Quest Questers is almost a typical RPG. It was made for Winterruption, so it’s essentially a game jam game, meaning it was made within a time limit (which it surpassed, but was still produced very quickly). Normally, you might expect a certain level of jank from such a creation, but Quest Questers is surprisingly solid.

Let’s Talk About Graphics!

It may not seem like this game’s big sell, but the most noteworthy thing about it is the hand-drawn aesthetic. Almost all the graphics are custom-made. Maps and enemies are all drawn completely original. While they aren’t that detailed (and perhaps Mom’s fridge-worthy at times), they give the game some unique charm and set it apart from the hundreds of other retro RPGs on this site.
I wish I could say all the graphics were handled this way, but stock assets are used for everything beyond the maps and monsters. Characters, their face graphics, menu, and item icons are all RTP (pretty sure, at least). They style clash is noticeable as a result, but it’s not so significant as to ruin the experience. I’d say the fully original tiles were worth it.

Let’s Talk About Audio!

This, I’m almost certain is all RTP. The music is nothing special and gets the job done well. Some BGMs have gotten stuck in my head out of the blue, but it’s not like I’m pouncing on the soundtrack. SFX have all been heard before.

Let’s Talk About Story!

The other noteworthy thing about Quest Questers is that the ‘story’ is taking a backseat to the sidequests. The Main Quest consists of a single fight that will probably ruin you if you haven’t been doing other quests in the first place. However, it’s not to say the game doesn’t have any story, because there are multiple plot threads that play out bit by bit as you take on more and more quests. Each one has its own characters, arc and resolution, though your party always consists of yourself (the strong silent type) and Vallie, an upstarting Quester who’s eager to help. Others join on a temporary basis, so your party dynamic is constantly shifting while also leaving you with a solid base to work with.

You get to pick your avatar at the start, but it doesn’t impact the plot at all since the most you ever say is “...”, which doesn’t stop anyone from understanding what you were trying to get across. The rate at which you see each plot develop is paced well and you’re never too far off from one to have forgotten what happened with it before. Some of them are actually quite charming, so in spite of being all about sidequests, the game still has a few fun and engaging tales. If I had any one gripe, it’s that some of the bad guys resort to swearing for humor. It feels out of place and doesn’t really add anything (if you aren’t age 12-15).

Let’s Talk About Gameplay!

Typical RPG fare; exploring, battling, finding treasure, blah blah blah. The quest structure is what makes this game stand out as it controls your progression in multiple ways. Naturally, you’re limited to whatever quests the game makes available, and more unlock as you complete new ones. However, there is an entry cost to each quest (nothing expensive) so you must be mindful of that. The shops in the guild will also only sell you equipment of a certain level until you rank up by completing enough quests. This effectively prevents you from decking out in the best stuff as soon as you can afford it, so there are always new upgrades coming along and new things to check the shop for regularly. Equipment consists of your weapon, armor, and up to three accessories. You can rely on the Optimize feature to give you the best equipment, but can only choose the accessories yourself. One nice perk is that accessories you equip on temporary party members will be returned to you when they exit the group.

Map exploration is very straightforward. Most locations consist of small areas connected by narrow passages. The game uses random encounters, so there’s no fear of getting bottlenecked. However, some would say the con to that is there are random encounters. This game makes fine use of them. Spaces are small enough that you can get where you’re going quickly, even with monsters harassing you every few paces. They’re also easy to flee from, so that’s an option. The most common point of interest on any map is a treasure chest, and there are plenty of them to find. These (and a few other interactables) share the hand-drawn aesthetic, but to keep them from blending into the scenery, they glow until you’ve inspected them. This was a good call, as it could be difficult for them to stand out otherwise. Additional features of the map include the occasional heal orb, which have infinite uses for your convenience. It might seem broken, but they become scarcer as time goes on and their placement is very deliberate. Besides, this wasn’t meant to be that hard of a game.

Speaking of difficulty, I played on Normal and didn’t have much trouble. There are other settings you can try to make things easier or harder at any time, but I can’t speak for them since I stuck with my choice. I could see the game becoming quite difficult if you ramp it up. Battles have just enough factors in play to keep things interesting. The party always has a few elemental attacks and physical skills with various effects at its disposal, but status problems are also common. You can try to tough through by mashing attack, but you’re typically better off choosing what to do each turn to maximize the effectiveness of them. Skills use either MP or TP, which are pretty common if you’ve encountered them before. MP-restoring items are a bit stingy, but that’s no reason to avoid using those abilities. It balances out well enough, even if you have to scout enemy weaknesses (they don’t always make perfect sense). Understanding your foes helps you make better tactical choices, so it really helps to pay attention!

Let’s Wrap This Up...

It may not look like much on the outside, but Quest Questers does a lot of things right. It has a charming look all its own, entertaining scenarios, engaging fights, and just enough to do that it doesn’t overstay its welcome. The writing has few typos, the gameplay is well balanced, and apart from the aesthetic clash of characters in the environment, it’s pretty solid all around.

4/5 “A great game with negligible issues.”


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