q.u.q.
- February 26, 2023
- motijan
- 2h median play time
Get on Steam"q.u.q." is a single-player game with an interesting plot, featuring a girl on a journey through the desert, dragging a giant gun and facing many obstacles. The game boasts stellar visuals inspired by retro games, a fabulous soundtrack, and plenty of humor. With 9 endings, varied ways to die, and a focus on exploration and decision-making, this game promises an engaging and immersive experience.
Reviews
- The game features beautiful art and a captivating soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
- It offers a unique and surreal narrative that, despite its brevity, manages to engage players with its quirky characters and humor.
- At its low price point, the game provides a memorable experience with multiple endings, making it worth the investment for fans of visual novels.
- The story feels incomplete and lacks sufficient character development due to its short length, leaving many plot points vague and unexplained.
- Players may find the choice system frustrating, as making the wrong decisions can lock them out of certain endings without clear indications.
- Some players noted issues with the English translation and minor technical glitches that detract from the overall polish of the game.
- story76 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The game's story has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its intriguing premise and artistic presentation, but criticizing its brevity and lack of character development. While some found the surreal and tragic elements engaging, others felt the narrative was vague and incomplete, leading to confusion and a lack of emotional impact. Overall, the story is seen as a unique experience that may appeal to fans of abstract storytelling, but it often leaves players wanting more depth and clarity.
“The art style is very immersive, and everything from the tone of the story to the characters, design, and sound effects really fits together completely well.”
“Although the story is nicely concluded, sequel when?”
“The story itself is one I like very much; you are just thrown into this world, and the game says what it wants to say very efficiently. If you are a sucker for tragic stories with a heavy dose of surrealism, this is definitely the late-night experience for you.”
“The story is on the brink of being incomprehensible, and doesn't pack enough of a punch thematically, having to rely on tropes to kind of 'fast-track' the player's emotional response.”
“The art is nice, but the story kind of lacks; the idea behind the game had a lot of potential, but sadly it feels rushed.”
“The story doesn't make sense, and finding the right combination of choices (that appear to be random) is annoying and leads to repetition in an already short game.”
- music55 mentions
- 69 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its emotional depth and fitting atmosphere, with many players highlighting its beautiful piano tracks and unique compositions that enhance the overall experience. The soundtrack is described as both pleasant and evocative, effectively conveying a range of emotions from sadness to quirkiness, making it a standout feature of the game. While some players noted minor issues with music looping, the overall consensus is that the original soundtrack is a significant draw, with many rushing to purchase it after playing.
“Amazing music by imeji44 as well, so your ears never get bored.”
“The music is very pleasant and fits in a good art style we see on screen.”
“A superbly surreal visual novel experience, the music and visuals immerse you in a trance and don't let go until the credits.”
“The story opens with a dramatic music sequence filled with bland still images that do not at all mesh with how much the game is trying to hype itself up.”
“Some of the music does not loop seamlessly and thus the moment it restarts is completely audible.”
“Players have the option of skipping ahead to the next choice as a way of making repeat playthroughs faster, but all the sound effects and music changes still play in rapid succession while the game is skipping; just absolutely horrible to listen to.”
- graphics32 mentions
- 59 % positive mentions
- 31 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique and immersive art style, which effectively complements the story and enhances the overall experience. Reviewers highlight the striking visuals, diverse character designs, and atmospheric soundtrack, noting that these elements create a captivating and surreal environment. While some mention a desire for more detailed close-ups, the overall aesthetic is considered a standout feature that elevates the game.
“The art style is very immersive, and everything from the tone of the story to the character design, sound effects, and tiny tidbits of lore really fits together completely well.”
“The art style is like nothing I have seen before; the lights and darks are just so vast and beautifully looking.”
“Absolutely gorgeous visuals and sound that work together wonderfully.”
“I still think it's worth playing, if only to appreciate the visuals and soundtrack - but I can't help but feel like q.u.q.”
“The art style, albeit rather similar to visual novels beforehand like Milk, had its very own unique twist with its environments, but also character designs that felt natural to the world, but none too similar so it was always nice to see what the next introduced character would look like.”
“The story itself calls upon the player to piece it together, but the art style, soundtrack, and unusual cast of characters do well enough at immersing the player in a quirky, yet desolate world.”
- humor17 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as a blend of absurdity and silliness, often contrasting with its serious tone and darker themes. Players appreciate the funny scenes and quirky characters, particularly noting the ridiculousness of side endings and clever writing that elicits genuine laughter. However, some feel that the humor could have been more prominent, as the game balances its comedic elements with moments of dread and seriousness.
“Great game, great soundtrack, good humor in there too; my only complaint is that there isn't more of it.”
“On the good side, all of the side endings are so ridiculous to the point that they are funny and broke me for some moments.”
“The writing is very funny, and the music fits the atmosphere.”
- emotional9 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game elicits a mixed response, with some players finding it heartwarming and impactful, particularly due to its atmospheric art and music, while others feel the emotional depth is undermined by reliance on tropes and a lack of narrative buildup. Many appreciate the blend of humor and poignant moments, though some critique the abrupt transitions between comedic and serious tones. Overall, the game succeeds in evoking strong feelings, even if the execution varies in effectiveness.
“Truly heartwarming.”
“A very great game, it's very atmospheric and full of artistic vibe; the story brought a tear to my eye, especially along with the emotional, well-made music.”
“I was waiting a lot for this game and I love it; I love every ending even though it made me cry a little bit. I love the OST as I expected and I really enjoyed it.”
- gameplay5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- -20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The gameplay is a mixed bag, offering about an hour to an hour and a half of memorable experience, particularly for fans of obscure indie games. However, it suffers from a lack of balance and coherence, with trial and error mechanics that disrupt the narrative flow and overall enjoyment.
“Dude, for 3 dollars, this game is so worth the experience. It is like an hour and a half of gameplay, and in that time, it really manages to burn itself into your memory.”
“The game clocks out to about an hour of gameplay with all endings and is thoroughly interesting throughout.”
“If you like weird, obscure indie games that don't necessarily have traditional gameplay, I definitely recommend giving it a try!”
“If you like weird obscure indie games that don't necessarily have gameplay, I definitely recommend giving it a try!”
“This extravagant start then gives way to an extremely haphazard experience that just does not balance its gameplay elements at all, which explains the arbitrary tone of that introduction.”
“Similarly, while the game tries to build up some form of a plot throughout this experience, it abruptly ruins that by introducing stark trial and error gameplay elements via the choice options.”
- character development4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
While the game features stunning art, unique character designs, and an engaging soundtrack, the character development is perceived as lacking depth and substance, suggesting that those seeking a more meaningful narrative may want to explore other options. The visual appeal of the characters and environments is praised, but the overall storytelling does not meet the expectations for sensible character growth.
“The art style, although reminiscent of previous visual novels, has its own unique twist with environments and character designs that feel natural to the world, making it exciting to see what the next introduced character will look like.”
“The color palette and character designs are great, especially with the stranger's odd look.”
“Gorgeous art, character design, and music.”
“To those who want a sensible story and character development, however, I suggest reading something of greater substance.”
“The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the protagonists.”
“The characters are one-dimensional and their growth throughout the game is minimal, leaving me disappointed.”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a dreamy and artistic vibe, enhanced by emotional music that resonates with the story. Reviewers appreciate the intentional vagueness that contributes to the overall ambiance, while also noting the humor in the writing that complements the immersive experience.
“There is some part of this game that can be chalked down to that, but in my opinion, that vagueness is intentional and adds to the dreamy atmosphere.”
“A very great game; it's very atmospheric and full of artistic vibe. The story brought a tear to my eye, especially along with the emotional, well-made music.”
“The writing is very funny, and the music fits the atmosphere perfectly.”
“The atmosphere feels empty and lifeless, making it hard to immerse myself in the game.”
“Despite the beautiful graphics, the atmosphere lacks any real sense of tension or excitement.”
“The game tries to create a haunting atmosphere, but it ends up feeling more dull than eerie.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and detracting from the overall experience, with some feeling it necessitates the use of guides, which disrupts the narrative flow. While the game has artistic merit, many reviewers believe the effort required to navigate its challenges may not justify the rewards.
“Boasts some decent style but is overall just a messy and tedious experience; one which does not feel worth the trouble of slogging through to witness its full breadth.”
“My only complaint with this game is the ending/choice system; I felt like it made the player obligated to use a guide, which made it feel a bit tedious and took away from the flow of the beautiful story. I wish this wasn't a problem as it makes it harder to recommend to other people.”
“9/10, if you have an appreciation for great art and feel, enjoy well-made RPG Maker games (like Off and Wadanohara and The Great Blue Sea), and don't mind going through some tediousness for a bit, absolutely go for this game.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Users highlight the strong replayability of the game, comparing it favorably to other visual novels like milk², and noting its stylized design as a contributing factor to its appeal for multiple playthroughs.
“Replayability is also a factor.”
“As a highly replayable and stylized visual novel in a similar vein to milk² (although I like this more).”
