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I’ve always loved classic American horror. The over the top slapstick humour combined with the “I wouldn’t do that” moments are fantastic. What’s more, the atmosphere is usually electric, and the characters and their relationships are wonderful. The Quarry replicates this with its phenomenal and often suspenseful plot.
Developed by Supermassive Games and published by 2K, this is a cinematic horror title. It can be enjoyed solo or online as you unravel a mysterious and gruesome tale. In The Quarry, your decisions, no matter how minor, alter the plot. Consequently, you must consider your choices and live with the outcomes.
The Quarry will creep you out.
Though the narrative isn’t so original, you’ll experience a creepy and spine-tingling story, nonetheless. The well-paced action unfolds across 10 chapters, and each varies in length and level of interaction. As the plot progresses, you control one of the 9 camp counsellors. These hapless teenagers must attempt to survive every ordeal that they face.
The action revolves around Hacketts Quarry and the kid’s school camp it hosts. Luckily, for the children, they are long gone before the brutal and hellish action breaks loose. 9 unique protagonists star in this clichéd and familiar slice of Americana horror. Each of these delinquents is sexually charged, opinionated, and occasionally annoying. However, they love one another and this is what will potentially save them.
As the chapters roll by and the gruesome events unfold, you see new relationships form. After all, when mysterious monsters, hillbillies, and more want to ruin your day, only your wits and your friends can save you.
I want to be involved!
The Quarry is a cinematic masterpiece. As such, you may worry that it’s more voyeuristic than interactive. However, fear not, as the developers have balanced the action brilliantly. With some captivating cutscenes, a plethora of game-changing decisions, quick time events, and bags of exploration, you are truly spoilt.
The sheer amount of variety and multiple story branches keep you hooked. Subsequently, this is a tough game to put down. On top of this, the characters are excellent, annoying, and wonderfully endearing. Whether you try to save them all, or plot to have one killed, is entirely your choice. Whatever you decide, you’ll adore how it alters the plot and the group dynamics.
Quick time events and exploration.
QTEs are becoming more common. The Quarry uses them alongside the dialogue to alter the course of the story. Thankfully, though, they lack complexity and, as a consequence, are easy to achieve. Whether it is selecting a direction on the analogue stick, mashing the A button, or holding your breath, it’s all straightforward. Then there are the odd combat encounters that are no more complicated than pointing and shooting.
Now you may be disheartened by this, but don’t be. The QTEs are still great and demand rapid reactions. What’s more, it allows you to focus on the story and the characters.
Another key element that has a Silent Hill edge was the exploration. Walking around the eerie woodlands with a dim light was incredibly unnerving. Furthermore, the creepy world has to be thoroughly investigated for clues and tarot cards (more on those in a moment). If you miss information, it can impact your decision-making at a later stage. Therefore, a keen eye and a patient approach are a must.
What does the future hold?
When your decision can have life-changing ramifications, a little forewarning is a great thing. Accordingly, this is where the aforementioned tarot cards come into play. Each of the 10 chapters has a bunch of these collectables hidden in plain sight. With weird imagery and secret meanings, these magical cards unlock a vision for the upcoming chapter. Of course, you don’t have to look, but this snippet of the future could save a life! Therefore, a sneaky peak is surely not a bad thing?
Though the characters, explorations, and brown pants’ enduring moments are fantastic, the pièce de résistance is the decision-making. Will you choose to investigate eerie noises, or hide inside? Do you help your friends to fight, or do you run and save yourself? Will you keep the gun or sacrifice the weapon? These are just some of the decisions you’ll mull over. No matter how trivial something seems, it is likely to affect you sooner rather than later. Consequently, the interactivity makes you buy into the story and it keeps you hooked throughout.
The Quarry looks incredible!
With cinematic action at its core, The Quarry was bound to look incredible. However, I was blown away by the presentation. For the most part, it is noticeably realistic and extremely lifelike. What’s more, its eerie atmosphere, camera angles, and dim lighting create a creepy atmosphere. Yet, I still have my complaints. Occasionally, the cinematic feel disjointed and badly cut. This is apparent when characters are slightly out of place or the background has minor differences. Further to this, there are issues with the character’s hair and some minor lighting problems. On top of this, the character movement can feel robotic and clunky.
Luckily, these problems are masked by the excellent story and incredible audio. Thanks to the exceptional cast of actors, The Quarry’s dialogue is warm, amusing, sincere, and well-paced. This helps you to hate or empathise with each of the protagonists and this improves the experience considerably. Furthermore, the soundtrack and sound effects are brilliant. The music captures the summer camp vibes as well as the fearful moments. Alongside this, the sound effects are haunting, spine-tingling, and extremely uncomfortable.
Responsive and considered controls.
Though the character movement was a bit janky, it didn’t ruin the game. Because of its responsive and well-considered controls, it is very easy to play. The simplicity of the QTEs and the labelling of key items enhance the experience. Playing it isn’t too demanding, and this lets you focus on the story and the unfolding horrors.
With many paths to take, collectables to find, and a multiplayer mode to try, there is longevity and replay value. Moreover, trying to keep everyone alive or kill everyone off is no mean feat. Though each playthrough isn’t incredibly long, there is enough depth to keep you going from beginning to end.
The Quarry is a must-play title.
The Quarry will appeal to a wide audience. With an excellent story, amazing characters, brilliant cinematic, and countless subplots, it’s a must-play title. From the start, you’ll be hooked on its creepiness and this never dissipates. Furthermore, it captures everything that is great about old-school American horror. It is for these reasons, I recommend you to buy it here! Helping to run a camp is supposed to be fun. However, the laughter soon stops when your life is in danger. Work together, or run for your life as you try to survive.
