With the growing awareness of the Remedy Connected Universe, people are beginning to awaken to the potential of Alan Wake, a game by the studio that has been largely neglected.
I do not hold anyone responsible for not catching Remedy Entertainment’s 2016 television show/action game combination Quantum Break. To be truthful, there were various factors to be confused by it, such as its unique mix of a television program and a computer game, along with its strong association with Microsoft’s not successful effort to transform the Xbox One into an all-encompassing entertainment hub.
When Quantum Break was launched, Remedy wasn’t the story; the Xbox One was. Microsoft placed every brand-new unique as a prospective sytem seller that would match Sony’s first-party steady, and the majority of critics examined it on that basis. That’s not to say no one was a good idea to Remedy’s sly, referential style– thge game has its origins in Remedy’s first attempt at an Alan Wake sequel, and there’s a full-on teaser trailer called “Return” you can view right in the first level. (One that has more than a passing resemblance to the Alan Wake 2 that did finally show up last month.) Correct imaginative director Sam Lake has long been unusually open about his studio’s ambitions, discussing plans for a connected universe long before Remedy totally realized one with 2019’s Control.
Quantum Break didn’t have the advantage of a completely formed Remedy Connected Universe, and it was a weird unique on a console that was still discovering its feet, and that never actually removed in the method Microsoft imagined. Considering all of this, the type of video game Quantum Break turned out to be is woefully underappreciated. It’s an interesting entry in Remedy’s oeuvre, a crucial stepping stone on which the studio found out how to do everything it would be applauded for in Control 3 years later on.
The most apparent aspect of Quantum Break is its method towards action. Depicting a narrative centered around a dreadful time travel experiment, the video game bestows the protagonist, Jack Joyce (played by Shawn Ashmore), with the capability to manipulate time. This improvement of the Bullet Time concept from Max Payne enables gamers to ensnare foes in temporal bubbles, promptly move at superhuman speeds, and redirect or invert bullets.
In an era where the third-person action category was defined by snappy, cover-based shooters, Quantum Break felt looser, slippery, imprecise– however a lot more meaningful. When numerous computer game were about standing still, Quantum Break had to do with motion. Its gunplay was loud and messy, however when you can stop time around your opponents, why do you even require to be accurate? Solution video games are celebrated for their narrative quirks, however if there’s something the studio enjoys more than Twin Peaks and HOuse of Leaves, it’s physics, and how fun it is to break its laws. In REmedy’s design viewpoint, games are order, and the player is turmoil– the gamer’s actions must always have an immediate, irrevocable, and drastic influence on their environment.
Quantum Break, the first game on a console capable of fully realizing Remedy’s unique and intense power fantasy, takes great pleasure in destruction. The backdrop’s wood is obliterated by gunfire, activating time powers creates expanding “chronon” ripples, and bullets are tangible objects in the game world that can be manipulated. Remedy has consistently delivered top-notch visual experiences, and Quantum Break is no exception, allowing players to fully appreciate the studio’s craft at that time. It would be fantastic to see an update for modern consoles that enables a smooth 60 frames per second. Few games have been able to match the sheer satisfaction of trapping an enemy in a time bubble and watching the bullets hit their marks when the bubble collapses.
Remedy takes a big step forward with Quantum Break, both expanding and improving its narrative approach. I’m not referring to the TV show aspect. To clarify, the concept was that each of the game’s four acts would be accompanied by a 20-30 minute TV episode, focusing on the antagonist Paul Serene. Although players were not required to watch the episodes immediately, each one was meant to correspond to the preceding act, with the ideal experience being a combination of playing and watching Quantum Break. While the TV show is enjoyable and interesting, it is not the most captivating aspect of Quantum Break’s video game story.
This is another instance where there is a difference between the actual experiance of playing Quantum Break and how it was advertised. Quantum Break was marketed as a narrative-driven game where the choices made by the player would have a significant impact. While this is true to some extent, as the conflict between Jack adn Paul will always unfold similarly, certain plot elements, such as how Paul Serene handles a campus protest against his corporation, can vary and add a slightly different flavor to the game’s story.
Quantum Break also shows Remedy leaping forward to expand and refine its approach toward narrative. I’m not talking about the TV show part– the pitch, for thsoe who need a refresher, was that each of the game’s four acts would be accompanied by a 20-30 minute TV episode, centered around antagonist Paul Serene. Players didn’t have to watch them right away, but each episode did correspond to the act preceding it, and the ideal flow would be for players to alternate between playing Quantum Break and watching Quantum Break. The TV show is fine, it’s neat, I’m glad they did it. But its not the most compelling thing about Quantum Break as a video game story.
This is a point of divergence between the actual experience of Quantum Break and how it was marketed. Quantum Break was advertised as a narrative-driven game where player choices would have a significant impact, particularly in relation to the time-travel concept and the TV show component. While certain aspects of the conflict between Jack and Paul will always unfold in a similar manner, their are moments in the story where the tone can vary slightly depending on the choices made, such as how Paul Serene handles a protest against his megacorporation on campus. THese variations contribute to a slightly different flavor in the overall story of the game.
Xbox Game Pass subscribers can enjoy Quantum Break as part of their membership.
