Have you ever heard of Angry Birds? It’s an obscure little mobile game that not many people have heard of. Oh you mean you’ve heard about it every day of your life for the past five years? I must have been thinking of something else. Yes, Angry Birds is everywhere. And they’ve decided that the tried and true game of flinging birds at pigs isn’t enough (and sounds illegal, if I can be totally honest.) They’ve now decided to dip their foot in the RPG pool. Is it an unforgettably epic quest? Considering it has the word “Epic” in the name, maybe.

The Basics (And I Mean Basic)

Let’s start with the story. From what I can tell, the birds still hate the pigs and need to defeat them in a different way than just tossing themselves at each other. The game is very much a casual RPG. It has all the usual tropes of the genre, such as swords, wizards, and numbers when you hit people ( a staple of the genre.)  The game cleverly follows the way you drag birds in the classic games, but adapts it for the genre. This actually made the gameplay pretty addicting, something the fine people at Rovio have mastered at this point.

All in all, it’s an entry-level RPG. While it has all the usual gameplay aspects, it doesn't do too much to keep you involved. While it was fun swiping around to attack and throw magic at the pigs, there isn’t too much strategy outside of the use of shields. Well, shields and a magic red pepper that gives you more power. The usual.

The Thing Is…

While it can be fun and addictive, it misses one of the fundamental things about an RPG: tedious quests. I know it sounds silly, but what sets apart games like Chrono Trigger is that they aren’t just non stop battling. You also need to talk to townspeople and find magical items. In Angry Birds Epic Quest, you just beat up pigs and upgrade your weapons. Is it that hard to make time to stop the action for some boring errands? I guess I could just go to the grocery store in between levels.

How Epic Is Epic Quest?

Angry Birds Epic Quest can definitely be a fun experience. However, it will be much more fun if it’s your first RPG experience. If you’re a hardcore Angry Birds fan looking for a different way to beat up pigs, this is the game for you. Because of its casual nature, it’s the perfect way to get into the genre before you go downloading Final Fantasy VII on your iPhone. In other words, if you’re not a video game snob like me you’ll have a good time.