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| You eventually become a very busy person in Loot Box Quest |
| Quick Info | |
|---|---|
| Reviewed by: | Mark Goninon |
| Developer: | Going Loud Studios |
| Publisher: | Going Loud Studios |
| Release Date: | 14 Dec 2017 |
| Time played: | 3 hours |
From the creator of DLC Quest
Going Loud Studios is an indie development studio consisting of a chap named Ben Kane. I had a good laugh after playing the game DLC Quest so I thought it would be worth trying another game developed by him which was released back in 2017 called Loot Box Quest. Similar to his previous title, this is another game that pokes fun at the game development industry but this time it's not about DLC (which the gaming public seems to have accepted as commonplace now) but loot boxes.
In Loot Box Quest you play the role of a fan of the "Macguffin Quest" series of games. When "Macguffin Quest 2" comes out, you want to save enough money in order to purchase the game but as soon as you get a hold of it you realise that you're unable to play as the protagonist of the original game and the only way to do so is if you come across the correct loot box. Unfortunately, this means you have to grind through a lot of loot boxes and in your quest to grind loot boxes more efficiently, your life will take some scary yet hilarious turns.
Loot Box Quest is an incremental game. It starts out as more of a clicker but eventually turns into a fully fledged idle game as you're able to to let the game play itself.
Loot Box Quest currently holds a "Very Positive" rating on Steam based on 93% of the 377 user reviews being positive. Steam users praised the game for calling out corrupt game publisher practices and its humourous story but criticised it for the gameplay being too similar to other clicker games as well as the need to play the game twice in order to unlock all achievements.
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| The beginning of the game involves you getting a job in order to buy the latest game in the Macguffin Quest series |
Not the best incremental game out there
The fact the game is an incremental game is probably going to divide opinions about Loot Box Quest right from the start. Some players would argue that incremental games aren't even proper games, especially when they become an idle game where there is no input required from players at all. And yet, the genre is really popular so there's definitely a market for them out there. I can't say I'm too much of a fan, despite the game Plantera being kind of fun, but in that game you had colourful graphics and sprites moving around the screen: in Loot Box Quest you just mainly have a few shades of grey (not even fifty) and you'll spend all your time staring at buttons and progress bars while the plot is conveyed through a text box at the bottom of the screen.
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| Later in the game you'll be able to do more things on the screen like running a game studio and becoming a gaming influencer |
A satire about AAA game development
The main strength of this game, just like DLC Quest before it, is that it's a satire that pokes fun at the video games industry. It explores how evil begets evil, greed begets greed and how the incorporation of evil and greedy corporate practices in computer games can turn seemingly innocent gamers into psychopaths. Okay, seems a bit far-fetched right? But that's why it's funny. It's over-the-top, but it has a grain of truth in it that manages to effectively convey its message.
The game also explores other issues such as how the addictive nature of loot boxes can tip those of us with a constant need for that dopamine hit over the edge: it can motivate us to do things that are seemingly beneficial but in the long-term can cause so much pain and suffering. We eventually become the thing we seek out to destroy. It's basically that Obi-Wan Kenobi meme but in a computer game about loot boxes.
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| Pretty much |
Replay for the Steam Achievements
The game has 15 Steam achievements you can unlock which gives the game a bit of replay value since I can't really see any other reason to play Loot Box Quest again. There are no Steam Trading Cards to collect.
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7
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Loot Box Quest is a barebones, no-frills incremental game which is a satire about the video game industry, loot boxes in particular. The humour is what will motivate you to finish this game and it's good enough you'll forget about the rest of the game being pretty average. The game only costs $1.50 AUD so if you have some spare change and you want to have a few good laughs for 3 hours, you could do worse than purchasing Loot Box Quest. |
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