So yeah, about a month ago I finished Quantum Theory, one of six games I had purchased before I left for my cottage. I bought more games just to expand my library and to try new types of games I hadn’t experienced in a while. Earlier this summer, I had beaten Grand Theft Auto IV FINALLY (also the first GTA I’ve ever beaten), so I thought instead of wasting away my summer on Rock Band, why not just get more games…?? DUH
So here’s my overview of Quantum Theory. You wanna know what I think? Well hell, I really didn’t think it was all that bad of a game. According to Metacritic, it got negative reviews, and I guess I could see where most of the negative views stemmed from. This game is a replica of Gears of War, only without the chainsaw gun.
Now of course there’s more to it than that. So let me just belt out the overall story of the game. You’re in control of a lone-wolf protagonist (I consider him an anti-hero) character, simply named Syd. No middle or last name, just Syd. Syd is one of the few survivors of a recent world war that left the world in a catastrophic state. Life is beyond fixable at this point. Set in a living, breathing science-fiction world, Syd sets out to destroy “towers”, that threaten the very fabric of the remaining world…or so that’s what you get out of the story from start to finish.
You begin the game with a girl named Nyx, and are escaping a tower in a training exercise fashion, as the AI-controlled enemies come out, and you get acquainted with the tricky controls. You may feel like the rest of the game is going to be tricky from here on in, but the better you get at the controls…well then…at least you’ll have the controls down, because the difficulty meter sure picks up once you enter the next tower.
Accompanied by a group of renegade soldiers set on getting in and also bringing down that tower, you assist them, and eventually break through what appears to be one of the most impenetrable towers ever built. I might as well point out at this point that the enemies in this game are known as the Diabolsis, which are like zombies with brains, so basically living, breathing creatures who can fire weapons and use cover, but look grotesque in appearence.
As you progress through the tower, you occasionally work with an attractive tower maiden named Filena, who can surely hold her own in battle, but is a hell of a lot stronger when Syd throws her at enemies a bunch, dealing greater damage to larger foes. You get a wide array of weapons throughout the campaign, but only four slots to hold them, so picking the best weapons and conserving ammo is key. Certain weapons bring down certain enemies faster, so pick cautiously. Though you may not need to worry, the lack of enemies doesn’t make for very many options and variety.
Filena (left) and Syd (right)
The voice acting in this game is terrible. Syd and Filena, as well as other smaller characters continue to recycle old quotes throughout the game. Whether its picking up guns or ammunition, don’t be surprised if Syd says “All mine”, or “Mmmmm, ammo”. once, twice, maybe multiple times every few minutes.
I have yet to try the multiplayer, but to be honest, I really don’t think I want to. If this game is indeed a spiritual replica of GoW, then there’s no need to really delve in to the experience. And to be frank, who’s really going to be playing Quantum Theory anyways? I doubt I could even find five people who have either played or even heard of the game. If this game brings forth a sequel, I’ll be very surprised. There’s not much else going for this game other than controlling a burly, gun-totting protagonist through towers, destroying the Diabolsis, before it can infect the world. A sequel would just be a repeat of what’s already on the table, and I’m really not hungry for seconds.
Sadly, I can’t see myself playing this game again for a really, really long time. So in the end, I would give this game a 6.5 out of 10. I have to praise the difficulty factor, and that it really upped the intensity near the end. But besides that, controls were very sloppy, the AI was atrocious, and Syd is nothing special in my books. Also Filena…yeah she can go fall in a ditch and die. She spent half the game at my throat anyways, why should I show any sympathy for the bitch?
