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REVIEW: QUANTUM BREAK (Xbox One/PC)

24/4/2016

10 Comments

 
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"Time is broken. Like an egg." 

"You're better at doing the door thing."


"Wait. Why is it all about eggs now?"

These are just some of my favourite lines from Quantum Break - a fantastically dumb game, that manages to transcend the profound stupidity of its cheddar-laced storytelling, and barely-dimensional characters, to offer several peaks of entertainment. Regrettably, between those peaks is a lake of mediocrity, and the shattered and busted bodies of its expedition leaders, Colonel Good-Intentions and Sherpa CombininggamesandTVshowsintoonethingisthebestideaever.

I'll get into what Quantum Break is in a moment. For now, let's focus on that story - because, like it or not, Quantum Break wants you to. See, Quantum Break is dripping in story. But just because a barbecue turkey is dripping in sauce, that doesn't necessarily make it a nutritious and satisfying meal.

Here's Quantum Break's story, as I understand it: due to a messed-up time travel experiment, time has broken - like an egg - and there's a character who is better at doing the door thing. Conspiracy. Some chaps with the ability to manipulate time. A tale of two brothers. Lots and lots of running away from or towards things. Things which also break like an egg. Time travel. Doors which need you to do the thing to them. Too bad doors can't break like an egg!

​Eggs. Things. Time. Breaking. Doing the door thing. Eggs. EGGS. Eggs? Yes. Do you see? That is the story of Quantum Break in an eggshell. Nutshell.

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DOG'S DINNER
Quantum Break is a funny old dog's bottom of a game.

It's presumably a holdover from Microsoft's intention to offer original TV shows as part of Xbox Live - and works by acting as a sort of bridge between games and TV.

​Though, frankly, I'm not convinced that's a bridge anybody ever asked for. You know: like a bridge between a caravan park and a horse-rendering plant.

It also harkens back to the era of interactive movies - a genre whose sins were rightly left in the past. This is more successful than the worst offenders of those dark days, but the full-on, non-interactive, "movie" bits still feel superfluous for those of us who would rather be playing a game.

Quantum Break tells its story from two perspectives, within two mediums. The game part of the story focuses on the goodies of the tale, while the TV show part focuses on the baddies and secondary characters. Your actions in the game part will alter the flow of the story - there's a branching narrative. Generally, however, you'll be asked to make a choice between just two paths, being rewarded with a handful of alternate scenes.

As interesting as this is in theory, it feels all weird and wrong in practice. There are extended cut-scenes using the in-game engine... then there are game bits... and then there are live-action TV show episodes. If we didn't already live in a world where Ainsley Harriot has a career - and bad ideas regularly come to fruition - I'd argue that it's hard to imagine anybody thinking this mix of mediums was a good idea.

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PARTS
Despite its bizarre assortment of parts, Quantum Break isn't bad.

It looks good - with decent in-game recreations of its main cast (Bloke From The Wire, Iceman, A Hobbit).

It's basically, y'know, fine.

The game-y bits are your usual cover-shooter things, albeit with a terrible cover system - you just stick to furniture, and then stand up waving your arms around shouting "Here I am!" whenever you try to move - and the added ability to manipulate time, to complement the shooting.

It isn't quite as revolutionary as that might sound - you can create shields, do a sort of super-dodge, you've got a Arkham-style vision mode, and can activate bullet time. But it's... y'know... it's okay. It's solid and enjoyable for the most part.

Similarly, the TV show bits - there are four eps, running at just over 20 minutes each - are alright. They're not great, but are more or less semi-watchable. Cliched and clunky as the dialogue is, it's sort of SyFy Channel miniseries quality - the kind of thing you'd probably watch an episode of, and not bother finishing. You know: because you'd rather be playing video games. Still. Basically fine.

DON'T WATCH THAT
However, if you're going to mix a TV show with a game, you've got to hope that your TV show is as gripping as the game. Alas, it isn't. It's forcing the player to drop out of an interactive experience, and sit their with their joypads in their laps. It's counterintuitive and pulls against the entire point of a game. The game, by the same token, pulls against your emotional engagement with the TV show.  

And that's my biggest issue with Quantum Break; it works better than I expected it to, the individual elements are far from awful, but I would've really just preferred the game stuff and TV stuff to remain separate.

​I can't stand non-interactive cut scenes at the best of times - I think they're profoundly missing the point of video games as a medium, and I'm pretty sure I'm not alone in thinking that nobody was demanding more cut-scenes.

The potential of video games as a storytelling medium is still in its infancy, but it was getting there. Suddenly, it feels like Quantum Break is trying to drag it back to the womb. Like the midwife forgot to cut the cord, and somebody has started to reel it back up there. Sssschlurrrrp!

SUMMARY: Not entirely broken, like an egg, but there are certainly some bits of shell in the omelette.
SCORE: 09.45am out of 11.59am

FROM THE ARCHIVE:
LET'S TRAVEL THROUGH TIME - WITH MARK ZUCKERBERG
​
IT'S TIME TO ENJOY SOME DILLS! WITH BAZ FEED
LET'S ALL GO TO THE ZOO: A Gallery of Taxidermy Disasters

​
10 Comments
Dangerous Dave
24/4/2016 08:45:33 pm

That's the exact score I predicted you would give it.

Reply
Leigh
24/4/2016 08:58:48 pm

Pretty much what I thought. It's all, y'know, fine. Sometimes something happens that's genuinely impressive, then at other times it all feels a bit weak and undercooked.

And while I didn't mind the TV episodes, the method of 'integrating' them (if you can even call it that) was dubious at best - my teenagers, pathological cutscene-skippers that they are at the best of times, were SICKENED AND APPALLED by the attempt to force story on them in the most brazen way imaginable and couldn't back away from the game quickly enough.

Kids, eh? Tsk.

Reply
Damon link
24/4/2016 09:03:36 pm

So, what you're saying is that a live-rendered film with voice acting so wooden you could carve a pair of clogs out of them isn't what people want when sold an interactive experience?

I mean, how long were the final fantasy cut scenes of the 90's and early 2000's? Sandwich length-- that is long enough to make and eat a sandwich. Clearly since those games still have fanbases what they loved were the cut scenes which is why they're doing a Final Fantasy sit-com called 'Lightning Knows Best' where she's trying to take care of hope, her adopted child while Snow shamelessly flirts with her.

I think maybe I ran too far with that one.

Reply
Superbeast 37
24/4/2016 11:45:46 pm

I like it. It's not as gripping as Alan Wake was though. Not even close. Bit disappointed if I'm honest.

I found the combat was better when I replied on cover less and time abilities more.

Unfortunately it is also a bit clunky and awkward.

I quite enjoyed the TV shows but yeah it does feel odd having in game cut scenes and then live action. Also cool at the same time seeing the real actors.

Overall a missed opportunity. It failed as a console seller but it's a decent game in its own right. One for the sales in a few months.

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Buggery
26/4/2016 06:50:07 am

The cover system really only acts as a short breathing point where you can reload and plan your next vector of attack. The game feels wonderful when you get into the 'zone' of the thing and just zip about destroying everything, pausing only long enough to replenish your supplies. I think the main problem with cover shooters is that people have gotten too used to sticking to cover.

Agree entirely that the "interactive" sections pale in comparison to Alan Wake, though I enjoy both games.

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Spiney O'Sullivan
25/4/2016 08:38:30 am

Another chapter in the story of the tenuous relationship between games and TV, two mediums that just don't go very well together. TV about games news rarely works (remember Gamezville?), TV with games as a subject matter tends to fail (eg okay-but-not-quite-there Gameswipe), and TV linked directly with games doesn't seem to work (remember Defiance? Anyone?).

In part it's due to TV execs being terrified of games, which have stolen a giant chunk of the "male 18-34" demographic, and in part it's due to the fact that two mediums simply don't work the same way, but basically Pokemon is pretty much the highlight of the TV-game relationship, and that's not saying a lot.

Reply
Superbeast 37
25/4/2016 09:31:40 am

I think a lot of reviewers like Angry Joe have mislead over the TV segments. Grossly mislead. What with "oh look my joypad has turned off, the game forced me not to play for 20 minutes".

In Until Dawn, as you played through you unlocked videos. These were interviews with actors, writers, "making of" features etc. I don't remember many if any reviews mentioning them.

Really Quantum Break isn't much different. The TV episodes are entirely optional. To me they are just flavour pieces that give you a secondary perspective of what is happening within the secondary characters. Bonus content.

You know in Tomb Raider 2013 everyone criticised the secondary characters in Lara's crew as they were never really developed and Lara just bumped into them occasionally? Well there wasn't really space to develop them as Lara (you) were off adventuring alone but imagine if the game had rewarded you with unlockable movies showing what they were doing between the points that Lara bumped into them.

That's kind of what this is. Granted it is a bit more than that as there are a few events in the TV show that it might be beneficial to see, but I felt watching them enhanced the game rather than detracted from it.

More worthy of complaint is the requirement to run around reading lore items to fill out the plot.

But no one ever says "books are s**t and have no place mixing with games"!

Reply
PeskyFletch
25/4/2016 06:33:54 pm

Pokemon remains the highlight of TV + games? Hardly.
Captain N says hello. Typing that i've just realised how wrong a title for a show that is.

Reply
PeskyFletch
25/4/2016 06:36:31 pm

I suppose this format would be ideal for ganja( Gawd, i'm down wiv th'kids) smokers, they could roll up during the cut scenes

Reply
Starbuck
25/4/2016 09:42:16 pm

Egg! He said egg! Like an egg!

Reply



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