By Adam Smith on January 26th, 2012 at 11:30 am.
*INEVITABLE COMPARISON TO PORTAL*
Now that’s out of the way, let’s all drool over Kim Swift’s upcoming Quantum Conundrum, which looks like what a computer game would look like if Pixar made computer games. That’s just a fact rather than a wild, hastily decided upon and ill-conceived opinion based on eight minutes of footage shown at CES 2012 and narrated by Kim. Now that I mention it, I did just watch just such a video and decided that anyone who didn’t have a massive grin on their face for at least half of it was probably a pod person. Now, smile. I expect to see the rictus grin of a terrified corpse when I observe you all through my periscope momentarily.
I can’t tell which bit I like the most, but it might well be the bit with the collapsing blocks that become a bridge. As well as being an elegant solution, there’s a fantastic glance back at the curvature of the bridge which highlights the unreality of the situation rather beautifully.
Also enjoyable is the brief glimpse of Professor Engelbert Felinestein Tupsbury.
That may not be his real name but it’s what he went by when I met him in a smoke-filled bar in Malaysia those many years ago.
Quantum Conundrum doesn’t have a firm release date but the last I heard was Q1 2012. So, soonish I suppose.
This article is totally missing the “Cat with monocle” tag.
And indeed this looks really Pixar-like. Periscope ? Does that mean you’re in a submarine ?
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It’s supposed to take place in his lab, and he invents all kinds of things… So I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s in a sub. We don’t know what that periscope actually looks at.
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I was actually referencing to Adam who creepily said “I expect to see the rictus grin of a terrified corpse when I observe you all through my periscope momentarily.” not to the game locale.
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“Now, smile. I expect to see the rictus grin of a terrified corpse when I observe you all through my periscope momentarily.”
That is a truly beautiful line.
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It’s really nice to see that some of the Portal authors are now working on their own ideas. Healthy competition is good for everyone.
And on a (fanboy) side note, i think that PS3 installments of Ratchet & Clank also look Pixar-ish, though of course not as Pixar-ish as this game here.
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Competition /laughs fans of these games usually buy them all anyway
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Quantum Conundrum is my most anticipated game of this year, and that’s saying something.
The gameplay and aesthetics are what I find most compelling.
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Nice, that looks fantastic, now I do not want to see any more videos until it launches *eyes closed and fingers in ears* lalalala!
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Lovely. The art-style/engine is absolutely gorgeous, too.
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Indeed.
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I am so buying this. I love this sort of first person puzzle stuff.
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Gaben said no.
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This looks like I have to buy it the instant it comes out.
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This game looks nice! I liked the safesurfing bit the most.
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Look!
It’s TotalBiscat!
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Affurmative!
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You appear T B right
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You appurr T B right
‘there, fixed that for yarn !
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Looks good, had to stop watching the video so I go in having seen as little as possible.
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I’m a pod person!
Looks fun tho. A lot!
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Did anyone else hear the toilet-flush sound at the end of the Basketball level and think “Day of the Tentacle!”?
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Yes. It’s the cron-o-john! That particular sound is used in a lot of movies and in television. The Wilhelm Scream of plumbing, so to speak.
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“The Wilhelm Scream of plumbing, so to speak.”
That may just be the best phrase I’ve seen on the internet in the past month.
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That’s fantastic. This just squeezed into my top 3 list for most expected this year. Sorry Diablo 3.
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Yeah, like if D3 would release this year!
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The way she says “yay!” is just too cute.
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I too have developed an instantaneous geek-crush. I am off to go and imagine her and myself, shopping at Zara and then talking about poetry and subtext in gaming whilst drinking ale in a small, little known backstreet pub.
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Demo spoilers!
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Absolutely loved the safe-surfing. Looking forward to this now, more reasons to smile and laugh at that trailer than in any other for months.
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it’s weird how this looks so much like portal – yet not.
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For some reason, seeing those two safes bonk into each other delighted me to no end.
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Also enjoyable is the brief glimpse of Professor Engelbert Felinestein Tupsbury
Clearly that is Schrodinger’s Cat.
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That dastardly Tupsbury! He told me he was Doctor Edgar Archibald Pawsingdon when I encountered him in the Himalayas.
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Who could not love a “fluffy” dimension? That’s brilliant!
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“Yay, happy demo completion star!”
cute :)
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Does it have a fluffy release date? I hope it doesn’t have a slow motion one, not being a Valve game.
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Such a mind-bending amount of clever and awesome in just 8 minutes. I need to be playing this game right now. NEED TO.
Also, I wanna marry Kim Swift’s voice.
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Looks promising, and like Portal, might have a personality tailored to it, unlike Q.U.B.E.
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…and this is why not every clever game idea needs to be added to Portal.
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I’m slightly concerned that the video shows Xbox controller icons on-screen. This isn’t going to be another 360 exclusive is it?
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I think I’ve seen enough, if they continue like this, this should be an awesome game.
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Gotta like the casual inclusion of a shallow water simulation :P
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