10 Quick-Time Events That Made Video Games BETTER

5. Doubling Down On Your Alignment - Mass Effect 2

Mass Effect 2 Morinth
BioWare

Roleplaying games don’t tend to lend themselves to quick-time events, but the paragon and renegade QTE actions available in Mass Effect fit in surprisingly well.

Mass Effect is all about choices. You choose your appearance, your alignment, your interactions, your class, so it stands to reason there would be another layer on top of that to drive home precisely what kind of Shepard you’ve decided to be. The game’s QTEs execute this really well by essentially letting you push your point or interrupt a conversation. Whether you’re trying to successfully convey a paragon dialogue choice, or you just want to smack someone in the face because you’re done with their crap, the QTEs get it done.

They also help you feel like you have more agency over your choices which is important as it’s vital that you care about Shepard and relationship building with your crew to be invested in the journey they’re on. Though the prompts are pretty quick and come up so rarely you aren’t always ready for them, they both keep you engaged with the conversation you’re in and the characterisation of your Shepard.

These QTEs also don’t overstay their welcome, they don’t appear too often, and they’re not compulsory. Just the way we like them.

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Jess has been a journalist and content creator in the games industry for over 15 years and has been WhatCulture's resident Australian import and sorry cop since 2020, upping the quotient of swearing and apologising in WhatCulture Gaming's annual blooper videos considerably. She previously worked at GameSpot for 10 years, most notably hosting GameSpot News in addition to E3 live shows, and PAX panels. She regularly livestreams a variety of games on her 'jessmcdonell' YouTube and Twitch channels and hosts the 'Do It On The Day' podcast. She has won awards for her news and feature work in gaming as well as an accolade for her comedic writing (likely an admin error). She can be found on X at @jessmcdonell and Instagram at @jessicamcdonell sharing her current videogame fixations, industry insights, and videos of her cat, Karma.