of their opponent. This is basically a fantastical landscape where opponents see themselves as Gods or top-tier suitors for Jala.

Whenever this happens, Jala won’t be able to do any damage with basic attacks. The only way to snap out of this situation is by summoning Jala’s parents to break down his ego. Once this happens, their “shield” will be broken and players can follow up with other taunts and attacks. This is just one way a battle can unfold, of course. There are many layers to these battles in Thirsty Suitors. Once a battle is finished, there isn’t a ‘defeated’ opponent, but rather a resolved one. Jala and her exes will straighten out their differences and they will join forces. Sometimes they will be friends and other times they can be a bonafide item. It is up to the player how they go about this. Skateboarding, on the other hand, is a very different experience. Between story points, players can hit the arena and try out some new tricks.

Impressing The Pavement

Now, the skateboarding in Thirsty Suitors won’t be as technical as Tony Hawk. The developers want it to be accessible, yet deep enough to provide a little challenge. Players will be able to execute grinding, wall runs, quick turns, stunts, and more to build up the combo meter. The trick is that players must stack up special moves to keep building up the combo meter for a maximum score. Thus, there is also a rogue group of skater punks who dwell at this park. There will be times when Jala will need to complete challenges against these foes. Especially, their leader Soundie the Bear.  There is a story element here, as well. The skating feature isn’t just for bonus points. It is very much a part of the overall narrative that helps Jala find out her true destiny.

Lastly, cooking is also a major feature in Thirsty Suitors. Players will collect ingredients, as well as recipes, to cook various meals for Jala’s parents. Meals can be cooked through a series of button prompts and QTE features. This won’t be a slow and tedious process. The developers have made a way to let cooking be vibrant and fun. It almost has an action-movie flare to it. Jala will do a series of flips, twirls, and aerobatics while making her dishes. It will be a fun and innovative way to partake in this activity. Cooking is very much an important element in this game. Which, is relative to Jala’s life and culture. This game will have real recipes that all come from actual South-Asian cuisines. So, no doubt that this game will have a little bit of an educational purpose, as well. With that said, this game does have authenticity regarding growing up within this particular culture.

Capturing Fleeting Hearts

There is still a bit of work left to do with Thirsty Suitors. This game is offering a unique telling of a girl trying to piece together her broken life. There are definitely some Scott Pilgrim inspirations, behind this.  There is no date in place regarding the release of this game. However, Thirsty Suitors will be available for PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and PC whenever it releases. However, there is a demo available for players to try out and give this game a whirl. Thus, players can already wishlist this title on Steam ahead of time before release.