Use Quick Time Events Wisely - News
by VGChartz Staff , posted on 31 October 2011 / 6,671 Views
Video games are generally praised for being an immersive, interactive and a non-linear form of entertainment. So it's strange to see developers hold on to a design element that was created specifically for games with little to no interactivity. Quick time events, or QTEs, have been made popular by Resident Evil 4, although existent since the 90's, with The Driver being one of the first titles to use it. Ever since Resident Evil 4, it seems like we can't avoid games with QTEs or some sort of timed button press being prompted by a giant onscreen icon saying “X” or “A.”
QTEs pretty much have one purpose – to make predetermine events, scenarios or cutscenes “interactive,” supposedly providing both a cinematic and interactive experience all at the same time. The mechanics are suddenly simplified to nothing more than “look for a button prompt on screen, then press it.” Too many of titles that use quick time events simply just don't need them. In many cases, it only serves to interrupt the flow of gameplay. Even the recently released Battlefield 3 threw a handful of QTEs at the player in the first few minutes of gameplay. First the player has to press a button to wrestle off a soldier, then press a button to not die and then spam the button to not die. Leading into the sequence, you're just running down a hallway and then suddenly a QTE sequence initiates. It's like, “okay, I guess I'm doing this now.” Then you get to wait until the game lets you pick up your weapon again and more forward using the normal mechanics.
Unfortunately, it's so common place these days that it feels like its almost expected with any title. For developers, it can simply act as cop-out of for actually creating any sort of cinematic experience while leaving the title's interactivity intact. I'm not particularly fond of Dark Souls, but I felt one thing the title did do well was give the player full control in these, what would have been, QTE style moments in other titles. In many cases, the sequences can be quite cinematic as well, even from the player's perspective. You have a sequence where a dragon swoops down from his perch and breathes fire upon you. While you'll be cursing the game for yet another death, you have to admit, at least it looked pretty cool and the player retains control for every aspect of gameplay. While in many games, like Battlefield 3, it'd lose some of its cinematic value, but at least it would keep gameplay flowing.
As with everything though, QTEs aren't all bad. Within the right experience, it works. One of the first games to use QTEs without full motion video, Shenmue, on occasion had some minor branching paths in the story depending on how well you did during the QTEs. It gave some value to them outside of “press the button or die,” but even Shenmue still suffers from this in some instances. While technically not QTEs, timed button presses in RPGs for extra damage, defense or some other benefit can greatly increase the excitement and interactivity of battles, especially in terms of turn-based combat. Even in some action games they can enhance the experience by allowing the players to do more fantastical attacks as long as it melds well the gameplay.
It's a shame that QTEs have been so overused. The idea that you can create a more interactive experience during cutscenes is a cool idea, but seeing them in so many places and in such an unnecessary manner is just disheartening. At the first prompt of a QTE in Battlefield 3, I just had a feeling of extreme disappointment. “Really, DICE? Really?” is all I could think. Does it break the title? Of course not, just look at our review. But to some like my self, it definitely hurts the experience. In a title like Battlefield, multiplayer is where the experience is really at anyways. But unless timed button presses are really ingrained in the experience and flow well with the gameplay, it probably doesn't need to be there.
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Only the God of War games especially 3 (And maybe Heavy rain, haven't played it much) get the QTEs perfectly right, they're not overused like a lot of other games, it doesn't force you to use them to finish enemies and it makes killing bosses so much more epic and engaging than just watching a cut-scene.
The ones I've liked the most were the ones on Kingdom Hearts II
Castlevania: Lord of Shadows had some pretty awesome ones, but that was more for the effect rather than for actual impact. I'd rather it was done like Batman:AA & AC, where you can walk through many of the cinematics as a by-stander or taking part. I love the immersion you get; it's far more effective than a cut-scene.
I hope you haven't played Heavy Rain, then :P
I think that game used them perfectly, because you didn't 'fail' if you missed one, the scene or story simply played out differently. In fact, on occasion it was better to miss one (like allowing your son to win the play sword fight at the beginning felt much better than winning it yourself). Many games don't use it properly, but they can be entwined with the gameplay to create an excellent cinematic experience in some circumstances.
Good article.
