Quantum Conundrum

Quantum Conundrum is the king of puzzles. Sadly, some of the controls keep it from being king of the genre.

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Quantum Conundrum is a first-person puzzle game where players manipulate time and space to solve challenging puzzles. As the nephew of the brilliant, eccentric inventor Professor Quadwrangle, you must navigate through his ever-changing mansion and experiment with his latest quantum invention: the Interdimensional Shift Device. Your goal is to rescue the professor from himself and his out-of-control inventions before it's too late!

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

76%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,247 reviews

gameplay91 positive mentions

grinding21 negative mentions

Fun and engaging puzzle mechanics that require creative thinking and timing.
Charming art style and humorous narration by John de Lancie add to the overall experience.
Offers a variety of puzzles that gradually increase in complexity, providing a satisfying challenge.

The platforming elements can be frustrating due to imprecise controls and timing requirements.
The story is weak and the ending feels abrupt and unsatisfying.
Some puzzles rely too heavily on trial and error rather than clever problem-solving.

gameplay
235 mentions
39 % positive mentions
55 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Quantum Conundrum" is characterized by its unique dimension-shifting mechanics, allowing players to manipulate objects and solve puzzles in creative ways. While many reviewers appreciate the innovative core mechanics and the fun, lighthearted nature of the puzzles, some criticize the platforming elements and overall execution, noting that the gameplay can feel clunky and less polished compared to its inspirations like "Portal." Overall, the game offers a mix of clever puzzles and engaging mechanics, though opinions vary on its depth and execution.
- “It's a fun little game with fun mechanics that I still find myself thinking about and coming back to.”
- “The principal mechanics is that you can change between 4 dimensions, which change the properties of the objects in the rooms.”
- “Quantum Conundrum shines with its really clever and fun puzzles utilizing its mechanics very well.”
- “Quantum Conundrum's mechanic of changing physical properties of objects doesn't really amount to anything; perhaps because they don't really affect the player but the environment, and it isn't very interesting.”
- “This game was fun for about a few hours but got extremely tedious due to horrible platforming mechanics and wonky physics getting in the way of solving actual puzzles.”
- “The implementation of this game's mechanics was a disappointment - the puzzles often feel unnatural, and the gameplay lacks focus.”
story
225 mentions
22 % positive mentions
67 % neutral mentions
11 % negative mentions
The story in "Quantum Conundrum" is generally considered weak and simplistic, serving primarily as a backdrop for the puzzle mechanics rather than a compelling narrative. While some players appreciate the humor and charm of the characters, particularly the voice acting by John de Lancie, many find the plot to be clichéd, lacking depth, and ultimately unsatisfying, especially in its abrupt ending. Overall, the game is more focused on its puzzle gameplay than on delivering a rich story experience.
- “The story is simple, but features Professor Quadwrangle, a strange and funny scientist voiced by John de Lancie, and his nephew.”
- “Quantum Conundrum achieves both of these areas spectacularly with beautifully created graphics and a comedic storyline.”
- “The dialogue and story were interesting and humorous.”
- “The story is weak; it just exists - not thrilling and the ending is also poor.”
- “The story is horrendously cliché.”
- “The story is very basic, although I feel that was part of the vision when the developers were thinking of what was vital.”
humor
176 mentions
98 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The humor in "Quantum Conundrum" is often described as lighthearted and whimsical, with a mix of science puns and quirky commentary from the narrator, voiced by John de Lancie. While some players find the humor charming and reminiscent of "Portal," others feel it falls flat or becomes repetitive, with many noting that it lacks the sharp wit and dark humor of its predecessor. Overall, the game offers a blend of amusing dialogue and playful art style, though opinions on its effectiveness vary widely.
- “The humor is enjoyable and not cringy.”
- “The dialogue is funny, the story is interesting, and the gameplay is fun.”
- “This game is challenging, hilarious, and fun!”
- “The writers clearly wanted to create the same witty, 'punny' sort of one-liners as in Portal, but it's not funny at all, and the only voice actor in the game completely messes up the delivery.”
- “You can tell he is upset that he didn't get to make Portal 2 boring, dumb, and unfunny because that's exactly what he did with this game.”
- “Mediocre and unfunny Portal clone.”
graphics
150 mentions
44 % positive mentions
51 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a charming, cartoonish art style that fits well with its quirky atmosphere, though many players note that the visuals are somewhat dated and can feel repetitive over time. While some appreciate the colorful and whimsical design, others criticize the lack of graphical options and occasional performance issues, such as frame drops. Overall, the aesthetic is generally well-received, providing a pleasant backdrop for the gameplay, despite some technical shortcomings.
- “The graphics are fantastic.”
- “The graphics hold up extremely well (that's just the nature of cartoon art styles, after all).”
- “The art style works extremely well for the game.”
- “The graphics are just horrendous.”
- “Unfortunately, it is somewhat let down by its occasionally stark and repetitive aesthetics: a lot of areas often end up feeling the same.”
- “Boring visuals, laggy moments between levels, and a lackluster story which didn't make much sense to me, plus the narrator berating me every 2 minutes didn't make me feel very welcome.”
music
62 mentions
48 % positive mentions
47 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with many players appreciating its catchy and fitting nature that complements the lively and whimsical tone. While the soundtrack is described as enjoyable and sometimes memorable, opinions vary on specific tracks, particularly the ending song, which some found lacking. Overall, the music enhances the game's atmosphere, making it a notable aspect of the experience.
- “The soundtrack is amazing, though sometimes it doesn't fit the location very well.”
- “The music is fantastic; it is one reason I continued to play through the game.”
- “The music complements the eccentricity of the manor's set of rooms.”
- “The music doesn't stand out too much, it just plays in the background.”
- “The music is a bit of a mixed bag.”
- “The end credits song was unbearable.”
grinding
22 mentions
5 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
95 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, with many noting that while the puzzles may be easy to understand, the execution often becomes frustrating due to poor mechanics and level design. Although some enjoy the challenge, the general consensus is that the experience can quickly turn into a drag, detracting from the initial fun and engagement.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “However, at a certain point, you’re just going from puzzle room to puzzle room and it got tedious really fast.”
- “This game was fun for about a few hours but got extremely tedious due to horrible platforming mechanics and wonky physics getting in the way of solving actual puzzles.”
- “While it's fun at first, it gets repetitive and tedious.”
atmosphere
18 mentions
72 % positive mentions
11 % neutral mentions
17 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is characterized by its charming, cartoony graphics and engaging music, creating a whimsical and enjoyable environment. While some players noted similarities to Portal, they appreciated the unique world and originality it offers, enhanced by effective narration. Overall, the atmosphere is described as delightful and immersive, though opinions vary on its depth and impact compared to other titles.
- “The graphics are also well done and give the whole game a fun, 'cartoony' atmosphere.”
- “Dripping with atmosphere, interesting mechanics, and great puzzles.”
- “John de Lancie as a narrator does a great job creating atmosphere; I could say it is almost as good as in Stanley Parable and makes the game so much better and alive.”
- “While GLaDOS’ dialogue is a crucial part of Portal's atmosphere, here I just kept wishing I could mute Qwadrangle.”
- “You see the same safe, box, books, and atmosphere throughout the whole game.”
- “The graphics are a bit stilted but work in the cartoon atmosphere of absurdity.”
optimization
15 mentions
20 % positive mentions
60 % neutral mentions
20 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues, including stuttering and a lack of optimization options. While some found the gameplay enjoyable and smooth, others criticized it for being poorly optimized, leading to frustration during gameplay. Overall, the performance seems inconsistent, affecting the overall experience for many users.
- “The areas are filled with a nice array of collectibles, the game runs smoothly... I can't really find too many things wrong with this.”
- “Not sure why such an old game would have performance issues and require a fix from online.”
- “However, the game is strangely without optimization options and can be quite repetitive in the in-between spaces.”
- “On top of that, the game appears to have performance issues even on PCs that should be able to play it without problems.”
stability
8 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is frequently criticized, with users reporting numerous bugs and glitches, including disappearing items and game-breaking issues related to graphics rendering. While the visuals and environments are generally praised, the overall experience is marred by these persistent stability problems, particularly during speedruns and intensive gameplay.
- “The physics engine is a bit flimsy, and I encountered some buggy behaviors, like items disappearing or respawning back for no apparent reason.”
- “Also a massively buggy game to boot.”
- “Be warned that there were a few game-breaking glitches associated with the graphics rendering, so if your computer can't handle intensive game graphics, you may want to hold off.”
replayability
7 mentions
43 % positive mentions
14 % neutral mentions
43 % negative mentions
The game offers some replayability primarily through achievements, collectibles, and engaging puzzles, though the short campaign (around 6-7 hours) limits its overall longevity. While the story is considered lackluster, the inclusion of timeruns and dimension shifts adds to the replay value for those interested in exploring all aspects of the game. Players may find it worthwhile to purchase on sale, as the experience can be enjoyable despite its brevity.
- “Fun puzzle platformer that has replayability.”
- “The way you can play with physics and the interesting graphics add replay value.”
- “Timeruns, least dimension shifts, and collectibles feed the replayability.”
- “Since the game is a bit short and doesn't have much replayability, I recommend buying it on sale; if you do, you'll get your money's worth for sure.”
- “Unfortunately, there isn't much replayability except for finding all of the collectibles and the DLC, but the game is a solid experience on its own and could very well be worth the asking price if you are interested.”
- “There are plenty of puzzles to engage your gamer brain throughout the 6-7 hour campaign, and there's a bit of replay value thrown in with the ability to go back and collect hidden items.”
emotional
5 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game elicits a mixed response, with players feeling both frustration and joy. While some appreciate the humor and lightheartedness, others are disappointed by the lack of a satisfying conclusion, leading to feelings of wasted effort. Overall, the game evokes a range of emotions, from laughter to anger, but ultimately leaves some players feeling unfulfilled.
- “It's a real shame this game had no better cutscene since the game was building the ending to be a nice sparkly bow to a great game, but it didn't, which is a real shame since the game is worth it at full price but the ending made me feel like I wasted my time and that everything I did in the game was really for nothing.”
- “I laughed, I cried, I punched a hole in the drywall and screamed into it with rage and elation until I got a call from my landlord demanding I stop.”
- “Definitely buy it if you've got spare cash for a few hours of wholesome fun!”
monetization
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players express frustration with the game's monetization strategy, particularly due to its cliffhanger ending and the prevalence of advertisements that may mislead about the game's content. This has led to disappointment regarding the overall value and experience.
- “I like the game, but it ends on a cliffhanger which kind of upsets me, and the advertisements suggest that you would play as the science character.”
- “I normally say a lot more, but the advertisements for the game tell you enough.”