From the action-packed to the absolutely ridiculous sequences. From the criminal mysterious to the truly horrifying. Quick-time events are predominately used in these scenarios, acting as a means to fully immerse the player in a world of interactive storytelling. Bridging the gap between watching a film to playing the game for yourself. In these games, the decisions you make are at the forefront. The lives of the characters lie completely in your hands. If you are someone who enjoys interactive games or are looking for a challenging experience, then quick-time event games are here for you. Build those reflexes and try not to miss a single button. These are the 8 best quick-time event games, ranked.
8. The Dark Pictures: House of Ashes
House of Ashes is the best installment in The Dark Pictures Season 1. This game reminds me of the action seen in Aliens and the storyline/horror of The Descent. Whilst its downside comes with its cast of dislikeable characters, should you manage to succeed in the QTEs and choose the right decisions, you will see these characters develop. Whilst a lot of the QTEs are there to make you anxious or to fully immerse you in the game, many will not result in losing your character. However, you will not know which will result in your character being killed off so play with caution. Be ready for absolutely anything in this action-packed horror experience.
You play as a group of Marines on a mission in the Arabian Desert. What starts as an interactive story of a simple, classic war film, transforms into something supernatural. This is what we can typically see with Supermassive Games, being that of psychological or supernatural horror. But it is the real horror that is buried underneath the Desert that makes this the reason for its placement in this list. It is an exciting and intense game from start to finish and one that if you have not played yet, I think you will really enjoy.
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7. The Wolf Among Us
The Wolf Among Us is our first entry by Telltale Games. It follows the Fables such as Little Red Riding Hood, Snow White, Tweedle Dee and Dum, and many more. It is based on Bill Willingham’s Fables comic where in Wolf Among Us, we follow Bigby, the town Sheriff in a mystery-drama. Following the clues from a death inside the quiet town, Bigby must find out who the killer is before they strike again. The Wolf Among Us adds quick-time events to what really is an interactive story where you select your dialogue choices. The QTEs are used predominately in the combat sequences with your enemy testing just how far Bigby will go to uncover the truth.
The Wolf Among Us is one of the best Telltale Games entries and thankfully we are soon to see the release of its highly anticipated sequel, sometime in 2023.
6. The Quarry
For those just getting started with the interactive horror game powerhouse that is Supermassive Games, I recommend starting with The Quarry. This horror game has some of the best characters seen in a horror game, no one is particularly dislikeable. Also, in terms of playing as young adults who want to have a fun party and get drunk, shockingly no one falls over and painfully watches the monster approach them. So that is a welcoming addition to a horror game. It takes what we normally see in a horror film but makes it feel more believable in character’s behavior. No one is particularly dumb in their choices, which makes sense because we are the ones behind the screen making them.
As seen in their iconic installment, Until Dawn, The Quarry’s narrative follows two main plotlines. One of the Hackett family and the other of a supernatural hostile force. The entire game takes place across one night where your job as a player is to control all of your characters, through QTEs and dialogue choices. Saving or letting everyone die is completely up to you. Although, the QTEs are very different from what we see in Until Dawn, using a heartbeat function instead of the controller touchpad. The Quarry acts as the easier game compared to the cabin horror of Until Dawn. I felt as though you had a longer time to react to each button, most being the same length of time to react. The game did not feel as challenging to others to save every character in the game.
Regardless, The Quarry is a great horror game. Although it is not terrifying, it is still an experience to remember and its use of quick-time events is what makes the interactive game genre.
5. Yakuza 0
Who does not love the Yakuza series? Similar to the Grand Theft Auto franchise, Yakuza (now known as Like a Dragon) is a highly entertaining action adventure franchise taking place on the streets of the fictional Kamurochō district. Yakuza 0 acts as a prequel to the first installment which places the player as two protagonists. It is a great place to start your Yakuza journey. The game combines all forms of gameplay, with side quests to complete, endless action fun, ramen eating and karaoke to finish the day. The quick-time events of Yakuza are very different to that of what have previously been mentioned in this list. That is that these are used directly as great action moments mid-fight. They add to the fun of the scene and turn it into a ridiculous fighting game.
From stealth gameplay to straight combat, 1v1s or taking the whole room on, Yakuza is one of the most entertaining games you can play in 2023. Who does not want to play as a fully suited Japanese man performing insane, supernatural and acrobatic combat moves? Its ridiculousness is similar to what we see in the later Fast and Furious films, but unlike those, Yakuza masters the mix of funny action with banging sequences. You play as both Kiryu, a former Yakuza member and Majima, a hitman coerced in order to clear his massive debt. With one of the most versatile sets of QTEs in any franchise, Yakuza 0 can be a challenge for some. The events vary in speed, making some fights more intense than others. Always be mindful of your health going into a mission because the boss fights are relentless.
4. Until Dawn
So far, nothing has come particularly close to the excellence of Until Dawn in terms of later Supermassive Games installments. I believe quick-time events work best in situations of horror, this is where Until Dawn truly shines. With the combination of a slasher and a supernatural horror, Until Dawn feels like a never-ending horror experience. What makes this game stand out is the choice to fully utilize the PS4 controller function of the touchpad. Not only do you have brilliantly executed quick-time events when running or fighting the threats inside and around the cabin but the touchpad adds extra tension. The touchpad was the most challenging aspect of Until Dawn, with its purpose of holding the controller perfectly still so you are not spotted. Unfortunately, this function is removed in later Supermassive Games.
In this horror game, quick-time events separate this interactive game from simply watching a film. Alongside the gameplay and intertwining narrative, you play as multiple characters who have distinct personality traits. You get to choose what decisions they make and once more, get to play as God with who lives and who dies. Until Dawn is a one-of-a-kind experience with likeable characters and great replayability value.
3. The Walking Dead (Season One)
In my opinion, Telltale Games: The Walking Dead is the best zombie game to exist. Not only this, but it is the best of Telltale Games’ work. The Walking Dead was a standout product, with a very unique art style and direction. Taking what we would normally see in the TV show and reimagining it from the point of view of our protagonist, Lee. The portrayal of the characters, including that of our protagonist, is what makes this game. Nothing can simply be seen in black and white. We follow Lee who at the beginning of the game is on his way to prison. It is one of the most unique starting points in a game from the perspective of the player. You do not know where to stand with our leading man but quickly see that he is not just the crime that he committed.
We see this narrative being placed on all of our characters, where we must make fast decisions in deciding who lives and who dies in the apocalypse. Almost as though Lee is playing as God. There are many moments in The Walking Dead where it is hard to decide what is the correct option and that is the point of the game. Its quick-time events complement the horror of the invading and threatening zombie threat. To perfectly encapsulate this alongside what the TV show highlights is the evil of humanity. That although we grow used to survival, our place in our chosen family becomes threatened by other humans looking to take what we have. It is a brilliant game with both wholesome and emotional moments.
2. Mass Effect 2
Mass Effect 2 was one of the best games I played in my adolescence. It was my main reason for begging my mom at 11 years old to get an Xbox. That and to play Gears of War. Mass Effect was and still is a fantastic game. Aside from a few small flaws within its character representation. Mass Effect 2 was one of the few ARPG games that truly held my attention. Combining a good narrative, with a choice on where you wish to focus your attention on depending on your favorite crew members.
You play as Commander Shepard, building a team of both humans and aliens to end the war against the Reapers. A colonization kidnapping and harvesting humans. Humanity needs saving and the person to help them is Commander Shepard. Choose to play as a man or a woman and command your team toward defeating the Reapers. Complete loyalty missions and build a bond with your team. This is one of the most crucial aspects of the game.
What set this game apart from many others at the time of its release was the ability to decide if you wanted Commander Shepard to be good or bad. This was made through a variety of choices, primarily including quick-time events which you would have to respond to depending on if you wanted to act good or evil. Although the Mass Effect franchise focussed more on its third-person shooter gameplay, its interactions are where BioWare truly shines. Mass Effect 2 can be played on the Legendary Edition, available on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation.
1. Heavy Rain
Perhaps the most controversial number-one spot for a QTE game. However, Heavy Rain holds a special place in my heart. Being the first game I played with quick-time events and had one of the most unique narrative formats I had seen in PS3 games at the time of its 2010 release. I will never forget the twist in Heavy Rain. I think it is one of those games which changed the use of quick-time events forever. Whilst its previous entry with Fahrenheit brought quick-time events to the forefront of its gameplay, bringing a new sense of rush and risk to the game. Heavy Rain had a storyline similar to that which we only see in other media forms.
I believe that this Quantic Dream game is still the best that they have produced. However, I do acknowledge Heavy Rain’s damning similarities with the book and film, Minority Report. But I had played this game before watching the 2002 Tom Cruise film. Heavy Rain gave us an intense and dread-filled narrative, following the paths of our four protagonists across the span of a four-day period. All of them are on the hunt for the Origami Killer, a child serial killer who uses the downpour of rain to drown their victims.
Every protagonist gave something fresh to the narrative by offering us a different main gameplay mechanic. This was crucial in keeping your attention in the game, without it feeling like you are just watching a film. You play as Jayden, collecting evidence from crime scenes, Shelby following a web of clues, Ethan who is the father looking for his kidnapped son, and our insomniac journalist, Madison who has her own investigation to fulfill.
Final Thoughts
Whilst you may not agree that this game has aged well for 2023 or think that other developers such as Supermassive have done a better job at quick-time events. Heavy Rain will remain at the top of my list, for both narrative and nostalgic reasons. If you have not played this game yet, you can purchase Heavy Rain on the PlayStation Store for the PS4/PS5. That is our list on the 8 best quick-time event games ever made. These are all games that I have personally played and highly recommend if you are interested in playing games that have mastered the use of quick-time events.
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