Quantum Break offers a fantastic blend of gaming and live-action storytelling that had me hooked from the start. One of the first things that struck me was how well the visuals held up for a 2016 release. I feel that usually games that opted for more realistic graphics at the time suffer when looking back at them, but this was not the case here. Aside from eye candy; the game boasts an impressive cast that brings depth and authenticity to the characters.

The narrative is where Quantum Break truly shines, seamlessly weaving together gameplay and live-action episodes to create an immersive experience. It seems like it was a love or hate thing, but the risk of using live action episodes between each act really worked for me. I also enjoyed the gameplay of mixing gunplay with time-bending abilities a lot more than I thought I would.

However, the game isn't without its flaws. While I appreciated the rich lore and environmental storytelling scattered throughout the world, I often felt rushed to move on by other NPCs, even when I wanted to take my time to explore and absorb the details. This tension between wanting to delve deeper into the lore and the pressure to keep moving forward sometimes detracted from the experience, although it did improve towards the end of the game as I became more comfortable with the pacing.

Additionally, I encountered occasional issues with repeated dialogue during exploration, which broke immersion and pulled me out of the experience. Despite these drawbacks, Quantum Break remains underrated in my opinion.

Bonus points go to the soundtrack, which features a track from Paramore. And of course, a special shoutout to Beth Wilder, who has my whole heart.