| System: Xbox One, PC |  |
| Dev: Remedy Entertainment | |
| Pub: Microsoft Studios | |
| Release: April 5, 2016 | |
| Players: 1 Player | |
| Screen Resolution: 480p-1080i | Blood, Intense Violence, Strong Language |
From live action to in-game visuals, the production quality is excellent. During the live action sequences, cinematography sets up great camera angles to set the tone, with fight scenes dancing the camera's focus around to deliver a flurry of action. I did expect a heavier use of CGI considering the premise of the story and its prominence within the game. When you take control of Joyce in the game, the effects are stunning. Every power unleashed warps your surroundings, and the jagged, glass shatter look when frozen in time (and its intensification as the campaign progresses) highlights the stunning graphical quality as well as the anxiety and trepidation of the dire situation. The backgrounds for each act are highly detailed and worth stopping to pan the camera and take in the scene, but most fail to evoke any unease to accompany the story, and are rather just ideal locations for firefights. Facial expressions are appropriate to the dialogue, and movements are smooth and believable. Apart from a few Exorcist-like head spins during some dialogue scenes, the animations and physics are pretty spot on.
As is the full audio spectrum. From the Matrix inspired time warping effects to the fully orchestrated action movie soundtrack, everything fits the bill as expected. Weapons fire with punch, audibly enhanced as powers are used, and silenced instantly when time freezes to a disconcerting calm. And the voice acting is flawless, granting each character a distinct personality and making the entire cast memorable.
It is apparent from the first minute to the last that an epic narrative is the primary focus in Quantum Break. From the full-length live action film to the extensive emails and documents, the game beckons you to savor the internal drama and cataclysmic storyline. If you're more interested in skipping to the action, you'll likely be disappointed with the remedial difficulty and generic shooter structure. The game promotes using extraordinary time manipulating powers to defeat enemies and solve puzzles, but fails to provide a creative challenge to make them exciting beyond their visual panache. Quantum Break sacrifices gameplay for story, but it is definitely a page-turner.
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By Sean Engemann Contributing Writer Date: April 1, 2016 |
Game Features:
