'Wrestling With Emotions' Is Sweaty, Sexy, and Free

Header screenshot courtesy of Team Lazerbeam. Confession: Every time I watch professional wrestling for more than a few seconds I find myself wondering, "Is this supposed to be sexy? Like, just a little bit sexy?" Wrestling has a lot of the trappings of sexy, certainly—skimpy outfits and sweat-slick skin most obvious among them—but with just enough of a margin to make me think that maybe it's all just in my head.

Team Lazerbeam's Wrestling with Emotions didn't really clear any of that up for me.

Described as an "alt dating sim," Wrestling With Emotions is speed dating on totally legal and totally legit steroid alternatives. The game's beefcake of a protagonist (whose name, appearance, and ring persona can be tweaked from a few options at the start of the game) is new in the local wrestling scene, and looking for "the perfect match." You'll interview several candidates, exchanging a bit of unsubtle probing banter about what you're both looking for in a partner before the bell rings and they go off on their way. Then you fill in your response card with check marks, stickers, and ultimately a Yay or Nay response before the next potential ringmate sits down across from you. At the end you get to rank your choices, and if you made a good enough impression on them to rank on their lists then you'll be treated to the match of a lifetime.

Is it wrestle-y? Yes. Is it sexy? Yes. Now, I'm not going to say Wrestling With Emotions handles the intersection of those two things artfully or in a way that really made me stop and think, but it does a good job of casting a little lightheartedness and playful intimacy over the topic of big sweaty folks hitting each other.

You can download Wrestling With Emotions for free (or pay what you want) for Mac and Windows via itchi.io.