MadCap's Game Reviews - "DLC Quest"

You wanna pick up a sword, get on a horse and go save the princess, huh?  Hope you’re ready to break out a little more dough…because just buying the game is just not enough anymore…

DLC Quest is an offering from developer Going Loud Studios and is quite obviously a parody of the trend in gaming nowadays involving micro transactions that give us – what else? – DLC.  The story is the most basic in all of gaming history:  there’s a princess that has been captured, go save her!  Unfortunately, upon joining our hero…we find that he can’t jump.  Or, indeed, do anything but move in one direction!  What a conundrum!  Luckily, our local salesman is more than happy to assist in exchange for coins that are found scattered about the world.  As the game is kind enough to mention, no actual currency is used in the transactions in this game.

And really, the game doesn’t get much more complicated beyond that.  You collect the coins and you buy DLC for things that seem so very commonplace in most games of the kind nowadays – such being able to move in more than one direction, jumping, and even simple noise.  Not just music, though that is also up for sale, but noise – and play the game.  It’s by no means a long adventure, but it’s definitely a rather amusing one and it’s a parody done very well.

Don't do it! It's a trap!!!!

…as well as being a rather chilling example of what games could be in the future…if the major gaming companies have their way…

Now, while I don’t think that developers will ever get that lazy (then again, I have actually played Aliens:  Colonial Marines), this game is – if nothing else – a cute aside into the worst case scenario with DLC and micro transactions, if in the most hilarious of ways.  The game takes this opportunity to poke fun at some of the more maligned or beloved jokes spawned by this business practice as well, such as Oblivion’s “Horse Armor” (which, believe it or not, features into the resolution) and Valve’s bizarre fixation with Hats in their games.

It’s not a long game, but an enjoyable one and a pretty good parody.  Definitely enjoyable if you just happen to have a half hour or so to kill.  Very enjoyable, just long enough to feel of substance and get it’s point across, and short enough to not have to slug through it.

DLC Quest is available for Xbox 360, PC, and Mac from Going Loud Studios.

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