Plumbers Don’t Wear Ties: A Retrospective
By Patrick S. Baker
Plumbers Don’t Wear Ties (Plumbers) was developed by Kirin Entertainment (no relation to the fine Japanese beer) and released in 1994. It has been variously called an adult-oriented “romantic comedy”, a visual novel, and dating sim, as well as a full motion video game. Whatever the developers’ ambitions for the game were, they were not met. The game actually turned out to be a branching slideshow with strictly limited player interaction.
Plumbers feature John and Jane, who are being pressured by their respective parents to go out and find a spouse. The player’s task is to get John and Jane together. Set in the fictional city of “New Lost Wages,” a stand-in for Las Vegas, the game is centered on the lives of the two main characters.
John is an unemployed plumber, while Jane is a beautiful and ambitious woman caught in a bizarre love triangle between her rich father and an oddball photographer. The gameplay consists mainly of making choices at various branching points in the story.
Players must navigate through a range of quirky and inexplicable situations, each filled with absurd and unexpected twists. As the game moves along, the player meets a range of flamboyant characters, including a domineering boss, a sexy secret agent, and a leather-clad dominatrix.
Plumbers Don’t Wear Ties got a very cool response from both critics and players. While some reviewers praised the game’s experimental design and sheer inventiveness, others were sorely disappointed by its confusing story and game-play mechanics. Also, the game’s attempts at raunchy and absurd humor generally fell flat.
One reviewer wrote: “Plumbers Don’t Wear Ties is a bizarre experiment in interactive storytelling, showcasing the industry’s willingness to push boundaries but ultimately falling flat.” Another called the game “a testament to the experimental nature of the video game industry” and also added it was “pushing the boundaries…”
However, the negative reviews are best summarized by these two: “The game was funny for only 30 seconds” and soon became “irksome and yobbishly” with “the wit and charm of an elephant’s arse…” While another said: “[Plumbers] is a prime example of how not to create an engaging and enjoyable gaming experience.”
Needless to say, the game was also a commercial flop. Further exasperating the sales issue was that the game was released for the poor-selling 3DO Interactive Multiplayer platform.
Still, Plumbers notoriety has only grown over the years since the game’s release. The game’s silliness and the oft-unintentional humor have turned it into a meme-worthy experience. The game has had a bit of a revival as a cult favorite, definitely falling into “so bad it’s good” category. Also, YouTubers, like Angry Video Game Nerd, have been showcasing game-play footage and humorous commentary which have further contributed to Plumbers cult following.
While an all-around fiasco as a game, Plumbers has also become something of a symbol of the creativity that independent developers, like Kirin, can practice in the gaming industry. The game also stands as a testament to the willingness of some developers to take risks, even if they don’t always result in commercial or critical success.
Plumbers has a notable place in the history of video game development. Its unique combination of live-action stills, branching storylines, and unconventional gameplay has sparked discussions about the import of cohesive design and the role of storytelling in video games. All the while, it also serves as a reminder of the risks and regrets that can occur when pushing boundaries.
—
Patrick S. Baker is a former US Army Field Artillery officer and retired Department of Defense employee. He has degrees in History, Political Science and Education. He has been writing history, game reviews and science-fiction professionally since 2013. Some of his other work can found at Sirius Science Fiction, Sci-Phi Journal, Armchair General and Historynet.com
Sources:
Defunct Games, “Antiquated Reviews: Plumbers Don’t Wear Ties.”
IGN “Plumbers Don’t Wear Ties Review”
GameSpot “Plumbers Don’t Wear Ties: A Curious Misstep in Gaming History”
PC Gamer July 1994 issue
Retro Gamer Magazine – “Forgotten Gems: Plumbers Don’t Wear Ties”
Uproxx, “’Plumbers Don’t Wear Ties’: Gaming’s First (and Only) Surrealist Softcore Adventure“.
Youtube.com Angry Video Game Nerd “Plumbers Don’t Wear Ties”