Video Game Review - Quest For Infamy

Rob reviews Quest For Infamy on Nintendo Switch...

Quest For Infamy is a love letter to a genre that time has forgotten. At one time the classic point-and-click adventure was the bread and butter to every console on the market. With titles such as Monkey Island, Sam & Max, and Broken Sword being the prominent ones in my experience.

Aiming to capture the greatness of this once-proud genre is Ratalika Games with their title: Quest For Infamy. 

Initially released back in 2014 on PC, Quest For Infamy sees you play as the drifter, William Roehm as he makes his way to the town of Volksville to view an upcoming execution. Before heading to the town square, you'll be able to explore the town and meet a few of its eclectic citizens. Sooner or later you'll then find yourself at the execution and it's here where Quest For Infamy begins. 

Unlike other point-and-click adventures, Quest For Infamy allows you to choose what vocation makes for Roehm's background. Choosing one of these three archetypes, not only affects Roehm's starting skills, but it will also affect what quests he will be able to go on, and ultimately the characters he'll meet. It's a clever way of fleshing the game out and allows you to play the title at least three times before you've experienced everything. 

Gameplay-wise, Quest For Infamy keeps everything within the tried and tested formula. Actions are all performed by selecting from what you want to do via the L and R buttons. Roehm can interact with characters and objects, describe what's in front of him, change his stance, and even select between running or walking. You'll also have access to Roehm's inventory which also offers the same premise of look, describe, and use. My only issue with these actions is that at no point is it obvious what exact action you need to do. Whilst Roehm's description does occasionally offer a hint, it's not foolproof in its approach. There's also a handy hints option within the games pause menu. But much like Roehm's inner monologue - it's vague at best. 

Combat takes a different approach and sees everything take on a turn-based feel. It's pretty basic which sees you clicking on what action you want Roehm to perform. These actions are all reminiscent of what weapon you currently have equipped. For sword users, you'll have access to basic light and heavy attacks, as well as being able to block. Whilst being a sorcerer, replace these with various spells. Again, it's pretty basic, bit fits in well with the general ascetic that Ratalika Games have tried to achieve. 

No point-and-click adventure wouldn't be complete without a wealth of cheesy dialogue, and memorable characters. Thankfully Quest For Infamy has an abundance of both. The voice acting is so terrible, it starts to become good the longer you play. Whether this actually happens, or that I had just become immune to its cheese is still up for debate. The good thing is that each character has their speech, and to an extent personality too. The downside is that it's so over the top that any emotion within the dialogue is lost within the overacting. Dialogue can also be a little crass, with an exponential amount of potty humour thrown in for good measure. 

However, even with these issues, there are some memorable characters. The proprietors of the general store/butchers are the best example. The duo is constantly bickering with each other, and hearing their remarks is worthy of any visit to their store. 

Visually, Quest For Infamy is very well presented. Its pixel style works wonders in giving everything a retro feel, whilst retaining a high level of detail. Characters also have a wealth of detail about them, with designs that fit into their roles. As with any pixel-style title, playing in handheld mode is preferable. While it doesn't affect gameplay, the smaller display does give everything a clean feel - and text becomes a little more readable.

All in all, Quest For Infamy is a great nod to gaming's heyday. Packed full of missions to complete, and side-quests to explore, Quest For Infamy will demand your time for a good few hours. And that's before you even start the next two vocation routes. Throw in a lot of awful-cheesy dialogue, and some gorgeous pixel artwork and Quest For Infamy may just be that one title that reinvigorates the genre. 

Rating 7/10 

Quest For Infamy is out now and can be purchased via the Nintendo Switch eShop by clicking here.

A code was kindly provided for this review.

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