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[mortal]

Can the use of quick time events allow for truly great gameplay experiences or is relying on QTEs indicative of poor game design?

I don't have any disdain for QTEs in games, but 9/10 times I'd prefer little-no scripted movements. I really enjoy games where movement is always a matter of player input.
Chase or escape sequence? Better when I have to actually move with a button or stick, rather than framing it as a QTE or cutscene.
An action sequence becomes elevated whenever the player is more engaged and thus has a more emotional impact.

While I've played a fair share of what I’d consider well-crafted, well-paced QTE segments, I often can't help but imagine how much better they could've been had they been more mechanics-driven.

TL;DR, I don’t hate QTEs but find their reliance disappointing in otherwise fantastic games. I think the next truly innovative, ground breaking games lie in the complete opposite direction of QTEs.

 

[Moses85]

Outdated

 

[TrueLegend]

The only QTE I ever liked were from OG GOW series.

 

[German Hops]

I like them in moderation.

 

[Sidney Prescott]

I personally don't mind QTE's as long as it is only in small doses. Constantly having to do them gets pretty tedious and just not fun.

 

[winjer]

A plague upon gaming.

 

[TGO]

God of War did it right.
Resident Evil 4 did it wrong

 

[Three]

No problem with them as long as the interaction feels natural. If it's just random QTEs it feels stupid. There is no reason why pressing L1 means do a 360 somersault in a one off section of a game.

 

[mortal]

Outdated

I was wondering this as well.
Are QTEs consider a game design relic in this day and age? I wasn't sure if that argument is overly critical or unreasonable.

 

[ahtlas7]

Have yet to have an encounter with them I declared fun.

 

[dano1]

I’m fine with them every great while

 

[rofif]

sucks ass. let me watch the cutscene

 

[winjer]

sucks ass. let me watch the cutscene

Exactly. It's like having a stuck DVD and having to be constantly pressing the play button.

 

[SlimeGooGoo]

Should be limited to Dance Dance Revolution and Space Channel 5

 

[mortal]

God of War did it right.
Resident Evil 4 did it wrong

Interesting examples.
Do you mind specifying with a sequence from each?

 

[Jaybe]

They are okay if used sparingly but if I need to hit a button to open a door I’m changing that to press once on the accessibility options

 

[It's all in the wrist]

They're fine in a cinematic game like God of War, where you'd otherwise be sitting there waiting for Kratos struggle to rip a monsters jaw open. They're OK during gameplay.

I don't like them in general. I don't want to mash X to run, and I ESPECIALLY can't tolerate games that spring QTEs on you at random times during a cutscene. I have spilled coffee before frantically reaching for my controller when an unexpected QTE pops up.

Oh, and every developer should give the option of holding a button instead of smashing it.

 

[remember_spinal]

 

[Flutta]

I enjoyed it in GOW1-3 hated it in GOW18-R.

In other words it’s an outdated game design and shouldn’t be used anymore. Just play a cutscene instead or better yet stop being lazy and develop a new game mechanic.

 

[xrnzaaas]

I don't mind them if they're not too long or too frequent. Plus it's nice when they correspond to the action on the screen, like mashing a button when the character is trying to overpower the enemy.

 

[PixelatedBeast]

Outdated

Not if they're done like how it is in Ghost of Tsushima when you have to cut the bamboo sticks to raise your stats. Single buttom QTE prompts are boring, but if you have to enter a specfic pattern fast, it can be challenging. This makes it feel like you have a timer to enter a cheat code instead of just pushing one button faster.

 

[TGO]

Interesting examples.
Do you mind specifying with a sequence from each?

 

[Evolved1]

Used to be more tolerant of them... now pretty much fucking despise them in all cases -- would rather just watch a cutscene or hold a button.

 

[The_Mike]

They suck.

End of story.

 

[brian0057]

QTEs are cutscenes masquerading as gameplay. And terrible gameplay at that.
Just do cutscenes and leave this shallow "mechanic" in the trash, where it belongs.
They sucked even back when God of War and RE4 made them popular. At least Mario Party confines button mashing to a couple of minigames, not the entire runtime.
Fuck QTEs. And if your game has them, it's a 6 at most.

 

[mortal]

It occurred to me just how much I dislike the floating button prompt look in general after seeing this.

 

[Lukaku's First Touch]

I fucking hate them, especially when you have to do the same thing a 100 times. Like in Uncharted smash square to open this door... ffs.

 

[cireza]

It can be fun if there is a well built scene using them, like it was done in Shenmue (with even branching paths).

They were fun in Sonic Frontiers. Only happened during boss fights, but they had a lot of energy.

 

[Knightime_X]

Metal gear Revengence and GOW 1,2, and 3: amazing
Dragons lair: Stupid

 

[Danjin44]

Just like most mechanics, if its done well it can enhance experience but if overused it can drag the game down.

 

[Moses85]

Not if they're done like how it is in Ghost of Tsushima when you have to cut the bamboo sticks to raise your stats. Single buttom QTE prompts are boring, but if you have to enter a specfic pattern fast, it can be challenging. This makes it feel like you have a timer to enter a cheat code instead of just pushing one button faster.

This anoyed me the most in this Game..

 

[existensmaximum]

I've neither hated nor liked them but I really don't think they've ever added anything to a game. Perhaps in Heavy Rain..

They often feel kind of cheap to me, and lazy. Extremely outdated, like pre-2010

 

[Wildebeest]

They were ok as a one off novelty, like those singing fishes.

 

[NeverYouMind]

I find it amusing in David Cage games as it gives them an extra layer of interactivity and humanity, but for others it is an unnecessary stumbing block for a desired outcome.

 

[remember_spinal]

Used to be more tolerant of them... now pretty much fucking despise them in all cases -- would rather just watch a cutscene or hold a button.

Its a good thing most modern games (sony games) allow you to do just that

I recently played GoW trilogy and the QTE’s actually made my thumb hurt, and some i could barely pull off at all without thinking i was gonna break my controller

 

[Johnny Concrete]

It could be interesting if it was only used to make a quick decision on the spot and branch the story.

If it is used to just create some low level interaction with a fail-state, then please fuck off.

 

[GametimeUK]

They're shit. I can at least tolerate them during gameplay since interaction with the controller is expected. If I die to a QTE in the middle of a long ass cutscene when I'm not expecting it I get pissed off.

 

[ShadyAcshuns]

I love both Uncharted and Shenmue, but I can't stand QTE's. There's a reason not many games went in that direction. Leave it for the rhythm games haha.

 

[HoofHearted]

The one that started them all....

 

[ReBurn]

I like them better than crafting.

 

[Laptop1991]

I really don't like them, never have, QTE shouldn't be in games for me, it's not gameplay, just an irritation that gets in the way.

 

[22:22:22]

They're mostly to quick imo

 

[Punished Miku]

I've always loved them honestly. There's good ones and bad ones though.

 

[Rayderism]

Really depends on the game and how often or aggressively they use them.

They annoy me most when they stick one in the middle of a cutscene. I mean, the cutscene is playing, and maybe you set your controller down to take a sip of your drink or whatever, then suddenly a QTE happens and you're like, "Doh! Dammit!" as you fumble for your controller and are ultimately too late and fail the QTE.

But generally I'm OK with them when used as a special move during an action scene, or in story games like Until Dawn, The Quarry or the old TellTale and Life is Strange games, etc. where QTE's are just part of the game.

 

[Aenima]

I like / dont mind them, when they have a good and bad consequence but keep the game moving even if you fail it, like in games like Detroit Become Human and Untill Dawn. I hate QTE that make you restart the checkpoint if you fail them.

 

[LavitzSlambert]

Spiderman did it best making it optional and could tap or hold. Bayonetta did it worst. Like seriously WTF were they thinking with the time windows? Bad design.

 

[Neff]

I like them and I never understood the criticism.

 

[Dr.Morris79]

The one that started them all....

Yep, I was there!

..And I hated it then just as much as now!

A terrible mechanic that needs to die.

 

[KungFucius]

Can the use of quick time events allow for truly great gameplay experiences or is relying on QTEs indicative of poor game design?

I don't have any disdain for QTEs in games, but 9/10 times I'd prefer little-no scripted movements. I really enjoy games where movement is always a matter of player input.
Chase or escape sequence? Better when I have to actually move with a button or stick, rather than framing it as a QTE or cutscene.
An action sequence becomes elevated whenever the player is more engaged and thus has a more emotional impact.

While I've played a fair share of what I’d consider well-crafted, well-paced QTE segments, I often can't help but imagine how much better they could've been had they been more mechanics-driven.

TL;DR, I don’t hate QTEs but find their reliance disappointing in otherwise fantastic games. I think the next truly innovative, ground breaking games lie in the complete opposite direction of QTEs.

I fucking hate them. It is especially annoying when they are unexpected. As someone who games on PC/PS/Switch, I also sometimes get confused for a second as to what button layout I am even using. Also the ones that require heavy button mashing are too hard for my kid sometimes. Fuck that. Making the game unplayable by a 6 year old because you expect 12+ level of thumb strength? That is a fucking design fail.

That said, the ones that are well telegraphed and give you a second to orient, are not the worst thing in the world. I would prefer they switch to a beat the shit out of this guy in slow mode using any moves you want instead of press X, ....Y ..... B..... Rt.....

 

[NightmareFarm]

I mildly appreciate them if they're just "Mash X to win sword duel" or something like that and doesn't require you to break your thumb to successfully finish the QTE like in Bayonetta 1. I like QTEs a lot if they are implemented in fun and interesting ways like with Ninja Gaiden 3 or where you have to press a combination of buttons really fast like in the Naruto Ninja Storm games.