The Quarry: Supermassive’s Horror Triumph – Review
The Quarry, like a masterful puzzle, lures players into its dark and foreboding world, daring them to uncover its secrets. Developed by Supermassive Games, the studio behind the critically acclaimed Until Dawn, this horror title puts players in the shoes of a lone survivor struggling to uncover the truth behind a mysterious mining accident.
With its immersive gameplay, atmospheric environments, and spine-tingling sound design, The Quarry is a triumph in horror gaming. The game’s love of the ‘video nasties’ era of horror is palpable, and it manages to capture the essence of classic horror films while also adding its own unique spin on the genre.
The game’s narrative is both eerie and intriguing, and its cast of characters are well-developed and believable. From the very beginning, The Quarry sets a chilling tone that is sure to keep players on edge throughout their entire playthrough.
In this review, we will explore the story, characters, gameplay, and atmosphere of this Supermassive achievement in horror.
Key Takeaways
- The Quarry is a horror game developed by Supermassive Games, released on June 10, 2022, that follows the structure of previous Supermassive titles.
- The game features environmental exploration, clue collecting, quicktime events, and dialogue choices, and its ‘Paths’ system tracks key decisions made by the player.
- The game’s story has enough subversions, twists, and interesting approaches to keep things engaging, with potential replayability due to its branching nature.
- The Quarry’s atmosphere and tone are steeped in creepiness, and it manages to balance scares alongside mystery and danger against curiosity, paying tribute to icons of the horror genre.
The Quarry: Story and Characters
The Quarry’s story features branching paths and subversions of horror tropes, providing potential replayability and engaging gameplay for players. The game’s love for the horror genre is evident in its use of the ‘video nasties’ era and its homage to horror icons.
The core group of eight youngins give empathetic, funny, and realistic performances, which help to immerse players in the game’s world. However, the celebrity stunt casts, including David Arquette, Lin Shaye, and Lance Henriksen, have little narrative impact, as their inclusion feels piecemeal and ultimately unimportant to the story.
The game’s plot reveals details while obscuring others, and certain choices lead to completely different actions from the player’s character than expected. The ‘death rewind’ system is a smart addition, which lets the player immediately replay a scene, making the game’s potential replayability stretch far beyond its roughly ten-hour length.
The game’s story is built on a series of ‘sliding doors’ moments, and the branching nature of the story means that players can experience different outcomes with each playthrough, providing an incentive to replay the game.
Gameplay and Atmosphere
With roughly ten hours of potential replayability, The Quarry’s gameplay features environmental exploration, clue collecting, quicktime events, and dialogue choices, and its ‘Paths’ system tracks key decisions made by the player. The game’s death rewind system allows players to immediately replay a scene, making it easier to correct mistakes and explore different outcomes. The game’s story is built on a series of sliding doors moments, and certain choices lead to completely different actions from the player’s character than expected.
The atmosphere and tone of The Quarry is steeped in creepiness, and it manages to balance scares alongside mystery and danger against curiosity. The game pays tribute to icons of the horror genre, and its incredible visual fidelity and solid acting performances enhance the overall experience. The game takes the best of campfire ghost stories and the nostalgia of ‘choose your own adventure’ books and mashes them together, providing an interactive and spectator experience that contributes to making it one of the best pieces of horror-worship in video games.
Review
Evaluating the gameplay and atmosphere of The Quarry reveals a well-crafted horror experience that pays homage to the genre’s iconic elements while incorporating modern gameplay mechanics.
The game’s environmental exploration, clue collecting, quicktime events, and dialogue choices are seamlessly integrated into the narrative, allowing players to become fully immersed in the story.
The branching nature of the game’s story also adds to its replayability, encouraging players to make different decisions and explore various paths.
The Quarry’s atmosphere and tone are masterfully crafted, balancing scares with mystery, danger, and curiosity.
The game’s love for the horror genre is evident in its nods to iconic horror films and the ‘video nasties’ era.
The game’s exceptional visual fidelity and solid acting performances add to its overall atmosphere, making it a highly engaging and immersive experience.
Overall, The Quarry is a triumph for Supermassive Games and a must-play for horror fans.
The Quarry Frequently Asked Questions
What is the gameplay mechanics like in The Quarry?
Through environmental exploration, clue collecting, quicktime events, and dialogue choices, The Quarry offers potential replayability with its branching story and ‘death rewind’ system, while paying tribute to horror icons and creating an immersive atmosphere.
How does The Quarry compare to other horror games in the market?
Compared to other horror games on the market, The Quarry stands out for its combination of environmental exploration, clue collecting, quicktime events, and dialogue choices, as well as its potential replayability and dedication to the video nasties era of horror.
What inspired Supermassive Games to create The Quarry?
The inspiration behind Supermassive Games’ creation of The Quarry is not explicitly stated. However, the game’s love for the horror genre and its use of environmental exploration, clue collecting, and dialogue choices suggest a continuation of the developer’s previous titles.
Is the game suitable for players who are not fans of horror genre?
The Quarry’s intense and immersive horror atmosphere may not be suitable for players who are not fans of the genre. The game heavily relies on jump scares, gore, and disturbing imagery, which may cause discomfort and anxiety to some players.
Are there any additional contents or DLCs planned for The Quarry in the future?
At present, there is no information available on any additional content or DLCs planned for The Quarry by Supermassive Games in the future.
Conclusion
In conclusion, The Quarry is a triumph for Supermassive Games and a must-play for horror fans. The game’s story and characters are well-crafted, providing an engaging and immersive experience. The gameplay mechanics are intuitive and add to the overall atmosphere of the game, which is both eerie and suspenseful. The developers’ love of horror is evident in every aspect of the game, from the setting to the soundtrack. The Quarry offers replayability, as players can make different choices and uncover hidden secrets, adding to the game’s overall value.
As players explore the quarry, they will feel a sense of unease and danger lurking around every corner. The game’s atmosphere is expertly crafted, with its eerie lighting, creepy sound effects, and unsettling environments.
The Quarry is a game that will stay with players long after they finish playing, haunting their thoughts with its imagery and suspense. It is a game that horror fans will not want to miss, and Supermassive Games has once again proven themselves to be masters of the horror genre.
The Quarry
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