Does this thing get better?
I played through the first segment of Quantum Conundrum, another one of those FPS puzzle games. The game this time involves changing the physics as they apply to objects. In the first segment, you get low gravity and high density. Slow and reverse gravity are coming. So far, it is mostly about moving boxes around rooms.
So far, the puzzles and writing are mostly uninspired, and the internet tells me it will turn into platformer Hell involving jumping with dodgy physics, precise timing, and invisible feet. And heck, I had heard that before giving it a shot, but I’m a MMO player and therefore willing to drag myself through broken glass in search of a bit of good sport. I am not even to the broken glass yet, and I’m overwhelmed with “meh.”
Checking Steam’s global achievements, I don’t feel alone: 92.7% of owners have at least tried it, 59.4% finished the first segment, 30.2% finished the second, and 25.1% finished the third. About two-thirds of players met the game half-way, and half of them bailed. Most folks who finished 2/3 were pleased or determined enough to finish the game.
So I ask you, the reader: anyone played further and care to comment on Quantum Conundrum?
: Zubon
“I’m a MMO player and therefore willing to drag myself through broken glass in search of a bit of good sport.”
Quote of the weekend at the very least.
Agreed. I was just about to quote it myself.
Made me laugh, and reflect on how unfortunately true it is (I’ve wanted to make the argument for some time now: why is it horrendous for Final Fantasy 13 to take 20 hours to get good, but it’s ok for an MMO to not be fun until level 60?).
Going further and further into the game, it started to feel less like a puzzle game, and more like an execution game. more often than not I’d spend five minutes finding out what I was supposed to do, and over half an hour doing it. Lots of instant-death traps did not help things, and I was just glad that the autosaves were frequent and generous.
And I still thought, going into the final few levels of the game, that maybe this will all have a sweet payoff. The last three puzzles were more luck based than skill based, it seemed to be leading up somewhere pretty epic. I mean, DeLancie still sounded bored out of his mind and his dialogue was still bland. But there were now stakes, and a couple cool deliveries to push the danger feeling up a notch. Even if these were the /least/ deadly sections in the game.
And so I got to the ending…
And oh god, it was such a horrible, horrible disappointment. Mild spoilers I guess, but… wow, all that build up, and essentially they laugh it all off. They go into blueprint summary mode, and write off an end-of-the-world scenario with a “whoops!” I’m sorry, Quantum Conundrum, but you aren’t funny or dark enough to just summarize an already poorly thought out ending, especially with how you built up to it.
I thought, maybe they planned on selling better endings in their DLCs. The original finish was open-ended enough, if they were feeling like being cheap with the viewer. But both of those stories are unrelated and incredibly difficult. I just let it be. Wasn’t worth it anymore. No payoff, the whole game just had no payoff. Not to the ‘puzzles’ or the story. It was just a big exercise in frustration.
I played through it and overall it was… meh. I didn’t find it as terrible as TheGreyPotter did but it wasn’t memorable in any kind of way. I would’ve probably forgotten about it by now if you didn’t bring it up.