Max Payne was one of the first games that we at Gaming Central played on the PC, and it had a tremendous impact on how we looked at video games. It built our expectations from them, and instilled a belief in us that excellent story telling, visuals and gameplay can go hand in hand.
And this was almost fifteen years ago. Many games have come and gone since then, and except for the rare Half Life or BioShock or S.T.A.L.K.E.R., most of them have never given us that sense of satisfaction, or the feeling of pride at what Video Games are capable of.
And then came Quantum Break.
It’s visually stunning. (Courtesy: NeoGAF)
Remedy has been known for its critically acclaimed ground breaking games. With the dark gritty film-noir style story, slow motion effects and memorable characters in Max Payne, to the flashlight-and-gun wielding, supernatural-horror-themed with a touch-of-metal, atmospheric masterpiece that was Alan Wake.
Quantum Break is a culmination of the best aspects from those games, and takes giant new leaps. Where Max Payne told it’s story in a comic strip format, Quantum Break does so with interactions you have in the game world, be it the numerous memorable characters or a world brimming with interactive tidbits like e-mails, videos, posters, etc. all of which do a great job of reeling the player in.
And the gameplay is a blast to boot. Every encounter will have you switching between your arsenal of weapons and time-bending abilities. Its refreshing, fast paced, challenging, and incredibly fun. It feels like putting together pieces of a puzzle while everything is being blown to bits. Just because the game is narrative heavy does not mean that it’s light on the action. Its quite the contrary.
The included TV show is also done really well. Instead of focusing on the protagonist, it tells the story mostly from the perspective of the “evil corporation”, making you care about the characters on the other side of the fence. It adds more depth to the game, and also reflects the consequences of the actions you perform in the game. Its clear that a lot of work went into making this game what it is, and shows obvious respect for the player base that will play the game. With meaningful collectibles and high replayability, this game packs a lot of value.
Also, Quantum Break is a refreshing break away from the “Open World Syndrome” many Video Games are suffering from these days. High quality is the word that comes to mind. It’s what describe the game best. High quality. This is the game developers should look at and learn from. Add quality to your Video Games, not mindless quantity.
After beating the game to a 100% completion (full review coming soon), we can confidently say that Quantum Break is the game this generation of gamers need to play and experience.
And for more news and reviews, keep checking back at Gaming Central.
