20 Feb, 2012
Title: Epic Quest
Platforms: XBLA, PSN (Reviewed on XBLA)
Developer: Zen Studios
Publisher: Zen Studios
Tagline: Pinball meets the RPG genre
Family Friendly: Click here for more information.
Verdict: Buy it Already
NOTE: Pinball FX 2 on XBLA or Zen Pinball on PSN is Required to play Epic Quest
It is hard to think of a way to make pinball more innovative. At its core, it is a game of skill compounded by luck, as the balls move around the table. Sure, companies can make tables interesting with creative design, sound and lighting, but it is still pinball at its core. Zen Studios seems to have felt this same sentiment as well, as they looked for new hooks for their pinball titles, and of all things, they looked to the RPG genre to change things up. From those discussions, we now have the table known as Epic Quest, which mixes up elements of an RPG stat progressive game and pinball. Yes, it sounds weird, but Zen Studios has done it again, creating a new pinball table that is addictive and fun to play.
Epic Quest plays out like a normal pinball table on the surface. You have the requisite ramps, bonuses and other trappings of a pinball table. But Zen infuses the table with a progressive counter, a la and RPG title. As you play, you gain loot that you can equip on your avatar, and the loot is not just for show. It helps with the battles that you encounter by hitting certain targets on the table. You also gain experience and gold from encounters, which when the game is over and you have lost all your balls on the table, rolls over to you next game.
The idea is completely ingenious, and surprising that it has never been attempted before with another pinball title. You find yourself hooked into the game in a new way, as you have progression driving you forward with each round that you play. Sure, the scores reset, but your experience bar and gear collected continue to follow you forward, pushing you to continue playing to get that one better piece of armor, or that next level that you are so close to obtaining. Gone is the idea of I need to push my score higher, because no matter how well or poorly you do in one given round, it all contributes to your bottom line of gaining levels.
It also helps that Epic Quest makes things far clearer than with any other table you will find in Zen Pinball or Pinball FX 2 when it comes to objectives. Normally, finishing quests or objectives can be an obtuse affair where you are constantly questioning what you need to do to complete it. In Epic Quest, things are simplified to ramps that are clearly marked with a sword marker for an attack, a shield marker for blocking and a parry that you use with the shield ramp in combination for a heavy attack. There is also a smash ramp for landing critical hits. No confusion ever plays into the objectives, as they all center on these four ramps. It became a joy to enter a quest, as I clearly knew which ramps I had to go after to end the battle.
Epic Quest also has a good layout, with enough bells and whistles to keep you entertained, but never to the point of overwhelming you as some of the other tables can do in Zen Pinball or Pinball FX 2. Because of this, it is easy to keep coming back again and again, not only to boost your high score, but to get more and more loot that comes with each battle. It is fun to see your character gain a new piece of armor or a new sword at the end of a battle, as you feel you have accomplished something, due to the visual feedback.
With Epic Quest, Zen Studios has found a way to capitalize on a formula that they know well, and improve on it to create something that is new and fun to enjoy. I never found myself wanting to quit, as I was driven by the age old mantra of an RPG game, telling myself “just one more game”. I easily found myself sinking several hours into Epic Quest, to get that next level or piece of gear, making for a fun, addictive experience that makes the new table an easy value proposition. It now leaves me wondering what Zen Studios does for an encore as Epic Quest will be a tough table to beat.
The Good:
- RPG progression pushes you to keep playing
- Objectives are clearly marked
- Mixes pinball and RPG questing seemlessly for endless fun
The Bad:
- What to do when you hit level 100
- You might hate it if you hate pinball
Family Focus
Epic Quest in a pinball game that does feature combat, but it is all done with comedy and a lack of any blood spilled. It is easy to recommend this to anyone, although those under eight might get frustrated with the mechanics of pinball.
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