- Publisher: Annapurna Interactive
- Release Date: Nov 2, 2023
- Also On: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X
- Critic score
- Publication
- By date
- Unscored
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Nov 2, 2023Developer Outerloop Games prides itself on the diversity of its team, and it shows with aplomb in one of the best games I’ve played all year. I completed a single playthrough of Thirsty Suitors in about 12 hours, yet felt like I had known Timber Hills and its inhabitants far longer than that. I genuinely related to Thirsty Suitors in ways I’ve never connected to a video game before and would love to revisit Jala and company in DLC or a sequel. Thirsty Suitors isn’t just a stock game with a Bollywood veneer; it’s an entity that showcases both obvious and subtle aspects of South Asian culture in the West. That, plus Thirsty Suitors’ diverse gameplay elements, harmonize to create something special that is truly more than the sum of its parts.
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Nov 3, 2023Thirsty Suitors is a thoughtful and whimsical story that balances light-hearted humor with a legitimately emotional tale about family, love, and self-acceptance. The game only took me nine hours to finish (even with the restart). But at the end of it, I felt like I’d known everyone in Timber Falls my whole life. Despite how ridiculous the game’s premise and battles are, the characters and their struggles all felt so real. This game wasn’t on my radar at all, but it’s a true hidden gem.
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Nov 1, 2023Thirsty Suitors is a wicked combination of a warm hug and a shot of tequila. It absolutely nails its colourful, over-the-top style in every aspect, keeping you thirsting to jump into your next dramatic turn-based confrontation or unlock a new ridiculous Summon. At the same time, it explores complex family dynamics through a beautifully simple cooking mechanic, and provides thoughtful reflections on cultural expectations, relationships, and the diversity of the queer experience. Despite some mechanical unsteadiness in its skateboarding segments, Thirsty Suitors is an explosive, chaotic, and utterly delightful experience from beginning to end.
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Dec 26, 2023Although mechanically monotonous, it manages to entertain until the end with its dialogues and characters. Don't miss it if you are interested in relationships, social pressure, responsibility and food.
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Nov 1, 2023A heartfelt and hilarious couples therapy session, disguised as a stylish RPG. A gem.
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Nov 26, 2023Sometimes it feels as if Outerloop Games has tried to cram a little too much into the just over ten hour long game, which leaves me with a feeling of slight disappointment, where some parts simply felt really rushed. That said, the advantages still outweigh the disadvantages and I had an unexpectedly good time in Timber Hills.
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Nov 10, 2023Thirsty Suitors condense a powerful message with the spicy spice of gossip and, in a broader sense, the story, intended as a relational way to create and develop a vision of the world shared with loved ones. There is no reason not to try the production of Outerloop Games, present since launch on Xbox Games Pass. The few defects of the production do not succeed in depriving it of a unique and inimitable charm, and of the attractiveness of a journey, that of Jala, which is actually that of each one of us.
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Nov 2, 2023What shines through the most, despite the game’s flaws, is its narrative, which is equally as ambitious as the game’s systems. It focuses on relationships and the different ways they manifest in a person’s life. There’s also Thirsty Suitors’ delightful sprinkling of political commentary.
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Nov 1, 2023It’s also relatively short to complete as the game only has a few Chapters, meaning you can wrap up the story in between 10-15 hours. This makes it the perfect game to pick up and play on a weekend, especially if you’re looking for something that combines simplistic and fun gameplay with a strong narrative and a quirky plot. Trust me, taking on Jala’s role of an ex-battling skater girl in the early 2000s is a wild and entertaining rollercoaster ride, sure to have you laughing along every step of the way.
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Nov 1, 2023Thirsty Suitors dazzles with flair and wit, but underneath all the thirst humour is a heartfelt story of family, identity, and returning home.
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Nov 1, 2023Thirsty Suitors may be a very different take on a south Asian immigrant story, but it’s made with so much style and fun you can’t help but love it.
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Nov 1, 2023While there are RPGs out there with deeper systems and more engaging mechanics, Thirsty Suitors' story more than makes up for any shortcomings. You don't have to be the child of an immigrant to appreciate the story, but it helps. Even if you aren't, the narrative is filled with raucous humor and laugh-out-loud moments that will make you glad you picked it up.
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Nov 1, 2023Thirsty Suitors is a little thirsty with its mechanical ambitions but never fails to charm in one way or another. With a beautifully diverse cast, mature writing, and unmatched expressiveness, it breathes new life into the genre.
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Nov 1, 2023Thirsty Suitors has well-crafted RPG mechanics and satisfying combat, but its gleefully wild and colorful style and superb dialogue and characters are truly its biggest strength. It’s the type of game where you find yourself tempted to try every activity possible, either to see a loving ode to South Asian cultures, a well-written character moment or both. It’s an inspired bit of lunacy that still has a ton of heart at its core, creating an emotional journey in the end that still has a lot of room for more humorous bits. Jala’s life may be a mess at the start of the game, but cleaning up the mess leads to a grand amount of fun.
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Nov 5, 2023A potpourri of activities as uneven as they are refreshing, Thirsty Suitors overflows with big ideas, personality and originality in its burlesque execution. First of all, we like its credible writing, its funny exchanges and its gallery of brilliant characters. And then we marvel at his theatrical and eccentric productions. So many strong points, all the same tarnished a little by a stagnant structure and gameplay as well as an overly feverish skateboarding section.
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Nov 1, 2023Overall, Thirsty Suitors is a fun experience. If you can overlook the rough skateboarding sections and repetitive encounters, there is a good coming-of-age story and some fantastic music and mini-games.
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Nov 1, 2023While slightly let down by the gameplay, it's still nice to see a refreshing take on the genre. If Outerloop can look back and improve its offerings with each release, I’d say this is one studio to watch out for in the future.
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Nov 9, 2023Thirsty Suitors is a wildly unique game that blends together a whole lot of genres, but too often it feels like a bit of a chore to play.
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Nov 1, 2023Thirsty Suitors excels when it wraps a mechanic in a narrative thread, but when the story takes a backseat, those minigames and combat interactions are left wanting. Everything is wonderfully presented in a fantastic maximalist style, from your parents tasting a perfectly-prepared meal in a flashback to their childhood to you front-flipping down the stairs and into your coat in one smooth action. A South Asian spin on Scott Pilgrim, Thirsty Suitors is a game that excels in excess, and falters when one or two of those layers are stripped back.
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Nov 1, 2023While its creative gameplay ideas are spread thin, Thirsty Suitors offers a charmingly nuanced coming of age story about messy adults.
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| This publication has not posted a final review score yet. | |
| These unscored reviews do not factor into the Metascore calculation. | |
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Nov 1, 2023Thirsty Suitors is very clearly a maximalist game, both in its visuals and mechanics, but there’s no shortage of sincerity tied up in there, too. For all the kicklips and imaginative ass-kicking, there are quieter, more contemplative moments that hit hard.
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Nov 1, 2023Ultimately though, the game is quick and breezy enough that none of these shortcomings have the chance to become truly grating, and the writing and visuals are strong enough on their own to carry you through Jala’s little reconciliation saga. In a genre that is frequently achingly white and straight, it’s a balm just to have something that is so resolutely neither. And it’s downright exciting to play something that, in place of overblown fantasy worldbuilding, is more interested in reflecting cultures, demographics, and relatable struggles that rarely get a spotlight in mainstream games.