Ranking Every Quantic Dream Game From Worst To Best
Heavy Rain vs. Detroit Become Human vs. Indigo Prophecy vs...
Developer David Cage with his Quantic Dream studios have been on an ambitious one-studio mission from the jump; to blend the movie and game experience into a gratifying hybrid experience.
Love it or hate it, the fuss they made eventually created ripples; there’d be no Telltale’s The Walking Dead, Until Dawn, or Life Is Strange without their resurrection of what LucasArts started. In fact, the ‘interactive movie’ sub-genre of the adventure game has become its standard... instead of the weird experiment it was initially laughed off as.
Still, despite the innovation, it's not all peaches; Cage, in particular, has the habit of earning many gamers' rage. His high-fluting dismissing of ‘regular games’ (e.g. everything else) has annoyed many, as well as his flawed storytelling and overhyped games mechanics. Also, in 2018, there was a mess of controversy surrounding Quantic Dream as a ‘toxic’ work environment as well.
Regardless, that year also saw the release of their recent venture, Detroit: Become Human; a game that has been championed by gamers and fellow developers more than actual critics - leading to their most profitable project to date.
There’s no better time then, to look back and sort through their eclectic backlog from this divisive (but always interesting) studio.
5. Omikron: The Nomad Soul (1999)
Unless you are a diehard David Bowie fan, this first effort by Cage and Quantic Dream has likely not registered on your radar - and is the only venture from them not in the ‘interactive movie’ mould. Instead, Omikron is a messy blend of every genre that was popular back in 1999.
First the good though; it is bursting with exciting concepts and plot points, with its cyber-punk open-world vibrantly filled with rich lore. The plot itself has enough cool twists and turns as well, with some radical breaking-the-fourth-wall mechanics that are impressive for its time.
Now, the bad; the beyond dated graphics and controls are a given - but the shoehorning of FPS and combat fighter segments are random and handle absolutely atrocious. Also, like many Cage games, the enthusiasm for his ideas are not paid off in a satisfactory and competent fashion.
It really must be said though, the late and great Bowie not only composed the stellar soundtrack but also helped build the story and world elements, plus voiced acted two characters. If you're a completist of the late artist, the game is a must - at least, for curiosity sake.