MrCunningham
Member
Haha, that's what I meant to say. But anyway, I managed to turn off the mouse smoothing and motion blur, and the game is already starting to look a lot better.
Quantum Conundrum |OT| A game made by Kim Swift - lead designer on Portal 1
- Thread starter MRORANGE
- Start date
Haha, that's what I meant to say. But anyway, I managed to turn off the mouse smoothing and motion blur, and the game is already starting to look a lot better.
You feel smart and cool when you discover and perform something like this. The slow motion feature (air surfing!) alone is enough to justify buying this game
And it blends really well with the other dimensions.
I love how some of the solution are surprising in a really fun way, like the fantastic one you found out. Or performing an alley-oop with myself, or the first time you have to do object surfing, or basically creating your own plateforms by throwing stuff in the air in slo-mo, or waiting for stacks of boxes to fall and become horizontal bridges (you know the one)...
For the most part, really enjoying the puzzle solving, particularly in the
dimension, and it's definitely worth the purchase given the price. I do have a few gripes though.
I feel that the context they've chosen for the puzzle rooms and the story is really weak. Thus far at least, the reason for the existence of these crazy, contrived rooms isn't clear, and the narrator's dialogue isn't written or timed that well - you definitely get the "sat in a booth saying lines" feeling when he talks. He's also able to see your progress despite being lost somewhere? Any time he speaks about backstory it feels like hamfisted story exposition. The game is going to suffer many obvious comparisons to Portal, but that's one of things it did excellently that I think Quantum Conundrum hasn't executed that well - took the "test chamber" concept and developed it to be something very compelling.
Additionally, the occasionally awkward level design combined with the art style doesn't lend itself to readable problems/solutions. It's all very colourful and wacky which means there's a lot to pay attention to when you enter a room. There can also sometimes be a a lot of ambiguity in what the intended solution is - things that seem like they should be solutions end up being wrong, or awkward to achieve. This is going to be a problem with any puzzle game as players interpret things differently but I've felt it quite a lot in some of the levels here.
All that said, I'm having fun, and a lot of the solutions prove to be very satisfying -
and
come to mind.
slomo
I feel that the context they've chosen for the puzzle rooms and the story is really weak. Thus far at least, the reason for the existence of these crazy, contrived rooms isn't clear, and the narrator's dialogue isn't written or timed that well - you definitely get the "sat in a booth saying lines" feeling when he talks. He's also able to see your progress despite being lost somewhere? Any time he speaks about backstory it feels like hamfisted story exposition. The game is going to suffer many obvious comparisons to Portal, but that's one of things it did excellently that I think Quantum Conundrum hasn't executed that well - took the "test chamber" concept and developed it to be something very compelling.
Additionally, the occasionally awkward level design combined with the art style doesn't lend itself to readable problems/solutions. It's all very colourful and wacky which means there's a lot to pay attention to when you enter a room. There can also sometimes be a a lot of ambiguity in what the intended solution is - things that seem like they should be solutions end up being wrong, or awkward to achieve. This is going to be a problem with any puzzle game as players interpret things differently but I've felt it quite a lot in some of the levels here.
All that said, I'm having fun, and a lot of the solutions prove to be very satisfying -
starting the generator at the end of the first "act"
the first 10-15 minutes of the slomo dimension levels
Just completed. Took 4 hours 25 mins. Overall i thought the game was pretty great. Would recommend.
About the ending:
About the ending:
I thought it was kind of abrupt, i though there would be more gameplay/explanation of what had happened instead of it just kind of stopping in its tracks. I guess thats what they have planned for the dlc? Still i liked the end game puzzles, just wanted more of them
Just beat it; that may have been one of the most abrupt endings ever, and I don't think it helps that it's essentially an advertisement for the DLC. Really poor form from Airtight and Squenix for such a blatant BUY THIS TO FINISH GAME ploy.
That said, the puzzles were generally good, with some really excellent ones in the slo-mo and anti-gravity dimensions (I really got a kick out of the various
, but I wish they didn't try so hard with the humor. Even John de Lancie didn't seem like he was into it all that much.
That said, the puzzles were generally good, with some really excellent ones in the slo-mo and anti-gravity dimensions (I really got a kick out of the various
conveyor belt mazes
Nabs
Member
You're a savior. No more 30 minutes of game play, 3 hours of nausea!
updated reviews, average on Metacritic is 81 :
Rock, Paper, Shotgun:
Minute to minute over the last couple of days, my opinion towards Quantum Conundrum has changed dramatically.
Moments after thinking yes, this is smart and charming Id be wishing the most awful suffering upon its creators.
Kotaku:
Perhaps Quantum Conundrum's greatest quality is this: While playing through the eight or nine hours it took me to finish,
I was at times frustrated, annoyed, and even a little infuriated. But I never stopped smiling.
Destructroid: 10/10
This game is amazing, and I would gladly pay forty bucks for it. It almost seems wrong to enjoy a $15 title this much.
Quantum Conundrum has more polish and charm than most full-price retail releases.
GamesRadar: 9/10
If you had even a passing enjoyment with the Portal games, or any of the recent influx of indie puzzle-platformers,
we cant recommend Quantum Conundrum enough.
Wired: 9/10
A novel and original concept, executed cleanly and with style in short, the ideal to which videogames should aspire.
GameInformer: 8.5/10
Serious puzzle fans will be happy with some of the late-game challenges, which require thinking outside the box.
Games(TM): 8/10
Conundrum finds the antithesis of GLaDOS but none of the charm. With a sharper wit to match the sophistication of
the puzzle design, this jaunty adventure could have been a new dimension.
Machinima: 8/10
Here and there poorly designed puzzles with throw you for a loop not because theyre too mentally taxing but
because they require precise platforming which is both rarely fun in a first-person game.
IGN: 8/10
Quantum Conundrum's inventive puzzles put your brain to satisfying work. Everything surrounding the challenges feels
a little empty and could use some of the rest of the games ingenuity.
GameTrailers: 7.9/10
With several dozen scenarios on offer, itll certainly keep you busy if youve got a hankering for transdimensional
brain-teasers.
GameSpot: 7.5/10
It doesn't always play to its strengths, but the clever ideas and confounding brainteasers of Quantum Conundrum make
it a mostly enjoyable journey.
Joystiq: 7/10
If you can ignore the jarring, clipped dialogue and attempted story, play Quantum Conundrum to enjoy the tranquility of
practiced physics tranquility that may frustrate you to the point of destroying a beautiful keyboard.
GameSpy: 7/10
There's no disputing that Quantum Conundrum has some great ideas here, and perhaps it's even something this
creative team can build upon.
added to OP, thanks.
Rock, Paper, Shotgun:
Minute to minute over the last couple of days, my opinion towards Quantum Conundrum has changed dramatically.
Moments after thinking yes, this is smart and charming Id be wishing the most awful suffering upon its creators.
Kotaku:
Perhaps Quantum Conundrum's greatest quality is this: While playing through the eight or nine hours it took me to finish,
I was at times frustrated, annoyed, and even a little infuriated. But I never stopped smiling.
Destructroid: 10/10
This game is amazing, and I would gladly pay forty bucks for it. It almost seems wrong to enjoy a $15 title this much.
Quantum Conundrum has more polish and charm than most full-price retail releases.
GamesRadar: 9/10
If you had even a passing enjoyment with the Portal games, or any of the recent influx of indie puzzle-platformers,
we cant recommend Quantum Conundrum enough.
Wired: 9/10
A novel and original concept, executed cleanly and with style in short, the ideal to which videogames should aspire.
GameInformer: 8.5/10
Serious puzzle fans will be happy with some of the late-game challenges, which require thinking outside the box.
Games(TM): 8/10
Conundrum finds the antithesis of GLaDOS but none of the charm. With a sharper wit to match the sophistication of
the puzzle design, this jaunty adventure could have been a new dimension.
Machinima: 8/10
Here and there poorly designed puzzles with throw you for a loop not because theyre too mentally taxing but
because they require precise platforming which is both rarely fun in a first-person game.
IGN: 8/10
Quantum Conundrum's inventive puzzles put your brain to satisfying work. Everything surrounding the challenges feels
a little empty and could use some of the rest of the games ingenuity.
GameTrailers: 7.9/10
With several dozen scenarios on offer, itll certainly keep you busy if youve got a hankering for transdimensional
brain-teasers.
GameSpot: 7.5/10
It doesn't always play to its strengths, but the clever ideas and confounding brainteasers of Quantum Conundrum make
it a mostly enjoyable journey.
Joystiq: 7/10
If you can ignore the jarring, clipped dialogue and attempted story, play Quantum Conundrum to enjoy the tranquility of
practiced physics tranquility that may frustrate you to the point of destroying a beautiful keyboard.
GameSpy: 7/10
There's no disputing that Quantum Conundrum has some great ideas here, and perhaps it's even something this
creative team can build upon.
added to OP, thanks.
It's weird since John de Lancie is such a reliable talent for anything, but he's shockingly unenthused when delivering his lines. I don't know if it's because of the writing being so lame or the VA director not giving a damn, but it sticks out like a sore thumb.
One review (I think it was RPS) stated it sounded like de Lancie was reading his lines for the first time. Which is entirely possible, I suppose. It's not like a normal TV or movie gig, where you've got maybe five or ten minutes of dialog.. he's got hours here. Under the circumstances, I suppose he did the best with what he had, but he probably didn't have any feedback or any real idea of why the character was saying these things. He is a quite talented character actor, I gather any emotion or excitement in his performance is due entirely to his own interpretation and not input from the director.
So far I'm enjoying the game (still early on). I had to force AA in Control Panel since the game doesn't have it.. the first time I've ever had to force AA, I think. And, as 1-D_FTW said, the 3D is quite broken, hopefully they can patch better support in later. This is a game that would benefit from it quite well, I think, just like the Portal games do. I'm fairly new to 3D gaming (only had this monitor a few weeks), so it's disappointing to find games that don't play well with it.
Then again, the game's only $15.. I might have felt differently if I'd paid $60 for it.
Meatpuppet
Member
Really enjoying the game so far. Just got the third dimension, much fun 
I'd show a little more respect.
I'm still on the fence about getting this. Steam sale it is.
SteveWinwood
Member
Hey guys... there was a patch...
I still can't turn the resolution higher... but fov, blur, and bloom... I'll take it.
I still can't turn the resolution higher... but fov, blur, and bloom... I'll take it.
Stallion Free
Cock Encumbered
Lol it's like they read this thread.
Have you tried editing the config file? It works.
SteveWinwood
Member
I hadn't really looked into it. I assumed there was a ue3 config thing from early talks in the thread.
There are a lot of repeated puzzles. Yeah I got it, put the safe on the switch with the make things light dimension then turn it off and it gets heavy. That happens like 5 times. Just that puzzle. You don't learn anything else from the room. I don't know if it's padding or what. Also lots of hallways with nothing in them. I'm going to assume they're there to allow the engine to stream stuff in and not just give the narrator time to talk.
Ah shit. The professor is Jane's father from Breaking Bad?
I actually didn't think the VO was too bad, from the 90 minutes I've played so far. Doesn't even compare, to valves level of stellar work though. But I think people have been overreacting about QC.
Was feeling slightly sick playing before, so hurray for FOV slider.
I actually didn't think the VO was too bad, from the 90 minutes I've played so far. Doesn't even compare, to valves level of stellar work though. But I think people have been overreacting about QC.
Was feeling slightly sick playing before, so hurray for FOV slider.
paperboywriter
Member
hey GAF, play this game. It's pretty good!
Heavy's Sandvich
Member
It is a square-enix game.
There was a fake Final Fantasy poster in Deus Ex Human Revolution.
AHA-Lambda
Member
eurogamer review 5/10
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-06-26-quantum-conundrum-review
seems a bit harsh compared to other impressions I've heard, but certainly makes it more important to me to try the trial first once it is available on XBLA.
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-06-26-quantum-conundrum-review
seems a bit harsh compared to other impressions I've heard, but certainly makes it more important to me to try the trial first once it is available on XBLA.
T
thepotatoman
Unconfirmed Member
So I just finished it and I really enjoyed it. I don't know if i was just off or something during it but there were 2 parts of it really had me confused which I believe is essential to a good puzzle game. I'd also say that I cannot get enough of first person puzzlers and the fact there are pretty much only 4 games in that genre right now really helps it.
Its really annoying to me when people start heavily comparing it to portal 2 because there is certainly room in that genre to expand it. And there really isn't a better way to do that right now without room by room puzzles. I guess the silly disembodied voice maybe draws comparisons but the only real other way is to have a partner that walks around with you which takes some production time depending on what you do with it, and it isn't really a original concept either.
Overall I think the voice acting did add to the game, but it definitely has some problems. There are certainly some super flat jokes you have to ignore and honestly the character makes a lot more sense to me if you imagine it coming from Q's mouth then if you imagine it from a mad scientist.
Its really annoying to me when people start heavily comparing it to portal 2 because there is certainly room in that genre to expand it. And there really isn't a better way to do that right now without room by room puzzles. I guess the silly disembodied voice maybe draws comparisons but the only real other way is to have a partner that walks around with you which takes some production time depending on what you do with it, and it isn't really a original concept either.
Overall I think the voice acting did add to the game, but it definitely has some problems. There are certainly some super flat jokes you have to ignore and honestly the character makes a lot more sense to me if you imagine it coming from Q's mouth then if you imagine it from a mad scientist.
Freeza Under The Shower
Member
Anyone know what puzzle they are talking about? I can't imagine there is one that hard...
Pretty sure it's the
Higher learning
from the eurogamer review:
I fucking hate VVVVVV, so no thank you. I had fun with QC, aside from the repeating hallways, that was a bit much.
Solid game all round. I really do not give a shit about it being thematically weakish or being based on Portal (at least seem that way). And I wouldn't think anyone does, to be honest.
Nope. Both my laptop (where I'm running the game from) and my TV (which I use as the monitor) native res is 1366x766. Must be confusing the game, because my tv will say its displaying in 1080p at that res.
krameriffic
Member
Still can't even bring myself to finish this game. I play it for 10 minutes and just get bored. The puzzles don't engage or intrigue me, the atmosphere of the game is just boring, and nothing about the experience draws me in on any level. I get more enjoyment playing player-made maps for Portal 2 (particularly everything Mevious makes) because the concept, aesthetics and mechanics of the game are just better. Oh and the puzzles actually make me think rather than laboriously attempt to get jumps and tightly timed dimensional shifts right.
jediyoshi
Member
Could easily say the same thing about Portal 2 and replace timing puzzles with finding the exit/portable surface.
Depending on your settings, your video card could be scaling any other resolution up to your native one, ala your tv could be reporting 1920x1080 even if the game was running at 640x480.
GamerVoice
Banned
Seeing as this game is nowhere near as good as Portal 2, I wouldn't be so sure of that.
PS Portal 2 is much better than 1.
Stallion Free
Cock Encumbered
She left Valve because this was the game she wanted to make.
Kind of a crazy thing to do, she had a stable career at Valve. No sane person would give up a stable career like that...There's no guarantee this new game will be a success and if it isn't she'll be shit out of luck. Game designers are so crazy sometimes.
GamerVoice
Banned
Portal with worse mechanics?
There's really no way to avoid comparing this game to Portal.
First, the good: The puzzles are fantastic and I enjoy the more demanding platforming elements that were lacking in Portal 2. It feels great on a m/kn setup and was a blast to play.
Now, the bad: Q as the main narrator is somehow NOT awesome, which is really, really surprising. The game ends with a huge whimper in what honestly felt like a placeholder "puzzle" that would later be replaced but never was. The ending theme is certainly no "Still Alive," but that's a pretty high benchmark.
Kind of get the feeling that the puzzle design was Kim Swift and as great as ever, but the trimmings were not Valve and it shows.
First, the good: The puzzles are fantastic and I enjoy the more demanding platforming elements that were lacking in Portal 2. It feels great on a m/kn setup and was a blast to play.
Now, the bad: Q as the main narrator is somehow NOT awesome, which is really, really surprising. The game ends with a huge whimper in what honestly felt like a placeholder "puzzle" that would later be replaced but never was. The ending theme is certainly no "Still Alive," but that's a pretty high benchmark.
Kind of get the feeling that the puzzle design was Kim Swift and as great as ever, but the trimmings were not Valve and it shows.