2023
WISE Score
IGDB
A vibrant, South Asian-infused mashup of Scott Pilgrim and Tony Hawk that actually cares about your mental health.
View →Thirsty Suitors is what happens when you let a creative team take a real risk. It’s funny, stylish, and handles topics like identity and family pressure without being a total drag. It’s a solid 10-hour ride that feels like a premium indie movie you can play.
It’s a rare game that manages to be 'educational' about empathy and culture without ever feeling like it's trying to teach you a lesson. If your teen is into story-heavy games like Life is Strange or Scott Pilgrim, this is an easy win.
Perfect for the 13+ crowd. Younger kids might dig the skating, but the heavy focus on relationship history and queer identity will mostly fly over their heads—or just bore them.
It handles complex family dynamics and the messiness of young adulthood with genuine heart. While it deals with breakups and 'horny' energy, the core is about healing and self-acceptance.
A wild, creative blend of genres—skateboarding, turn-based RPG combat, and high-stakes cooking—used to represent internal emotional struggles.
Single-player experience with no predatory monetization or toxic online features. Content is mature in theme (relationships/identity) but not graphic.
Offers deep insight into the South Asian diaspora experience and models how to confront past mistakes rather than running from them.
Most games about 'feelings' tend to be slow-paced walking simulators. Thirsty Suitors flips that on its head. It takes the high-energy aesthetic of Scott Pilgrim and applies it to the specific experience of being a young woman in a South Asian family. You aren't just fighting your exes for the sake of combat; you're doing it to find closure.
What’s particularly impressive is how the game uses different mechanics to tell its story. The cooking segments aren't just mini-games; they are high-pressure interactions with Jala’s mother where the quality of the food is tied to their relationship. The skateboarding represents Jala's need for freedom and escape. It’s cohesive in a way that most 'multi-genre' games fail to be.
For parents, it’s worth noting that this is a very queer-friendly and modern story. It doesn't shy away from Jala's history with both men and women, and it treats her search for identity as a valid, albeit chaotic, journey. It’s a great pick for families who want games that reflect the real world, even if that world involves flamboyant summoned attacks and magical realism.
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