What do Portal Fans think?

[nrnoble]

To be clear, talking about Portal 1, not the sequel. QC's lead designer Kim Swift was part of the design team for Portal 1, but left Valve long before P2 was finished. Portal ranks #1 as my all time favorite game of the past 10 years.

I am not asking other gamers to compare the two games. I am asking what you think of this new puzzle game designed by Kim Swift.

[Darkshivers]

It annoys me that people believe it's a vodoo calling this game anything close to Portal, when 10 minutes of gameplay really does show that it's taken some inspiration from the game. Not to mention how the fact that a co-developer of Portal is on the team and this information was pushed into my mouths since the announcement, making sure you acknowledge it.

The game is great, funny but nothing laugh out loud and it's well worth the price tag. I've clocked around 100+ hours on portal and I can definitely say that this game if you're a portal fan is a must buy. Lets hope they release some sort of map editor for it, maybe after the DLC.

[DesertOfSand]

I thought the game, overall, was absolutely great.

The writing and atmosphere was not as strong as I would have liked, but the voice acting was engaging and there were traces of humor.

The story line also felt a bit lacking, but I didn't go in expecting much in that department.

The puzzles themselves I found absolutely interesting and challenging, and almost always tons of fun regardless of difficulty.
The platforming is very solid and at no point did I ever really feel frustrated with the way the character moved or how he jumped.

While I've heard some say the physics cause a lot of the game to come down to luck, I can say through my experience after having beaten the game, that my passing a level came down to box-physics-luck exactly zero times.

If it were to go in my top 10 of all videogames, it would definitely be closer towards the bottom, but it is definitely one of the best puzzle games I have played since Portal.

I would definitely recommend it to anybody who has 15 bucks and likes puzzle platforming.

[Crispus]

I'm really loving it! The puzzles are great. They make you think and seem to strike that perfect balance between being tough but not frustrating.

As compared to portal? The writing isn't as good but it's definitely got its moments (ex. the samurai/Japan portrait dialogue). Where it shines if you want to make a comparison is the puzzle mechanics. Kim Swift, basically the person who came up with the mechanics for portal is the person behind this game. You can see a similar train of thought while still managing to be completely different and a lot of fun. I definitely recommend it! It's also a good price!

[needaxeo]

I think it's really good.

I'm just getting to the first generator room.

I've not been frustrated so far, although I've died a few times and was stumped once but I eventually twigged the solution.

A lot complained that Portal 2 dropped a lot of the reflexes, so far QC has the balance right imo. i.e things don't feel too canned to put you or things you throw in the right place, i.e some element of skill remains (although the batteries obviously do have that)

If Portal is a "physics based puzzler" then this is too, and that's about as far as you need to worry about comparing them. If it were 2 FPS games (and no shared author) that would probably be it, but obviously this genre doesn't have a vast swathe of games in it and KS worked on both, so it's inevitable every review and interview mentions this.

Definitely worth buying and playing imo.

[OJAY!]

I preordered and beat it today in about 2 sittings. I think that should explain my opinion.

I think this has a little more replay value than portal because it's more about platforming and doing some crazy jumps instead of figuring out the 2 spots in the wall you need

[Dinosaur_Rex]

To be Honest I pre ordered it expecting another Portal Clone, but this ended up as a better game, Just like Q.U.B.E. this looks like Portal, but it plays nothing like it, something that differentiates it from Q.U.B.E. is that this game doesn't feel like you are playing a game of solving puzzles, like the FPS view was tacked in.

I haven't gotten far into the game. I want to save some of it for later. As far as I have played this seem like a pretty good game.

[GordonFreem]

I think that I'm tired of people trying to compare the games just because Kim Swift worked on both of them.

[targetbsp]

I think that I'm tired of people trying to compare the games just because Kim Swift worked on both of them.

Most people compare games from the same genre all the time anyway. This is the same genre AND designer. It's probably the most appropriate pair of unrelated games to be compared together in gaming history. :D

[nrnoble]

To be Honest I pre ordered it expecting another Portal Clone, but this ended up as a better game, Just like Q.U.B.E. this looks like Portal, but it plays nothing like it, something that differentiates it from Q.U.B.E. is that this game doesn't feel like you are playing a game of solving puzzles, like the FPS view was tacked in.

Yeah, IMHO, the quality of Q.U.B.E. was on par with a college senior thesis project, they threw in a lot stuff to demonstrate all sort of possibilities, some worked, and some should have been removed. In constrast, QC is a very polished and tested game.

[nrnoble]

I think that I'm tired of people trying to compare the games just because Kim Swift worked on both of them.


What other Kim Swift games are being compared against each other?

[tin]

My opinion is that while the games are completely different regarding the logic required and styling, there are a lot of similarities between Portal 1 and Quantum Conundrum...
* That whole alone but being watched thing.
* Vague story.
* The location seems to be the inside of a TARDIS (ie it's far bigger than should be possible)
* Segments of map linking puzzles seem to be repeatedly re-used
* Frustrating non-puzzle segments that revolve purely around very quick use of game controls.

[downgrade]

The mechanics and puzzles are very good. Most are challenging enough so that you solve them just before things get frustrating. This is something portal did very well, too. Some of the jumping puzzles are really annoying and made me quit once or twice though.

What is really sad is that, while the puzzles are very much "for grown ups", the humour feels like it's taken straight from a preschool cartoon. In four hours of gameplay I smirked maybe twice. glaDOS elevated Portal into Videogame-Heaven, the Professor in QC, however, drags the game down and makes me scream at my monitor.

Ah well, I suppose if someone wants to play this with his three year old kid he would not have to worry about the little bugger getting spoiled or whatever.

So, basically: Gameplay: Yay; Humour: Nay.

[cosmonaut.zero]

I squee'd a few times. The Uncle's dialogue was chuckleworthy from time to time, but what really got me was the in-game stuff. Pretty much every painting in fluffy dimension was absolutely priceless.

There are definitely some stylistic similarities between Portal and QC, which I think is a good thing. If I can watch a Miyazaki movie or Lauren Faust cartoon or read a Palaniuk book or listen to a Gogol Bordello record and immediately tell you who was involved, why not games?

[GordonFreem]

What other Kim Swift games are being compared against each other?

Wut?
My point was that people compare these games because they both have puzzles and both were designed by Kim Swift, which is annoying.
Portal uses portals.
Quantum Conundrum uses dimensions.

It's like comparing Tomb Raider to Devil May Cry :|

[downgrade]

To be fair, those are not the only similarities. You have the narrator mocking you/helping you through the game, they have clearly tried hard to make it funny and basically the whole game is set up like portal with different mechanics. Up to the end with the mediocre song that plays during the credits.

People compare QUBE to Portal and those two have less similarities than Portal and QC have.

The game kinda feels like some suit was pressuring the devs into making the game "more like portal". I don't know how much from the original Portal was really Swift's work, but I think the humour, story and characters came mainly from Valve's writers.

Also, comparing games to one another is not always a bad thing (especially when they are so similar). In fact, often it is the fastest way to figure out what other games one might like. Did you enjoy Portal? Then you might also like QUBE and Quantum Conundrum. Did you like Diablo? Try Torchlight etc.

[Sir Vyval]

It feels similar to Portal, yes. But on the whole it's an entirely different game that's well worth playing.

[Godwhacker]

I think that I'm tired of people trying to compare the games just because Kim Swift worked on both of them.

It's being directly promoted as being another work from one of the creators of Portal. It's a fair comparison.

And it is basically Portal without Portals, and it does go out of it's way to be similar. It's a first person puzzle game mostly revolving around crates, buttons and the use of momentum. There's a "humorous" narrator. There's a silent protagonist. There are what amount to be test chambers. You never get to go outside the mansion- even though that would be completely fine in this game. There are devices that have personality. There are overwrought scientific names for things. There's a even a song at the end, which is something I've only seen in three other games.

Portal
Portal 2
You Have to Burn the Rope (http://www.kongregate.com/games/Mazapan/you-have-to-burn-the-rope)

You know what the biggest similarity is? It's also a good game. It's just let down by the writing and the ending.

[Niesrind]

Portal uses portals.
Quantum Conundrum uses dimensions.
At least both games habe cubes on buttons that open doors. ;-)

Would have favored more puzzles/less jumping.

[Drascoll99]

Obviously the original Portal is a very important game when we compare these titles because it basically paved the way for physics based puzzlers. With it's atmosphere, story and voice acting it's one of the most impressive titles of our generation. So to compare QC to portal seems apropos considering heritage.

While QC fall very short in comparison in regards to atmosphere and story by no means is it unacceptable and without the comparison these two elements are quite good. However on the other hand I believe introducing an element of skill/timing based platforming to the formula adds something making this the true spiritual successor to Portal even more so then it's sequel.

Don't get me wrong Portal 2 had a stronger story and atmosphere but wasn't 1/3rd as interesting as QC in terms of game play. Plus the element of time trial's and par on shifts adds a tone of replay for the people looking for a challenge.

First time though the game I unwittingly did many of the puzzles the wrong way making them 2 twice as hard as they needed be. I may be a bit dense because I did things "wrong" but it's great whenever a game give the player the ability to fine multiple solutions to any situation particularly when speed running is built into the game.

So do I think this game is as important as Portal? No but it's still the best physics based puzzler sense. Defiantly better then Portal 2.

[nrnoble]

^^ I agree that QC is a more challenging and more fun game to play than Portal 2, and QC's game mechanics makes for a better sequel to Portal.

[shadow651]

Personally I think that the mechanics and game play are solid (and I think this is the stuff Kim Swift is the best at). The voice acting is good; the story is good, but it's not the knee slapping stuff from portal, but most games aren't. It still has good moments though...

All in all, I like it! & Can't wait for the DLC.

[nrnoble]

The design decision I think they should have allowed for is allowing casual\novice gamers to proceed forward (skip), once they encounter a level that is far beyond their skills. There are several levels in QC where the casual gamer, or those that lack fast-twitch reflexes, will not be able to pass. For those gamers, the game simply ends there, they have no option other than to quit. Some allowances should have been made so that they can continue to move forward to the end even if there were 1-2 levels they could not complete. Doing so would come with penalties, such as all stats are voided out, but who cares about stats if a player is never are able to finish the game anyway. :)

[urbanriot]

It's the same, but different.

I like it for its similarities and its differences. Portal 2 was also the same, but different, and I heavily enjoyed it on those merits. All of these games are equally engaging in a similar fashion.

[Drascoll99]

The design decision I think they should have allowed for is allowing casual\novice gamers to proceed forward

I understand the idea of making the game more accessible and that is totally fine by me. However I don't really like the idea of a skip button. The problem with that is most people don't have the willpower to resist using it when things get really tough. When you use the skip option(like in LA Noire)you end up cheating yourself out of the game itself. I remember as a kid when I learned IDDQD for Doom it became a crutch and ultimately robs a player of the satisfaction of accomplishing the challenge. You may tell yourself that you're not going to cheat but because it's an option it's too easy to say "Well I'll just cheat for this one little bit". Next thing you know you skipped 90% of the game. If they want to play a casual game then they can get something on iOS but if there novice they will eventually get the hang of it and that feeling of succeeding at something is what makes gaming fun. All gamer's where Novice at one time.

What I'm saying is with the option to skip puzzles it becomes too tempting to skip it even for someone who dose have the skill, only because it's easy to tell your self, oh "I'll just skip this one little bit" the moment things get a bit tough. Anyway we have Youtube, if someone just want to watch the game play itself there will be a Let's play with in a day of the games release.

None the less I'm getting off topic again, sorry. Still would be a good discussion in another thread sometime.

[lolzorz]

I bought it pretty much because I heard John de Lancie was doing the voice for the Professor. I was expecting a game very similar to Portal, but this game was surprisingly unique. I really loved the atmosphere, and only got stumped on a few puzzles here and there. I was a little disappointed by the ending and that you don't actually get to see Quadwrangle himself, but all in all, it was a very awesome game. I personally like it better than Portal, because Portal was almost entirely puzzle solving with not a whole lot of story or humor. But in Quantum Conundrum, you get a line from Quadwrangle every couple minutes, either making a joke or offering advice. Hopefully there will be a sequel that wraps things up a bit more.

[Wardiaper]

- I liked Portal (not loved).
- I got bored with Portal 2.
- I like what little I have played so far of Quantum Conundrum (maybe more than Portal 1, but have to finish to be sure).

[tin]

The design decision I think they should have allowed for is allowing casual\novice gamers to proceed forward (skip), once they encounter a level that is far beyond their skills. There are several levels in QC where the casual gamer, or those that lack fast-twitch reflexes, will not be able to pass.

Yep. That's exactly the issue I had. I had 2 instances in the game where I thought I was going to have to just abandon it all.

Edit:
There's a even a song at the end, which is something I've only seen in three other games.

Portal
Portal 2
You Have to Burn the Rope (http://www.kongregate.com/games/Mazapan/you-have-to-burn-the-rope)

All the 3D era GTA games have an end-credits list with background music. Only difference is they used licensed music not game-specific songs.

[MechaMage]

If nothing else, the Portal comparison exists simply because the house in Quantum Conundrum feels like something Cave Johnson would build.

[RMJ]

Love portal and i love this.

They arent trying to be portal and thats freaking awesome.

It just shows how much creativity there is room for in such a puzzle genre.

Big companies could really learn something here.

this game is so amazing, i hope they make a sequel.

This is right up there with portal in quality for me.

I love how they got the voice actor from Q in Startrek TNG so amazing!.