Quantum Break (Xbox One)

I could have got a post-release review copy of this game if I hadn't already pre-ordered it, which (believe it or not) makes me very happy, as I feel almost as if I was destined to play this game in whatever reality; fitting given the subject matter. In truth I had only to hear it was from the same studio who made Alan Wake and I was sold, and it was an added nostalgia trip for me to spot all the Alan Wake references in this new game.If you don't already know, and chances are that you do actually already know, this is an ambitious hybrid of a plot driven game where you manipulate time and shoot bad guys, and a live action show which changes and adapts to the choices you make in game. The faces and facial expression graphics are the best I have ever seen in a game (and I don't throw such comments about lightly, as I've seen a lot of games), and the cast – an excellent cast – are top notch, each and every one of them. How rare that is in a TV show let alone a game.The gameplay of course is still what is going to be of the most interest, and I took to it instantly. It is varied and well paced. If you want to run through the game as quickly as possible, you can do that but there is so much in the way of genuinely interesting collectables (radio shows, emails, posters, TV) that hanging back a bit and exploring is integral to the fun.I have played it all the way through once on normal difficulty and am now on my second run, making all the choices I didn't the first time so that I see all the alternatives. I'm also replaying it on hard rather than normal as that increases the challenge a bit (and I'm thankful that "hard" does not mean "die more often unfairly" as it can in some games). Playing on hard forces you to use your time powers more fluidly and creatively, plus you need a hard setting completion to get 100% gamerscore.I respect other people's points of view, as there are always many opinions about any game, so to be fair I'll put a couple of things out there which you may also have seen in the lower star reviews. Firstly, yes it is relatively short if you don't care about looking for all the collectibles and if you're not interested in making a second playthrough. Second, despite the choices you make in terms of the story, the progression through the playable areas is extremely linear. My final comment is that there could have been scope for a few good time based puzzles, but what few puzzles they did include are so straightforward it's disappointing. But in spite of these things, that combination of game and TV show make this something that seems more like an event which you need to see through to the end, and in that respect finishing it within a week of evenings after work is not something that has left me feeling short changed in the slightest. In fact if it lasted too long, it would slow down the story too much, so the pacing actually felt right to me. It's fun whilst it lasts and does not outstay its welcome. So, for me, I have to put it out there; it's my favourite game of 2016 so far. Plus I get to play Alan Wake again thanks to the included code and Xbox backwards compatibility.

Quantum Break is a new title from Remedy, the Finnish developer that is also known for the Alan Wake and Max Payne series. It's fairly clear from the outset that Quantum Break is trying very hard to immerse you in its story, does it? Or is it just a case of another majorly hyped exclusive that does not live up to expectations?The story pits you as Jack Joyce where time has been disrupted. The nefarious and all powerful Monarch Solutions is responsible, or the head of Monarch, Paul Serene, more specifically. One of the best elements of Quantum Break's story is its duality or that the story is told from both sides. Unfortunately, this is not developed as much as it should be throughout the game and its five acts because it is still Joyce's story ultimately. Paul Serene comes into the game at critical 'junctions' where a path is chosen that will affect the story. This will then be demonstrated in the live action story which is Remedy's attempt to mix television show with videogame. The television parts can be all streamed which is a much quicker way than downloading 70GB plus of data in order to watch the episodes offline. The episodes are well acted but also a fair bit cheesy too, which to be fair I believe was the original purpose. The video episodes do help to further your interest in the story. However, the game only gives the player two options which is binary and somewhat limited. On the other hand, it does give the player replay value in that Quantum Break can be replayed just to see all the opposite choices to the original playthrough but it is nowhere near as developed as say Fallout or The Walking Dead in its branching paths which is a bit of a shame. Nevertheless, it is much better than a straightforward linear path.As far as the actual game mechanics go, Quantum Break plays like Alan Wake's American Nightmare. It is very fluid, fast paced and action oriented. Unlike some other games, in Quantum Break you are not made to wait extensively to gain your new time powers. Joyce commands six powers in total that will be given to the player throughout the game. Most of the powers are a real benefit to the player such as 'Time Rush' which enables the player to slow time down but move through time and have the ability to surprise enemies. The powers are varied enough to not feel unnecessary.The shooting and action sections play fine. The platforming on the other hand is not very good. Jack Joyce may well be the worst jumper in the history of video games. Joyce can not jump high and added to that must clear obstacles which are not very accessible platforming sections. Joyce can be killed by a brick, a post or just falling from not that great a height. Unlike Alan Wake, there are no driving sections and the action is all on foot which makes sense. The plethora of enemies that you will face in the game get tougher and bigger in number the more you progress. That said, Quantum Break's difficulty is not difficult. After beating the game on hard it was only frustrating at parts but never really very challenging.Within the Quantum Break package you also get codes to download Alan Wake and all of its content. This is a nice touch from Remedy and in many ways Quantum Break is the spiritual successor to Alan Wake. The inclusion of the extra content or being able to download Alan Wake and its extra content also gives the player more time with another game and lengthens the overall experience.---Summary---Graphics 10Fantastic. Some of the best graphics on the system. The cutscenes do have some screen tearing but they still look sublime as it does in-game.Sound 8Solid voice acting and especially from Paul Serene's character or Aiden Gillen who does a masterful job.Gameplay 7Action, action and more action. It works. It's just disappointing that the game is not a little more challenge but Remedy's main objective is to sink you into the story.Lifespan 7Not bad. To complete Quantum Break it will take you over 15 hours if you take your time and look to find the collectibles which are easy to find. Furthermore, it is worth at least a second playthrough to see how the other choices progress.Quantum Break is what Alan Wake was trying to be. For Remedy this is their 'new form of entertainment.' Alan Wake tried to be like a television show and it worked, but Quantum Break takes it to a whole new level. This exclusive on the Xbox One is a fun game that tells a good story all about time travel and consoles should see a lot more exclusives generally. Is this worth buying an Xbox One for? In truth, no. Not quite. However, Quantum Break is still a very satisfying and fun experience at times that adds yet another title to Remedy's inventory that does not disappoint.

I was a huge fan of Remedy's previous game Alan Wake so should have queued up to get this on day one but I admit I wasn't sure about what I'd heard about it combining a game with a TV show, so I waited for a while to see what more of my friends said and after much positive feedback and a price drop I went for it.I have to say I'm very pleased I did. This is an excellent game, The game is played from the perspective of the heroes and the TV show (which I got access to by downloading the episode pack from the store) is told from that of the villains perspective. It makes for a compelling narrative and was professionally done (with some excellent acting from Aidan Gillan as the main antagonist and Shawn Ashmore as the hero).Gameplay itself is smooth and slick and the combat is excellent, combining a variety of weapons with some interesting upgradeable time powers which make for excellent and varied action. The game looks excellent and I was constantly impressed with how much like their real life actors the characters looked.. Really excellent mo-cap.This isn't the longest game ever, but there are a series of junctions throughout the game where decisions drive the narrative so it will definite stand up to replays. The story itself was always interesting.Overall another excellent game from Remedy. Now I'm really hungry for more Alan Wake from them.