Berita
Wife Quest is unhinged in all the best ways
P
Paul Cecchini
But Wife Quest—developed by indie studio Pippin Games—does just that. Not because of the platforming gameplay (which is solid) or its cute anime aesthetic (also solid), or even the subversive plot of the wife rescuing the husband from the bad guys. No, it's the game's hilariously unhinged cast that truly stands out, particularly its main protagonist Mia.
The contrasting personalities of Mia and her meek farmer husband Fernando are on full display in the opening scene, where Fernando casually tells his wife that a gang of monster girls have arrived to capture him again—apparently an everyday occurrence with the couple. Mia immediately barges out the front door, screams like a banshee, picks up a nearby sword, and charges angrily at the would-be kidnappers. The opening narration sums things up nicely: “This is the daily life of Fernando the humble peasant and his angry wife, Mia.”
Naturally, Mia channels that anger into cartoonish violence, beating down the army of monster girls responsible for kidnapping her husband. Wife Quest is a fairly straightforward platformer with a heavy emphasis on sword combat, but where its personality shines is in the totally optional (but surprisingly funny) punishment system. Once an enemy is defeated, Mia can lay a little extra smack-down on them, whether it’s repeatedly bashing an orc girl with her own club, putting a fire monster in a chokehold, or yanking off the wings of an evil fairy and using them to cross gaps (yeah, some punishments give you power ups!). I’m not a fan of excessive violence in games, but here it’s done in such an over-the-top manner—everyone heals eventually—that I couldn't help laughing.
Actions might speak louder than words, but why settle for one option when Mia can offer both? She has some choice words for her enemies as well, and by “choice words," I mean name-calling. Lots and lots of name calling. I never got tired of Mia calling someone a “stinky witch," "depraved wretch," or "shameless, immoral degenerate.” Again, it’s all totally justified, considering how unapologetically flirtatious those husband-snatching monster girls act toward Fernando.
Not that anger is Mia’s default state. There’s no cliché “nagging wife/henpecked husband” dynamic here. Mia clearly loves and respects her docile hubby, and the way she goes into lovey-dovey schoolgirl mode whenever she so much as thinks about him is absolutely wholesome. This contrasting personality trait rounds out her character nicely.
Yes, Mia is an absolute spitfire who exudes personality in ways that most indie platforming protagonists don't. Even while writing this piece, I'm chuckling like a goofball as I recall just how surprisingly funny and charming Wife Quest is, and hopefully you will too.
Charge over to the Epic Games Store and pick it up today.