Thirsty Suitors
{{Short description|2023 video game}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2023}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = Thirsty Suitors
| image = Thirsty Suitors cover art.jpg
| developer = Outerloop Games
| publisher = Annapurna Interactive{{efn|Mobile version published by Netflix.}}
| platforms = {{ubl|Windows|Nintendo Switch|PlayStation 4|PlayStation 5|Xbox One|Xbox Series X/S|Android|iOS}}
| released = November 2, 2023
Android, iOS
TBA
| genre = Adventure, dating sim, role-playing
| engine = Unity{{cite web|url=https://blog.unity.com/games/made-with-unity-2023-review|title=Made with Unity: 2023 in review|work=Unity Technologies|last1=Saver|first1=Michael|last2=Pung|first2=Julia|last3=Stanton|first3=Devon|date=2024-01-04|access-date=2024-01-13}}
| modes = Single-player
| caption =
| alt =
| director = Chandana Ekanayake
| producer = Sunny Dube
Chandana Ekanayake
Anne-Marie Weber
| designer = Sunny Dube
Anna Krasner
Justin LaLone
Sadie Lee
Aung Zaw Do
| programmer = Ben Glous
Anna Krasner
Justin LaLone
| writer = Meg Jayanth
Chandana Ekanayake
Nadie Sharmmas
Leigh Alexander
Sunny Dube
Sadie Lee
Phillip Russell
Cassandra Khaw
| artist = Chandana Ekanayake
Lisa Fleck
Aleasha Ford
Darran Hurlbut
Emma Koch
| composer = Ramsey Kharroubi
}}
Thirsty Suitors is an adventure video game developed by Outerloop Games and published by Annapurna Interactive. The game is about a young woman, Jala, who returns to her hometown for her sister's wedding and must navigate her relationships with her family and former paramours.{{cite news |last1=Totilo |first1=Stephen |title=Award-winning Thirsty Suitors is a different kind of game |url=https://www.axios.com/2022/06/29/thirsty-suitors-game-immigrant-representation |access-date=9 July 2022 |work=Axios |date=29 June 2022 |language=en}} {{cite news |last=Kaser |first=Rachel |date=10 December 2021 |title=Annapurna and Outerloop reveal Thirsty Suitors, a new adventure game |website=VentureBeat |url=https://venturebeat.com/2021/12/09/annapurna-and-outerloop-reveal-thirsty-suitors-a-new-adventure-game/ |access-date=8 July 2022}} The game was released on November 2, 2023, for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S.{{cite web|url=https://www.gematsu.com/2023/06/thirsty-suitors-launches-november-2|title=Thirsty Suitors launches November 2|last=Romano|first=Sal|website=Gematsu|date=June 29, 2023|access-date=July 16, 2023}} Ports to Android and iOS published by Netflix were in development but ultimately abandoned.{{Cite web |date=2024-06-25 |title=‘Thirsty Suitors’ Coming Soon to Mobile via Netflix Games on iOS and Android – TouchArcade |url=https://toucharcade.com/2024/06/25/thirsty-suitors-mobile-release-date-soon-netflix-annapurna-interactive-iphone-android/ |access-date=2024-06-25 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Moore |first=Kasey |date=2025-01-28 |title=Netflix Abandons Release Plans for 6 Games Including 'Tales of the Shire', 'Don't Starve Together' and 'Compass Point: West' |url=https://www.whats-on-netflix.com/news/netflix-abandons-release-plans-for-6-games-including-tales-of-the-shire-dont-starve-together-and-compass-point-west/ |access-date=2025-02-01 |website=What's on Netflix |language=en}}
Thirsty Suitors received generally positive reviews from critics.
Gameplay
The player can engage in various game modes, including skateboarding, cooking minigames, and character conversations which function like turn-based battles.{{Cite web |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/stylish-story-driven-adventure-thirsty-suitors-gets-a-release-date |title='Stylish, story-driven' adventure Thirsty Suitors gets a release date |date=2023-07-01 |access-date=2023-10-29 |website=Eurogamer |last=Blake |first=Vikki |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230707183538/https://www.eurogamer.net/stylish-story-driven-adventure-thirsty-suitors-gets-a-release-date |archive-date=2023-07-07 |url-status=live}} To build Jala's personality, the game's daydream sequence at the start lets players build her "Thirstsona" by making narrative choices based on what Jala is around her Thirstsona by three classes; Heartbreaker, Star, or Bohemian.
For the turn-based battles, players need to choose from taunts, attacks, skills and items that ties back to the game's story, either flirt your opponent to weaken them or enrage them by their thirsty mood. The more you fight from Jala's run-ins with her exes, the more backstory from her on the choices you make Jala from her Thirstsona. When you level up, your rank around your Thirstsona will choose around the three classes by what status you are in.
Plot
The game starts off with a south Asian-American woman, Jala Jayaratne (voiced by Farah Merani), who is on the bus reading through an online dating quiz called "Thirstsona," that takes us into a surreal daydream narrated by a narrator being close to her sister Aruni. During this quiz, Jala needs to pick answers from multiple-choice questions about her life. Once Jala arrived in her hometown called Timber Hills, she enters a restaurant where her third grade boyfriend, Sergio, starts a conversation with her that turns into a turn-based battle. After beating him, he drives her back to her home where her family lives. Sergio later on calls a meeting by Jala's exes who got word about her return.
Development
The game was developed by Seattle-based Outerloop Games, who previously released Falcon Age in 2019. The studio began their development process by selecting three ideas for games to present to others in the video games industry in a pitch deck; the idea which later became Thirsty Suitors received the most positive attention. Co-founder and creative director of Outerloop, Chandana Ekanayake, noted that most of the individuals to whom Outerloop pitched the game were middle-aged white men, which caused Ekanayake to change his pitching strategy.{{cite magazine |last1=Farokhmanesh |first1=Megan |date=16 June 2022 |title='Thirsty Suitors' Won't Fit In. That's the Point |url=https://www.wired.com/story/thirsty-suitors-chandana-ekanayake-interview-outerloop-games/ |magazine=Wired |access-date=8 July 2022}} This change involved focusing on the dearth of South Asian narratives in games, and highlighting successful media with such stories, such as the film Bend it Like Beckham and the television show Never Have I Ever.
After deciding to move forward with the idea behind Thirsty Suitors exclusively, Outerloop eventually secured financing from Annapurna Interactive. Outerloop increased its headcount to fourteen to develop the game.{{cite news |last1=Doherty |first1=Kelly |date=26 January 2022 |title='Thirsty Suitors' and how your favourite indie video games get made |work=NME |url=https://www.nme.com/features/gaming-features/thirsty-suitors-and-how-your-favourite-indie-video-games-get-made-3144963 |access-date=8 July 2022}} The game was announced in December 2021.{{cite news |last1=Valentine |first1=Rebekah |date=10 December 2021 |title=Annapurna Reveals Thirsty Suitors, an Action RPG About Skating and Dating |language=en |work=IGN |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/annapurna-thirsty-suitors-rpg-skating-dating |access-date=8 July 2022}} Early gameplay footage was shown in June 2022.{{Cite web |last=Clark |first=Nicole |date=10 June 2022 |title=Thirsty Suitors early gameplay shows off bright visuals and dynamic dance battles |url=https://www.polygon.com/23158624/thirsty-suitors-preview-annapurna |access-date=8 July 2022 |website=Polygon}} On July 28, 2022, the game was announced to be scheduled for release on Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S, with a demo releasing on Steam the same day.{{Cite web |last=Romano |first=Sal |date=2022-07-28 |title=Thirsty Suitors confirmed for PS5, Xbox Series, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC; demo now available for PC |url=https://www.gematsu.com/2022/07/thirsty-suitors-confirmed-for-ps5-xbox-series-ps4-xbox-one-switch-and-pc-demo-now-available-for-pc |access-date=2022-07-28 |website=Gematsu |language=en-US}} In June 2023, it was announced that the game would release on November 2, 2023.
Reception
{{Video game reviews
| MC = PC: 80/100{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/thirsty-suitors/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |title=Thirsty Suitors for PC Reviews |website=Metacritic}}
PS5: 74/100{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/thirsty-suitors/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-5 |title=Thirsty Suitors for PlayStation 5 Reviews |website=Metacritic}}
XSXS: 77/100{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/thirsty-suitors/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox-series-x |title=Thirsty Suitors for Xbox Series X Reviews |website=Metacritic}}
NS: 78/100{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/thirsty-suitors/critic-reviews/?platform=nintendo-switch |title=Thirsty Suitors for Nintendo Switch Reviews |website=Metacritic}}
| OC = 79/100{{cite web |title=Thirsty Suitors Reviews |url=https://opencritic.com/game/15761/thirsty-suitors |website=OpenCritic|date=November 13, 2023 }}
70% Critics Recommend
| DT = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{Cite web |last=Colantonio |first=Giovanni |date=1 November 2023 |title=Thirsty Suitors review: if you like Scott Pilgrim, check out this stylish indie |url=https://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/thirsty-suitors-review-steam-deck-pc/ |website=Digital Trends}}
| EuroG = {{Rating|4|5}}{{Cite web |last=Serin |first=Kaan |date=1 November 2023 |title=Thirsty Suitors review - skating and relationships get a queer, horny, exaggerated remix |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/thirsty-suitors-review |website=Eurogamer}}
| GRadar = {{Rating|4|5}}{{Cite web |last=Watts |first=Rachel |date=1 November 2023 |title=Thirsty Suitors review: 'A witty, heartfelt adventure about going home' |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/thirsty-suitors-review/ |website=GamesRadar+}}
| IGN = 8/10{{Cite web |last=Ahmed |first=Saniya |date=1 November 2023 |title=Thirsty Suitors Review |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/thirsty-suitors-review |website=IGN}}
| PCGUS = 84/100{{Cite web |last=Stone |first=Abbie |date=1 November 2023 |title=Thirsty Suitors review |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/thirsty-suitors-review/ |website=PC Gamer}}
| SN = 8/10{{Cite web |last=Mejia |first=Ozzie |date=1 November 2023 |title=Thirsty Suitors review: Quenched and satisfied |url=https://www.shacknews.com/article/137545/thirsty-suitors-review-score |website=Shacknews}}
}}
The game received "generally favorable reviews" according to review aggregator website Metacritic. 79% of critics recommend the game on OpenCritic.
Sanya Ahmed of IGN praised its story that while it can feel like it rushed at times, its pressure of a judgmental family and reconciling with exes through exaggerated battles makes the game very worthwhile. Eurogamer's Kaan Serin enjoyed the game as "a confident swing that takes commonplace romantic mishaps and turns them into epic, queer spectacles."
A review from WIRED praised the game being wildly creative as a hilarious and refreshing game made for the South Asian community, brimming with its cultural heritage and features good food loving families but does not paper over the bad from the challenges related to Jala's LGBTQ+ identity.{{cite web |last=Krishna |first=Swapna |date=1 November 2023 |title='Thirsty Suitors' is a Hilarious and Refreshing Game Made for the South Asian Community |url=https://www.wired.com/review/thirsty-suitors-review/ |website=Wired}} The Escapist reviews the game as stylish and coherent by its artwork and with the music, animation and effects all supporting this though.{{cite web |last=Avery |first=Elise |date=November 6, 2023 |title=Thirsty Suitors Review |url=https://www.escapistmagazine.com/thirsty-suitors-review/ |website=Escapist Magazine}}
Nicole Carpenter from Polygon wrote about the game being a maximalist in both its visuals and mechanics with no shortage of sincerity tied up in there.{{cite web |last=Carpenter |first=Nicole |date=1 November 2023 |title=Yakuza-like Thirsty Suitors' most radical act? Joy |url=https://www.polygon.com/reviews/23941250/thirsty-suitors-annapurna-impressions |website=Polygon}} Kyle LeClair from Hardcore Gamer reviews the game for its "well-crafted RPG mechanics and satisfying combat, but its gleefully wild and colorful style and superb dialogue and characters are truly its biggest strength."{{cite web |last=LeClair |first=Kyle |date=1 November 2023 |title=Review: Thirsty Suitors |url=https://hardcoregamer.com/reviews/review-thirsty-suitors/477195/ |website=Hardcore Gamer}}
Siobhán Casey's Rock Paper Shotgun praised the game as a breezy, janky RPG with emotional maturity that is "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."{{cite web |last1=Casey |first1=Siobhán |date=1 November 2023 |title=Thirsty Suitors review: A breezy, janky RPG with emotional maturity |url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/thirsty-suitors-review |website=Rock, Paper, Shotgun}}
=Accolades=
{{clear}}
Notes
{{notelist}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.thirstysuitors.com/ Official website]
{{Annapurna Interactive}}
Category:Android (operating system) games
Category:Annapurna Interactive games
Category:LGBTQ-related video games
Category:Nintendo Switch games
Category:Outerloop Games games
Category:Role-playing video games
Category:Single-player video games
Category:Skateboarding video games
Category:Video games developed in the United States
Category:Video games featuring female protagonists
Category:Video games set in Washington (state)