TV and video game worlds collide with Quantum Break

Setting down your controller to watch a television episode in the middle of your game, maybe grab some popcorn and a drink, is exactly what Quantum Break expects and wants you to do.

The third-person shooter, out on the Xbox One and Windows 10 PCs April 5, is a mixed-media experiment that includes live-action cutscenes that play out much like anetwork television action show such asContinuum or The Blacklist.

Some gamers maybe skeptical of the integration, based on the poor reception these types ofexperiments have received in the past, but if they give it a chance and go into it with an open mind they may have some serious fun.

Remedy Entertainment, the Finland-based studio behindQuantum Break, made a name for itself creating games with a modern television-like feel, such as2010'sAlan Wake, and Quantumfeels like anatural extension of thisstyle.

Shawn Ashmore stars in Quantum Break

9 years ago

Duration 3:22

Canadian actor Shawn Ashmore talks to CBC News about playing Jack Joyce in the new video game-TV hybrid Quantum Break, for the Xbox One and Windows 10.

In the game,playerstakecontrol of Jack Joyce, played by Canadian actor ShawnAshmore, known for his role as Iceman in the X-Men movies. Thanks to a science experiment gone wrong, Joyce is given the ability to manipulate time, from freezing people and objects to dodging enemy fire by dashing at the speed of sound.

Joyce uses his newfound powers and a million bullets to defeat the main villainPaul Serene,Game of Thrones'AidanGillen,and his hired security forcethat act more like thugs than trained guards.

Fans of serial television dramaswill love watching the live-action episodes, which were produced separately by Los Angeles studio Lifeboat Entertainment. Lasting roughly a half hour each, they area good break from the gameplaywithout taking you too far out of the action.

The episodes pick up where the in-game levels end, but instead of continuing to follow Joyce, the point-of-view shifts to the villain,Serene. Instead of watching the hero save the world, you'll be watching a group of people cheat, lie and kill each other to get what they want. You might catch yourself being charmed by the handsome killer Liam or cheering on Charlie when he steps out of his comfort zone.

The player is then given the opportunity to steer the storyand who Serene will trust, manipulate or killdepending on what kind of villain is desired.

Seeing the other side of the story will require you to take extended breaks in the middle of gameplay.You do have the option to skip them, but you'll risk missing out on large chunks of the story.

To make sure the charactersin thevideo game and television portions mirrored each other,some top-notch facial and performance-capture technology was used. The heroes and villains look exactly like the actors who play them. Costumes and sets also match perfectly, making smooth transitions between the two.

The game offers varying degrees of difficulties for those who may not be the best at shooters, but enjoy the supernatural and storytelling aspects.So if you arehere for the show, getting through the game might not be too much of an obstacle.

As far as Microsoft exclusives go, this one takes chances, and the intense effort is admirable and appreciated.

Pros

• Adjustable difficulty makes it friendly to new and hardcore gamers alike
• Well-done and thoughtful live action cutscenes
• Get to influence the story from both the heroes' and villains' sides

Cons

• Joyce doesn't go through as much character development as the villains
• Unnecessarilylong reading materials scattered throughout the levels
• Getting through levels can take a lot of trial and error