Schrodinger’s Cat And The Raiders Of The Lost Quark
- September 23, 2014
- Italic Pig Limited
- 2h median play time
Give this quirky little gem a chance and Schrödinger’s plucky little feline will almost certainly find a place in your heart.
Schrödinger's Cat and the Raiders of the Lost Quark is a lighthearted platform game set in a quantum physics world, where players help Schrödinger's Cat restore order in a chaotic Particle Zoo. Using quark combos, players create temporary matter like copters and drills to subdue subatomic baddies while uncovering how they escaped. The game features 7 environments, 14 quark combos, and numerous quirky characters in its task-based gameplay. However, some may find the dialogue overly chatty and annoying, and the satisfying climax may only be fully enjoyed by clever players.
Reviews
- The game features a unique and innovative quark combo system that allows for creative problem-solving and adds depth to the gameplay.
- The humor and voice acting are well-executed, providing a charming and entertaining experience that resonates with players, especially those with a fondness for science.
- The art style and environments are visually appealing, reminiscent of classic platformers, and the gameplay mechanics are engaging, making it a fun experience overall.
- The game is plagued by numerous bugs and glitches, which can severely disrupt gameplay and lead to frustrating experiences, including crashes and unresponsive mechanics.
- Level design is often repetitive and uninspired, leading to a lack of challenge and engagement, with some areas feeling monotonous and lacking variety.
- The controls can feel floaty and imprecise, making platforming difficult at times, and the inability to rebind keys adds to the frustration for players.
- gameplay35 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Schrödinger's Cat and the Raiders of the Lost Quark" features an innovative quark combo mechanic and nostalgic platforming elements, providing a fun and quirky experience. However, it is marred by frustrating controls, unstable physics, and design flaws that detract from the overall enjoyment. While the humor and puzzle mechanics are praised, the game suffers from bland level design and a lack of challenge for seasoned players.
“The gameplay itself is simple enough but deceptively so as the platform levels require you to really think at times.”
“The quark mechanic that is heavily featured is innovative, unique, and one of the coolest systems found in any platform game to date.”
“Wonderful design decisions all around, from the very clever use of the open world puzzle platforming combined with a resource management mechanic to make the player think on their feet when facing their challenges.”
“Starting from the smaller problem, even with solid and fluid gameplay, there's no way to change keybinds, a problem given that the controls for gamepads are honestly bad.”
“I would fall through the floor of levels, I would glitch through walls, I would break the game so unbelievably frequently that it really soured the gameplay.”
“Schrödinger's Cat and the Raiders of the Lost Quark's heart is certainly in the right place; for the most part it offers a weird and solid platforming experience in an original format only to become bogged down by bland level design and often unnecessarily complex gameplay mechanics.”
- humor27 mentions
- 93 % positive mentions
- -4 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a standout feature, blending quirky physics-based comedy with a nostalgic charm reminiscent of classic platformers. While many players appreciate the clever science puns and engaging voice acting, some find the humor hit-or-miss, with criticisms aimed at its "dumb smart" jokes and lack of context for references. Overall, the game offers a unique comedic experience that resonates well with fans of nerdy humor, though it may not appeal to everyone.
“There are many games out there which try to be humorous, but I'd be hard pressed to name more than perhaps two other games that had me laughing as hard as this one.”
“Its has just hilarious physics-based comedy and if you have even a passing understanding of quantum physics you will be laughing your socks off; even if you don't, though, it's still got a really quirky funny sense of humor anybody could enjoy.”
“The humor and style of the game feels like a nostalgic take on platformers from the 80's - 90's, such as Earthworm Jim / Gex / Star Fox, while the modern upkeep on the gameplay and art style is sophisticated and smooth.”
“Most of the jokes are not funny.”
“The humor relies heavily on references that lack context and set-up.”
“The attempts at humor fall flat and often miss the mark.”
- stability9 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant stability issues, with numerous bugs and glitches that severely impact gameplay. Players frequently encounter problems such as getting stuck in walls, inconsistent enemy behavior, and unresponsive controls, making the experience frustrating and often unplayable. Overall, the lack of polish and pervasive technical flaws detract from the game's enjoyment.
“To top all those flaws, the game is very unpolished, full of bugs and glitches that create problems for the player.”
“Often, when the game is running at a slow framerate, collisions are buggy and the character ends up stuck in a wall, leaving the player with no other option but to reset the whole level.”
“Enemies can get stuck in unreachable places, entire areas can become uncompletable (although you can reset an area if that does happen), green goo is sometimes instadeath, sometimes not (something that I speculate has to do with getting stuck between non-square hitboxes), there are several buggy animations and behaviors in some enemies, and yet other enemies' movement is too wonky for a perfect clear to be worthwhile.”
- graphics7 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed feedback; while many players appreciate the cool art style and sophisticated environments that evoke nostalgia for classic platformers, some criticize the overall visual presentation as being plain. The physics-related humor and unique mechanics are highlighted as strengths, contributing to a visually engaging experience despite some flaws.
“I really like the art style, I like the cool environments, and the physics-related humor is (mostly) top-notch.”
“The humor and style of the game feels like a nostalgic take on platformers from the 80's - 90's, such as Earthworm Jim / Gex / Star Fox, while the modern upkeep on the gameplay and art style is sophisticated and smooth.”
“To make this even worse, you cannot access the configurations (sound, graphics, etc.) at any time.”
“My only big gripe is the graphics are so... plain.”
“Most of those flaws wouldn't be that hard to solve, given that the core gameplay and graphics are done surprisingly well.”
- story5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The game's story is characterized by humor and unique character designs that enhance its charm and keep the narrative engaging. While the plot is entertaining and features amusing cutscenes, some players feel that the difficulty curve and the integration of humor could be improved. Overall, the setting and story are praised for their originality and cuteness.
“There's a lot of humor in the game and unique designs for each of the quarks and characters that make it easy to tell things apart and help keep things fresh as the plot progresses.”
“The game is essentially a platformer with puzzle-solving elements and a funny story told in cutscenes.”
“The setting and story are both unique and great, and I wouldn't hesitate to describe the whole game as 'cute.'”
“The difficulty curve needs work, as does the story and humor.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Many users find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and unenjoyable, leading to a negative experience overall.
“This kind of tediousness was horrible for me.”
“The grinding feels endless and monotonous.”
“I found myself doing the same tasks over and over without any real reward.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
While the procedurally generated layouts enhance replayability, the hub environments lack depth and exploration incentive, as players primarily focus on collecting specific particles.
“The procedurally generated layouts add a great touch to the replay value, keeping each playthrough fresh and exciting.”
“The variety of choices and outcomes in the game encourages multiple playthroughs, making it hard to put down.”
“With different character builds and strategies to explore, the game offers endless replayability that keeps me coming back for more.”
- music1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The music and sound effects in the game are generally considered good, though not particularly remarkable or standout.
“The sound effects and music may not be groundbreaking, but they are enjoyable and fit the game well.”
“The soundtrack perfectly complements the gameplay, enhancing the overall experience.”
“The music is catchy and memorable, making it a joy to listen to while playing.”
“The music is forgettable and doesn't add much to the overall experience.”
“The soundtrack feels repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“While the sound effects are decent, the music fails to create an immersive atmosphere.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its smooth and beautiful performance, contributing to an enjoyable experience enhanced by clever science jokes and excellent voice acting.
“It's fun, the science jokes and voice acting are both awesome, and the game runs smoothly and beautifully.”
Critic Reviews
Schrödinger’s Cat and the Raiders of the Lost Quark PS4 Review
Give this quirky little gem a chance and Schrödinger’s plucky little feline will almost certainly find a place in your heart.
78%Schrödinger's Cat and the Raiders of the Lost Quark Review
Despite having quite a few moments of frustration, Schrödinger's Cat and the Raiders of the Lost Quark features enough high points to make it a very enjoyable experience. The quark mechanic that is heavily featured is innovative, unique and one of the coolest systems found in any platform game to date. If you are willing to overlook some repetitive backtracking, then you'll be rewarded with a hilarious puzzle platformer that manages to be a memorable experience.
60%Platforming is alive -- Schrödinger’s Cat and the Raiders of the Lost Quark review
Schrödinger’s Cat and the Raiders of the Lost Quark makes you feel young again, with a rather loyal modernization of the classic platforming game. While the game can drag after long periods of play, the overall fun and innovation of the game makes the effort a success.
70%