Quantum Conundrum "Game Show" Isn't a Game Show

[Fanghawk]

Quantum Conundrum "Game Show" Isn't a Game Show

The first episode of iam8bit's new web show is not the puzzle series we expected. At all.

Last week a teaser trailer came out for <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/118169-Quantum-Conundrum-Becoming-Live-Action-Game-Show>The Super Dimensional Quantum Learning's Problems and Solutions Gametime Spectacular (or as I prefer to call it, TSDQLPASGS), a Quantum Conundrum inspired web series produced by iam8bit and hosted by Kevin Pereira with the blessing of Square-Enix. From all appearances, the series would be a game show that converted the puzzle-based principles of the original title into a live-action competitive format. Now the first episode of TSDQLPASGS has been released and it turns out there are more than a few problems with that assessment. Specifically, that it would be actually be a game show, or reflect Quantum Conundrum's gameplay at all.

To begin with the obvious: the web series is actually a sketch comedy series, which doesn't sound too bad. We like gaming comedy. But a bigger problem is that the show doesn't seem to reflect the game it's supposed to be advertising either. The first episode is set in the Fluffy Dimension, which Quantum Conundrum used to transform heavy objects (like metal safes and bulky furniture) into items that could be picked up and moved to solve puzzles. In the world of TSDQLPASGS, the Fluffy Dimension is where Kevin Pereira hands a contestant three bundles of fluff and tells him to make valuable art while competing against a puppet version of the dimension-hopping furball, Ike. And... that's it.

While a project like this was almost certainly designed to market the Quantum Conundrum brand, this video has none of the actual gameplay elements that made it so unique. The producers seem to have taken the game's most tangible and marketable concepts and built a video around them in the hopes of sparking a viral hit. Quantum Conundrum is <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/editorials/reviews/9770-Quantum-Conundrum-Review>a critically acclaimed game featuring a multi-dimensional concept that could easily have been included in the series. Why couldn't contestants pick up fluffy objects and throw them around the room to solve a puzzle? And what exactly does TSDQLPASGS have lined up for Conundrum's other three dimensions if this is how the series treats the easiest one to portray?

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[Bigeyez]

That video was horrible. I really don't get what the point of it is or how some really bad sketch show is supposed to advertise the game... From start to finish it was just bad. Not even so bad it's good just plain bad.

 

[Sixcess]

It gave me a chuckle, but definitely needs more Tall Cat Parade.

 

[lobster1077]

Someone mentioned John DeLancie has a role in the comments, why is he not the host. That would be utterly incredible.

 

[newdarkcloud]

I first mistook it for one of G4's lame comedy skits when Susan Arendt posted it on Twitter. Worthy of a chuckle, but not really funny.

Then I read this story to find that it's an official thing for the game. What the shit!?

 

[XandNobody]

Wait, after watching it, I thought it was something for Saints Row II.

This is for Quantum Conundrum? Really? Are you sure?

Wow, talk about terrible brand to promotion connections, Jesus.

 

[Draconalis]

I found another problem.

It's a comedy sketch show... but it wasn't funny.

 

[Rangerboy87]

I lost interest and knew this would be bad at "Kevin Pereira..."

Sorry...don't think he's funny at all

 

[BehattedWanderer]

I'm having Professor Genki flashbacks. That's not a good thing, since the last time I had those, I went on a Saints Flow fueled rampage with the apocafists. Why is this for Quantum Conundrum? There were neither Quanta nor Conundra in that video. Did Genki make a new reality show? Are they going to do a crossover? None of this makes me feel at all good.

 

[Susan Arendt]

So. Terrible.

It's not funny. It doesn't market the game well. It's not a game show. It fails on every single level. Gahh...I'm having apoplexy from how bad this is.

 

[Cenzton]

Well, that's one way to completely butcher the name of an otherwise awesome game...

 

[Not G. Ivingname]

So. Terrible.

It's not funny. It doesn't market the game well. It's not a game show. It fails on every single level. Gahh...I'm having apoplexy from how bad this is.

I found another problem.

It's a comedy sketch show... but it wasn't funny.

Wait, after watching it, I thought it was something for Saints Row II.

This is for Quantum Conundrum? Really? Are you sure?

Wow, talk about terrible brand to promotion connections, Jesus.

...

Yeah, I am not even going to watch it.

Why waste a perfectly good 3 minutes of my life? :/

 

[Draconalis]

...

Yeah, I am not even going to watch it.

Why waste a perfectly good 3 minutes of my life? :/

You sir... are a wiser man than I. I blindly jumped and instantly regretted it when I opened my eyes.

 

[VanQ]

I have never played the game but this has single-handedly managed to put it and any others of any relation to it on my "avoid at all costs" list.

...

Yeah, I am not even going to watch it.

Why waste a perfectly good 3 minutes of my life? :/

I wish I had the foresight to not watch it. In the end, I am punished by my curiosity as usual.

 

[Formica Archonis]

I have to admit, it's impressive in an odd way:

- I've seen videos that make too many changes to the premise in order to be funny.
- I've seen videos that fail to be funny in trying to stay as close to the premise as possible.
- This is the first one I've seen that makes too many changes to the premise in order to fail to be funny.

If you put these guys on a plane and told them it needed to reduce weight to keep flying, they'd cut off the wings. Congrats to them on setting a new standard for failure.

I have never played the game but this has single-handedly managed to put it and any others of any relation to it on my "avoid at all costs" list.

You'd have to put Portal on that list too, then, because Portal (or perhaps Narbacular Drop) is a very close relation. Not saying it's as good as Portal, but it's very Portalish, for lack of a better word.

Honestly, don't use this video as a review base. If you handed them Portal and asked them to make a video, it would have probably been this exact same video only without the bunny suit and using a stack of companion cubes instead of fluff. That's about how close it is to the game whose name it's using.

 

[martyrdrebel27]

i know it's a terrible idea, but i'm going to watch it. i can't stand everybody saying how bad it is without really seeing it for myself. curiosity killed the me. i'll edit this post afterwards and after digesting it to include afterthoughts.

oh goodie, 4th dimensional interactive retroactive information dissemination archives. this internet thing is quite unique. I mean sure, your race hasn't even solved WORLD HUNGER YET, but your ability to watch the latest in capitalistic double penetration marketing strategies and comment before, during, AND after... TRULY remarkable. We should just give you all these "lightsabers" you people have been going crazy for and let humanity thin itself out in a matter of minutes. do you really think the average human is capable of safely operating something like that? WE'VE SEEN YOU INJURED BY CHEESE GRATERS. Oh, interesting facts about the lightsaber thing you humans go fgNaR-fgNaR over. pardon my space-french...

We've been watching the population of this website in person, reading their brainwaves. did you know that 75% of the habitual visitors of this site are thinking about owning a lightsaber a minimum of 60% of the time. However while observing during a trilogy marathon, there is a distinct abrubt change in the thoughts being read, with over 94% of them being about Slave Leia, 1% still about lightsabers and 5% about the possibilities of combining the two, and i just wanna tell you all right now, you people are sick! and lightsabers don't even WORK that way.

EDIT: I've watched it, and there's nothing I can say that hasn't already been said.