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[jennetics]

I'll never understand how people can get so worked up over someone's opinion of a video game.

I'm assuming some of it stems from people basically ticked at a guy with thousands of fans shitting on a game they really like. It's like Donald Trump bashing delicious Japanese food because he doesn't like eating with chop sticks, while also convincing millions of people that Japenese food is shit. I think I'd be ticked if he said something like that.

That was an awful analogy, I know...I hope it kinda made sense.

 

[3rdamention]

So his reviews are fine as long as they align with yours, but when they don't it means he's getting worse? Seems perfectly reasonable.

People really need to get over this idea that a review or opinion that doesn't line up with yours is a bad review or opinion.

I actually interpreted his statement the same way you did.

 

[ResoRai]

LOL, you're proving his point guys.

I used this same/similar technique to take out stacked enemies. Slow time with LB held to line up better. Time stop in front of first enemy, unload magazine. Slow time with LB held to line up better. Quick time stop in front of the other time stop, unload magazine.

First time stop collapses, barrage hits first enemy throwing him to the side and out of the way creating sight to the second enemy. Second time stop collapses sending second barage into second enemy who is now in the open after removing the first enemy.

(shrug)

I can't believe I haven't tried that in-game yet. I've been in some situations where that would've been useful too. Especially getting rushed by a group and Juggernauts.
Still working on chaining powers together tho.

 

[nynt9]

The episodes in Quantum Break are entirely skipable.

They focus mostly on a different set of characters who don't influence the main game much at all. It's just world building. For example and analogue for a game like the Last of Us might be an episode detailing Ish's story instead of notes - it helps to flesh out the world but it isn't integral to the plot at all.

I mean, you can't know if a cutscene or email is relevant to the story or not before watching/reading it can you? By that time it's already wasted your time. If they were optional, they shouldn't have played during the game and instead be accessible through collectibles or an extras menu, no?

 

[dt2]

On metacritic a 75 is 'positive', on lot's of peoples minds it is not. There are less then 70 glowing reviews, with lots of scores in the 70ies of reviewers with fair criticism (I gave it 76 myself, and I didn't like the game all that much. But it has his merrits to warant that score, which in the scale my magazine uses is 'good game, with soms flaws that really hurt it')

And yes, you can skip the show and follow Jacks story pure on a plot-based level. But if you skip it some characters don't get a proper introduction and the whole junction-stuff doesn't make a lot of sense. It's clear that show and game form a single piece. (And the show could easily be replaced by cutscènes, could have cut out the hacker-story completely and gave us control over the action. There is nothing wrong with having a game that tells both sides of a story, it has been done before. I found the TV-part completely unnecairy and not an inovating form of interactive storytelling at all. The way Quantum Break handles it's story is pretty bad and old fashioned imo.

I don't know what to say then. Metacritic uses a pretty easy to follow scale. If people don't consider a 77 positive then their interpretation of positive must be different than mine and Metacritic's.

I actually really liked the live action scenes, they helped flesh out many of the secondary characters and expanded the main story. It definitely wasn't academy award winning stuff but it was a fun ride. I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree there.

 

[SomTervo]

The episodes in Quantum Break are entirely skipable.

They focus mostly on a different set of characters who don't influence the main game much at all. It's just world building. For example and analogue for a game like the Last of Us might be an episode detailing Ish's story instead of notes - it helps to flesh out the world but it isn't integral to the plot at all.

You're probably right, but I feel like I'm missing so much when I skip them. It's really lame.

I might just start skipping them tonight. But I know I'll regret it.

This is true, though:

People don't know whether or not cutscenes are important until after they've watched them. Besides, telling people to skip one of the games biggest selling points (or at least one of the more marketed features) isn't exactly a fantastic response to their criticism.

 

[Chobel]

Can't watch it yet as I'm in work but I thought Quantum Break was supposed to be really good? That's the feeling I got from the previews.

I'll have to catch up with some reviews tonight.

Didn't really have any interest in the game simply because I've not enjoyed any of their games. I know I'm in the minority here but that's how they've all been for me.

It's not perfect and it has some flaws, so it really depends if these flaws affect your enjoyement of games.

Personally I think it's really good game.

 

[Gravy Boat]

You can skip the cutscenes if you want. They are not necessary to understand the main story but are there to further flesh out the secondary characters and add more overall background.

It doesn't fore you and actually asks if you'd like to skip it before watching.

All it does is show you the story from the perspective of the villain, you can skip it if you want.

The episodes in Quantum Break are entirely skipable.

They focus mostly on a different set of characters who don't influence the main game much at all. It's just world building. For example and analogue for a game like the Last of Us might be an episode detailing Ish's story instead of notes - it helps to flesh out the world but it isn't integral to the plot at all.

People don't know whether or not cutscenes are important until after they've watched them. Besides, telling people to skip one of the games biggest selling points (or at least one of the more marketed features) isn't exactly a fantastic response to their criticism.

 

[SomTervo]

Honestly, I'm glad you enjoy it so much. Personally I think with the lack of time I have and with how busy I am, I need a game to really come out and grab me to give me the desire to carry on playing it. Witcher 3 really did that for me and most recently Division, although at the endgame of Division I completely fell out with it.

When I'm walking around in a beautiful world with a well crafted story, I don't really like the masses of collectibles which involve the amount of reading it does. I know that sounds really pedantic and shallow, but I just loose the lack of drive to play the game. The game play its self becomes quite repetitive, and with the large proportion of the game being collectibles and story development, I think it simply dwarves any of the actual game, especially when I don't find the gameplay to keep fresh and fun.

I can definitely empathise - I think the handful of really excellent text logs, which actually twist the plot but are easily missable really helped them for me. Reading a log and going 'holy shit!' about something redeemed them in my eyes.

I agree that there are too many of them though - and a lot of them are very tokenistic.

 

[dt2]

People don't know whether or not cutscenes are important until after they've watched them. Besides, telling people to skip one of the games biggest selling points (or at least one of the more marketed features) isn't exactly a fantastic response to their criticism.

The criticism I was replying to was that the game was forcing you to sit through the cutscenes which is false.

 

[Gravy Boat]

The criticism was that the game was forcing you to sit through the cutscenes which is false.

Actually the criticism was that the game is forcing you to sit through them if you want to understand the story. This may be false, you may be able to fully understand the story without them, but you need to watch the cutscenes to learn that. And if you can understand the story without them, why are they there in the first place? Seems like there would be better way to build side characters than with a 20 minute cutscene.

 

[Gestault]

The episodes in Quantum Break are entirely skipable.

They focus mostly on a different set of characters who don't influence the main game much at all. It's just world building. For example and analogue for a game like the Last of Us might be an episode detailing Ish's story instead of notes - it helps to flesh out the world but it isn't integral to the plot at all.

Absolutely (including the option to skip or stop watching before they even begin), though a few characters in the TV show end up having direct influence on the last chapter of the game. The show is structured to show why some NPC motivations/allegiances shift over the course of the game.

 

[DeepEnigma]

This has always been Remedy's MO though. There definitely could be influence from Microsoft but I wouldn't be too surprised if this was how the game was intended to be to begin with. Max Payne used real photos for the environments and some of the actors. The story was told through comic book strips that depicted real actors as well. Alan Wake used real actors in some of the cutscenes and had "episodes" that were followed by intros and outros (complete with music). American Nightmare played out like an episode of the Twilight Zone (complete with ominous narrator) and used real actors as well. Remedy always seems to try to blend cinema with games.

That still does not give less credit to what I said. They just found the perfect developer 'ready for the challenge' of doing so.

I am still not letting them off for the lack of shell casings in 2016, when they made them a staple with Max Payne and being wow'ed at seeing them in slo-mo back in the day.

 

[Sunset Samurai]

Or you know, the game deserved its

Spoiler

5

/10?

Naw best 3rd person shooter this far this gen. Beat it in 3 days. I give it a 9/10

 

[DorkyMohr]

I find myself being more endeared to angry joe as time goes on. Not an intentional "time" joke.

 

[Gundy2010]

Alan Wake is a way better game IMO. Less cut scenes with more effective story telling, and much less player down time as well.

 

[shandy706]

I can't believe I haven't tried that in-game yet. I've been in some situations where that would've been useful too. Especially getting rushed by a group and Juggernauts.
Still working on chaining powers together tho.

It doesn't surprise me that people don't put much effort in. (not directed at you) This game has some of the most amazing combat mechanics I've seen in a long time. You can do wonders with them. You can stack bullets, change the timing of when attacks hit, who they hit, etc.

Plus...it looks amazing in typical Remedy fashion.

 

[Alienous]

People don't know whether or not cutscenes are important until after they've watched them. Besides, telling people to skip one of the games biggest selling points (or at least one of the more marketed features) isn't exactly a fantastic response to their criticism.

I guess I'm just saying that you lose nothing by skipping them, yet you gain some additional insight if you don't, so they are implemented as best as they could be.

I enjoyed them, and they amount to about 90~ minutes in total so they aren't most brutal thing to sit through, but if you do skip them the legibility of the game itself is unchanged.

I think it would be pretty clear to players by the second episode that the television part of the game is supplementary, whether they skipped the episode or not, as the game continues narratively from episode 1, and only nods at the events of the episode, but not in an intrusive way.

 

[dt2]

Actually the criticism was that the game is forcing you to sit through them if you want to understand the story. This may be false, you may be able to fully understand the story without them, but you need to watch the cutscenes to learn that. And if you can understand the story without them, why are they there in the first place? Seems like there would be better way to build side characters than with a 20 minute cutscene.

Like you said, the criticism that the game is forcing you to sit through 20 minute cut scenes to follow the story is false. I understand the concern and I definitely recommend skipping the live action scenes if you're not enjoying them (the game allows you too). I was just informing the poster that the episodes (while many found interesting and expand the world) are not pertinent to understanding the main story.

 

[Chris1]

People don't know whether or not cutscenes are important until after they've watched them. Besides, telling people to skip one of the games biggest selling points (or at least one of the more marketed features) isn't exactly a fantastic response to their criticism.

The TV show isn't a cutscene. There are traditional cutscenes too, which don't prompt you to skip (although you can, you have to go out your way to skip them, by pressing a button then pressing it again to confirm)

The TV show literally starts with a prompt "This is part of the TV show, would you like to A watch now B skip". If that doesn't tell you that you can skip it then I don't know what will, it's not like they're going to put "Hey we just wasted hours making this TV show, please skip it and don't watch. (fineprint) To watch press A."

Remedy has always said the TV show is entirely skippable if you don't want to watch it, so I'm not sure how that's consisted of one of the biggest selling points. They were doing something different, of course they're going to advertise it even if it's optional.

 

[Osahi]

This has always been Remedy's MO though. There definitely could be influence from Microsoft but I wouldn't be too surprised if this was how the game was intended to be to begin with. Max Payne used real photos for the environments and some of the actors. The story was told through comic book strips that depicted real actors as well. Alan Wake used real actors in some of the cutscenes and had "episodes" that were followed by intros and outros (complete with music). American Nightmare played out like an episode of the Twilight Zone (complete with ominous narrator) and used real actors as well. Remedy always seems to try to blend cinema with games.

True, they have been on this path for quite a while. But it is Microsoft who pushed them further on this path. If I recall corectly from a recent article about Alan Wake 2 QB came from a concept of AW2 where part of the story was suposed to be told in a tv-show. Microsoft jumped on the idea and asked them to go 'all the way' with the show.

http://www.gamespot.com/articles/alan-wake-2-pitched-with-live-action-component-bec/1100-6435415/

I always found it interesting how Remedy tried to blend media, but QB to me is proof it doesn't work and is the wrong path in trying to push games forward as a storytelling medium. The TV-show is in fact only cutscènes filmed in live action (it is not self-contained, my wife would not be able to follow the show if she would not watch me play too, so to me it isn't even a tv-show). It looks cheap and the fact real actors play it, makes the bad videogame dialogue only stand out more. Videogames are graphically so advanced now, you don't need live action at all anymore.

And don't start me on the overlong emails and stuff that totally breaks op the pace. It's old fashioned videogame story telling. I can stand a short note here and there, but pages upon pages of mails? No, no, no.

There are so many games now that do a lot more interesting stuff storytellingwise. The Last of Us with it's small optional dialogue moments builds it's world way better then those overlong emails (and the game in itself is way better written too). Telltale Games have the same 'tv-show'-like structure and also branch there storylines without actually pushing it all in a very different direction. But at least you care for the characters, which makes the choices mean something, regardless if the consequense isn't all that different from the other choice. Hell, a few weeks from the release of QB we got Stories: The Path of Destinies, a little indiegem that does really interesting and new things with choices and storytelling in games.

Storywise QB is a lineair game with only the illusion of choices, that only have effect on characters you don't care about, and which is partially told via bad live action cut scènes and way to much reading.

 

[DannyDanger]

his intro was funny

and the way he makes fun of the name "Jack Joyce" lolol

edit: also opening the doors with time sometimes working, and the door killing him haha

I think Joe did a fairly poor job of articulating his actual problems with the game.

It seemed like he was just nitpicking a bunch of surface level stuff, but didn't get at the real meat of why he wasn't having much fun with the game. I haven't played Quantum Break, so I can't agree or disagree with his criticisms, but it felt like he didn't put as much thought and effort into this review as many of his others.

Sorry but this is a lie... he shows examples of every complaint in-game
Dumb ai
Inconsistent platforming
the doors
no hip fire
hard crashes
etc...

definitely not nitpicking

 

[Goose_Se7en]

Actually the criticism was that the game is forcing you to sit through them if you want to understand the story. This may be false, you may be able to fully understand the story without them, but you need to watch the cutscenes to learn that. And if you can understand the story without them, why are they there in the first place? Seems like there would be better way to build side characters than with a 20 minute cutscene.

The live action set pieces are there because maybe Remedy wanted to introduce something different to the genre or not as widely used?

I'd argue that the live action set pieces are useful in that they world build and then alongside the collectible story bits give nuance and ground the characters.

For example, Dr. Kim is a character who is never fully introduced on screen, but reading those emails made him someone I felt -playing the player character Jack Joyce- I needed to be wary of.

Liam Burke is a character who the live-action scenes fully realized for me, Paul Serene was another one who went from generic bad guy, to a character who not unlike Joyce wants to save the world but is going about it in a different way.

Skipping the live action pieces I believe would be detrimental to the overall narrative arc. The cast of characters are so big that I think it would have been difficult for Remedy to bring them to life without them.

But, you did say they perhaps there was a better way for Remedy to build side characters without the use of live action.

Please share some.

 

[antitrop]

I think Joe did a fairly poor job of articulating his actual problems with the game.

It seemed like he was just nitpicking a bunch of surface level stuff, but didn't get at the real meat of why he wasn't having much fun with the game. I haven't played Quantum Break, so I can't agree or disagree with his criticisms, but it felt like he didn't put as much thought and effort into this review as many of his others.

I think a lot of this comes from his process of livestreaming his review playthroughs. He's more focused on being an entertaining streamer than actually paying attention to the game itself with a critical eye, and that shows. More and more often, his reviews cut to footage from his livestream to prove points and it's usually just him acting like a jackass, and that makes me appreciate his reviews far less than I used to.

 

[Osahi]

I don't know what to say then. Metacritic uses a pretty easy to follow scale. If people don't consider a 77 positive then their interpretation of positive must be different than mine and Metacritic's.

I actually really liked the live action scenes, they helped flesh out many of the secondary characters and expanded the main story. It definitely wasn't academy award winning stuff but it was a fun ride. I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree there.

So you agree with reviewers giving it a 75 and think it is a good score?

I don't think 77 MC is a bad score in itself, but it does mean the game has some serious flaws. A really good game to me starts at 8 to 8,5.

 

[TheKeyPit]

It doesn't surprise me that people don't put much effort in. (not directed at you) This game has some of the most amazing combat mechanics I've seen in a long time. You can do wonders with them. You can stack bullets, change the timing of when attacks hit, who they hit, etc.

Plus...it looks amazing in typical Remedy fashion.

I'm nearing the end of my second playthrough and I've never stacked that many bullets :O

 

[Gravy Boat]

The TV show isn't a cutscene. There are traditional cutscenes too, which don't prompt you to skip (although you can, you have to go out your way to skip them, by pressing a button then pressing it again to confirm)

The TV show literally starts with a prompt "This is part of the TV show, would you like to A watch now B skip". If that doesn't tell you that you can skip it then I don't know what will, it's not like they're going to put "Hey we just wasted hours making this TV show, please skip it and don't watch. (fineprint) To watch press A."

Remedy has always said the TV show is entirely skippable if you don't want to watch it, so I'm not sure how that's consisted of one of the biggest selling points. They were doing something different, of course they're going to advertise it even if it's optional.

It's in literally every marketing piece and ad for the game. They've talked about it constantly. I don't know how you can argue that it isn't one of the games most pushed selling points.

And I think you're misunderstanding what I'm saying. The original poster wasn't saying he was literally forced to watch them. He said he was forced to watch them if he wanted to understand the story. Even if that isn't true, players generally don't know how important a cut scene is until after they've watched it. So if you're playing this game for the story, there's no way you're going to skip any of those episodes.

Yes it's something different but that doesn't mean it's good. There are far better ways to build story within a game without resorting to 20 minute FMV sequences, which is probably why other games don't do that. Especially if like you say, they're entirely optional. Hiring big name actors and disliking multiple versions of five 20 minute FMVs, which include things like car chases, seems like a massive waste of resources and the players time for some optional story content.

The live action set pieces are there because maybe Remedy wanted to introduce something different to the genre or not as widely used?

I'd argue that the live action set pieces are useful in that they world build and then alongside the collectible story bits give nuance and ground the characters.

For example, Dr. Kim is a character who is never fully introduced on screen, but reading those emails made him someone I felt -playing the player character Jack Joyce- I needed to be wary of.

Liam Burke is a character who the live-action scenes fully realized for me, Paul Serene was another one who went from generic bad guy, to a character who not unlike Joyce wants to save the world but is going about it in a different way.

Skipping the live action pieces I believe would be detrimental to the overall narrative arc. The cast of characters are so big that I think it would have been difficult for Remedy to bring them to life without them.

But, you did say they perhaps there was a better way for Remedy to build side characters without the use of live action.

Please share some.

What part of any of this couldn't have been included in in-game cutscenes and dialogue? I agree that what they did was different and unique but I don't see how it's better than something like how TLoU, Portal, Bioshock, Mass Effect or The Walking Dead. None of which had me wasting 20 minute FMV sequences to see some background character development.

 

[Z3M0G]

Heh, based on the review the live action stuff really does make the the MSG4 stuff look good by comparison in terms of how awkwardly integrated into the game it seems.

I'm now reminded of MGS4's brilliant multi-channel TV Intro... where you can flip through multiple channels of Live Action TV, seeing an image of what the world had become.

I wonder if we'll ever see something like that in a game again...

KOJIMAAAAA!!

 

[TsuWave]

Agreed completely with this review, and Quantum Break will be the last full retail game I purchase digitally. Feel pretty burned. After all that hype, the game was utterly disappointing.

damn, pretty damning assessment

 

[TheKeyPit]

It's in literally every marketing piece and ad for the game. They've talked about it constantly. I don't know how you can argue that it isn't one of the games most pushed selling points.

And I think you're misunderstanding what I'm saying. The original poster wasn't saying he was literally forced to watch them. He said he was forced to watch them if he wanted to understand the story. Even if that isn't true, players generally don't know how important a cut scene is until after they've watched it. So if you're playing this game for the story, there's no way you're going to skip any of those episodes.

Yes it's something different but that doesn't mean it's good. There are far better ways to build story within a game without resorting to 20 minute FMV sequences, which is probably why other games don't do that. Especially if like you say, they're entirely optional. Hiring big name actors and disliking multiple versions of five 20 minute FMVs, which include things like car chases, seems like a massive waste of resources and the players time for some optional story content.

Except that according to someone from Remedy they would have done the same stuff with ingame cutscenes and that would have eaten up even more ressources than the live action stuff.

 

[Gravy Boat]

Except that according to someone from Remedy they would have done the same stuff with ingame cutscenes and that would have eaten up even more ressources than the live action stuff.

Regardless of wether it was FMV or in game cutscene, having a 20 minute cutscene at the end of each episode just seems awful to me. Especially if, like multiple posters are saying, it's entirely optional info that doesn't affect your understanding of the story. I can't see that as a good design decision for a video game.

 

[papo]

The episodes in Quantum Break are entirely skipable.

They focus mostly on a different set of characters who don't influence the main game much at all. It's just world building. For example and analogue for a game like the Last of Us might be an episode detailing Ish's story instead of notes - it helps to flesh out the world but it isn't integral to the plot at all.

Not completely true though. The episode may focus on side characters most of the time, but they do include the main characters and some plot points too.

IMO it is one of the weak points. I still like the episodes, but for another game of this type they should have the episodes focus on the main characters.

 

[Alienous]

It's in literally every marketing piece and ad for the game. They've talked about it constantly. I don't know how you can argue that it isn't one of the games most pushed selling points.

Literally? Where is it in this TV spot?

And I think you're misunderstanding what I'm saying. The original poster wasn't saying he was literally forced to watch them. He said he was forced to watch them if he wanted to understand the story. Even if that isn't true, players generally don't know how important a cut scene is until after they've watched it. So if you're playing this game for the story, there's no way you're going to skip any of those episodes.

Yes it's something different but that doesn't mean it's good. There are far better ways to build story within a game without resorting to 20 minute FMV sequences, which is probably why other games don't do that. Especially if like you say, they're entirely optional. Hiring big name actors and disliking multiple versions of five 20 minute FMVs, which include things like car chases, seems like a massive waste of resources and the players time for some optional story content.

That's the thing, I think the episodes manage a delicate balance really well. They aren't too long (if you get to the end of the first 20 minute episode it should be clear then that it's supplementary to the narrative, not essential, as it is telling a different story), they aren't necessary to understand the narrative, they are good at proividing additional insight (such as giving you more insight to the how the events of the game are impacting other people).

I don't really see the issue with them.

 

[Z3M0G]

The TV show isn't a cutscene. There are traditional cutscenes too, which don't prompt you to skip (although you can, you have to go out your way to skip them, by pressing a button then pressing it again to confirm)

The TV show literally starts with a prompt "This is part of the TV show, would you like to A watch now B skip". If that doesn't tell you that you can skip it then I don't know what will, it's not like they're going to put "Hey we just wasted hours making this TV show, please skip it and don't watch. (fineprint) To watch press A."

Remedy has always said the TV show is entirely skippable if you don't want to watch it, so I'm not sure how that's consisted of one of the biggest selling points. They were doing something different, of course they're going to advertise it even if it's optional.

It feels to me that it was supposed to be handled quite differently originally... back when Xbox One was to go the TV TV TV TV TV route. I suspect that the game sections were to be released in episodes, and the show episodes would release in between. Making the TV show segments actually feel like TV Events. Also, them running ~22 minutes long tells me that they were likely first meant to have commercial breaks. I'm actually surprised that it doesn't now. But imagine the outrage if it did.

This was a project conceived back when there was a very different plan for XBO, then reshaped to compile what they designed into a single package. We won't see another game do this again.

 

[Gravy Boat]

Literally? Where is it in this TV spot?



That's the thing, I think the episodes manage a delicate balance really well. They aren't too long (if you get to the end of the first 20 minute episode it should be clear then that it's supplementary to the narrative, not essential, as it is telling a different story), they aren't necessary to understand the narrative, they are good at proividing additional insight (such as giving you more insight to the how the events of the game are impacting other people).

I don't really see the issue with them.

Alright then, not literally. But you still can't deny they've pushed it really hard. It was even one of the main focuses for their E3 presentation. They wanted people to know that's what this game was about.

It's great that you don't see an issue with them, but I think it's a terrible design decision and I'd be massively surprised if any developer chooses to take this route in the future. It offers nothing beneficial over how stories are traditionally told in games.

 

[dt2]

So you agree with reviewers giving it a 75 and think it is a good score?

I don't think 77 MC is a bad score in itself, but it does mean the game has some serious flaws. A really good game to me starts at 8 to 8,5.

Personally I would give it an 85 but if the reviewer feels it deserves a 75 then that's their call. Looking at the 75ish scores it does seem like they have positive things to say (at least in the blurbs). The way I see it is 5 - 6.9 is average or slightly above average, 7 to 7.9 is good, 8 to 8.9 is great, 9 to 9.9 is amazing, and 10 is perfect. The game ends abruptly and some of the live action acting/effects are not up to par but overall it was a very enjoyable romp that I've played through twice and will go through at least a couple more times.

 

[Chris1]

It's in literally every marketing piece and ad for the game. They've talked about it constantly. I don't know how you can argue that it isn't one of the games most pushed selling points.

And I think you're misunderstanding what I'm saying. The original poster wasn't saying he was literally forced to watch them. He said he was forced to watch them if he wanted to understand the story. Even if that isn't true, players generally don't know how important a cut scene is until after they've watched it. So if you're playing this game for the story, there's no way you're going to skip any of those episodes.

Yes it's something different but that doesn't mean it's good. There are far better ways to build story within a game without resorting to 20 minute FMV sequences, which is probably why other games don't do that. Especially if like you say, they're entirely optional. Hiring big name actors and disliking multiple versions of five 20 minute FMVs, which include things like car chases, seems like a massive waste of resources and the players time for some optional story content.

I didn't particularly like the TV show either, it was better than I thought (which wasn't really saying much because my expectations were 0), but it's not something I'd sit down and watch every week. The only interesting part of it was seeing it from the villains perspective but that's about it and I'd much preferred if they just made the villains perspective actual gameplay, seeing as (very small spoiler)

Spoiler

you actually play as the villain during the junctions for a bit

I think it'd fit in better than taking you out the game for 20 minutes.

Perhaps if I just bought the game on a whim knowing nothing about it I wouldn't know the TV show was skippable but obviously I can't relate to that since I knew it was skippable for months before hand, but I think the game does a pretty good job of telling you "you don't have to watch this if you don't want to" without actually saying "don't watch it"

It feels to me that it was supposed to be handled quite differently originally... back when Xbox One was to go the TV TV TV TV TV route. I suspect that the game sections were to be released in episodes, and the show episodes would release in between. Making the TV show segments actually feel like TV Events. Also, them running ~22 minutes long tells me that they were likely first meant to have commercial breaks. I'm actually surprised that it doesn't now. But imagine the outrage if it did.

This was a project conceived back when there was a very different plan for XBO, then reshaped to compile what they designed into a single package. We won't see another game do this again.

What do you mean there isn't any commercial breaks? I swear inbetween every 22 minute TV show there was non stop Nissan and Windows Phone/Surface adverts?

Spoiler

Joking. Maybe.

 

[Alienous]

Not completely true though. The episode may focus on side characters most of the time, but they do include the main characters and some plot points too.

IMO it is one of the weak points. I still like the episodes, but for another game of this type they should have the episodes focus on the main characters.

Sure it features main characters, but most of the time it's an extended cameo.

The episodes just provide insight, mostly. A lot of the game is based off of mystery, and the game itself reveals those mysteries to you, but the episodes give you insight into motivations beforehand, and develop the universe surrounding the game.

Thinking about the game itself I don't see where you'd go "the story doesn't make sense" if you skipped the episodes. They progress separately, but alongside each-other.

 

[Goose_Se7en]

It's great that you don't see an issue with them, but I think it's a terrible design decision.

Have you played and finished Quantum Break to completion? Not to invalidate any of what you're saying -which I could never do- but I'd like to know how you're basing your comments on.

 

[Gravy Boat]

Have you played and finished Quantum Break to completion? Not to invalidate any of what you're saying -which I could never do- but I'd like to know how you're basing your comments on.

I really don't think I need to play the game to completion to know how cutscenes work. I haven't played the game because I know it's not for me.

 

[Ushay]

I like Joe as a person he cracks me up sometimes, but I find myself disagreeing with him more and more. Oh well.

Same here, really disagree with a lot of his opinions, but eh, it's his choice at the ens of the day. Glad I dropped my sub to him.

 

[holygeesus]

It's not entirely fair to say the live-action sequences are 'optional' or don't have direct influence on the story - it's been a while since I played it but after you

Spoiler

hand yourself over to Littlefinger, and are locked in his interrogation room, I'm pretty sure you are broken out of custody during one of these live-action scenes, and the next time you start actual gameplay you are outside

If you hadn't watched it, you miss out on that vital part of the story and how you managed to go from point A to point B and also if you missed anything important during the interim.

 

[Alienous]

I really don't think I need to play the game to completion to know how cutscenes work. I haven't played the game because I know it's not for me.

But the episodes aren't cutscenes. Cutscenes are non-interative parts of a game that branch gameplay moments. The episodes are a separate story following different characters situated in the same universe, which provides insight to the game. They're probably most like those pre-game comic books that sometimes get released, but these a small television episodes that progress alongside (but separately to) the main game's plot.

 

[dt2]

It's not entirely fair to say the live-action sequences are 'optional' or don't have direct influence on the story - it's been a while since I played it but after you

Spoiler

hand yourself over to Littlefinger, and are locked in his interrogation room, I'm pretty sure you are broken out of custody during one of these live-action scenes, and the next time you start actual gameplay you are outside

If you hadn't watched it, you miss out on that vital part of the story and how you managed to go from point A to point B and also if you missed anything important during the interim.

Correct me if I'm wrong but I'm fairly positive you

Spoiler

start the game in the interrogation room with Beth who uncuffs you, explains the situation, unlocks the door, and hands you a gun.

 

[Alienous]

Correct me if I'm wrong but I'm fairly positive you

Spoiler

start the game in the interrogation room with Beth who uncuffs you, explains the situation, unlocks the door, and hands you a gun

It differs, but both are explained in an in-game cutscene.

One branch,

Spoiler

Personal

,

Spoiler

Beth seems to outright rescue you

.

The other,

Spoiler

Business

,

Spoiler

She mounts a rescue but Jack explains that Hatch gave him a key

. Jack even recaps

Spoiler

what transpired in his part of the episode

.

But both explain in-game how you manage to get out.

 

[Gravy Boat]

But the episodes aren't cutscenes. Cutscenes are non-interative parts of a game that branch gameplay moments. The episodes are a separate story following different characters situated in the same universe, which provides insight to the game. They're probably most like those pre-game comic books that sometimes get released, but these a small television episodes that progress alongside (but separately to) the main game's plot.

For all itents and purposes they're the same thing. One being in game graphics and the other being FMV doesn't change the point I'm trying to make. They're used for world building and character development, and I don't see how doing it in 20 minute chunks benefits me as a player. I see being removed from gameplay for 20 minutes to learn something about the game as a poor design choice. If I can skip them with almost no downside they I question why they're there at all. More power to you if you can honestly say to yourself that watching them was the best way to experience the narrative they were trying to get across.

 

[Pilgrimzero]

Joe is literally complaining about video game logic.

Why can I shoot/explode the bad guys but I can't do it to this door? Quantum isn't the first time a game has done this.

Or why can I take 30 bullets but one door kills me? Again been in games a long time.

I'm not saying some of his other points aren't valid but that one is scraping the bottom of the barrel.

 

[Alienous]

For all itents and purposes they're the same thing. One being in game graphics and the other being FMV doesn't change the point I'm trying to make. They're used for world building and character development, and I don't see how doing it in 20 minute chunks benefits me as a player. I see being removed from gameplay for 20 minutes to learn something about the game as a poor design choice. If I can skip them with almost no downside they I question why they're there at all. More power to you if you can honestly say to yourself that watching them was the best way to experience the narrative they were trying to get across.

They aren't the same.

As I said, a game cutscene branches gameplay moments. Quantum Break has those. It also has episodes, that do not branch gameplay moments, but tell a different story in the same universe.

You can play The Last of Us without reading its comic book, 'The Last of Us: American Dreams'. I didn't, and the narrative is completely followable. However the comic gives some insight into Ellie as a character. That's why it's supplementary - it isn't needed, but it might be enjoyed.

Similarly the episodes in Quantum Break function that way, however they they are given to you as the narrative of the game itself progresses. Doing it in 20 minute chunks is a function of trying to tell a story in an episode that adds a depth to the universe, and it does a pretty good job, IMO. They add to the experience, and that's all they need to do.

 

[rashbeep]

I would say that one thing that definitely bugged me was no hipfire. Got me killed a few times early on, and even though I got used to it, it still made no sense why it wasn't there.

 

[NullPointer]

Why can I shoot/explode the bad guys but I can't do it to this door? Quantum isn't the first time a game has done this.

Or why can I take 30 bullets but one door kills me? Again been in games a long time.

I'm not saying some of his other points aren't valid but that one is scraping the bottom of the barrel.

Why does it matter if its not the first time games have done it?

He's criticized a lack of consistency (and many other things) in his other reviews. Quantum Break isn't being singled out as the only game that he's ever had those issues with.