The philosophy of Quick Time Events is flawed and foolish. They aren?t really interactive at all as the only potential outcome is success or failure. If you succeed you are still rail-roaded into doing what the game wants. To put it in terms of Dungeons and Dragons, let?s say you and your friends are playing a game where a Dragon suddenly appears. Roll a spot check! Why? It doesn?t matter, just roll it. Oh, you failed? Looks like you take? 47 damage from its claws you couldn?t see coming. What about your Armor Class? Nah, since you failed to see the claws you couldn?t dodge or anything, so you got hit. Anyway, make a jump check. You make it? Ok, you manage to leap onto its back. Now roll seven D20?s and tell me what you get. Hurry up man, you don?t have much time. Oh, sorry, the dragon shook you off and now you?re on the ground. Hey, it?s not my fault you didn?t have seven D20?s ready and needed to scrounge into your dice bag.
Yeah, that?s probably the most terrible game of Dungeons and Dragons that could ever be played, and yet that?s pretty much what it feels like. Sure, there is the potential for the cut-scene to be awesome, but that assumes you automatically succeed at everything.
Which brings us to the delusion that a Quick Time Event?s cut-scene could be enjoyed at all. You?re too busy waiting to press a button, and if you dare miss the press you have to go back and view it all again. Imagine how much you would have hated Star Wars if you had to keep watching the Mos Eisley bar fight where Obi-Wan saves Luke and slices that asshole?s arm off. Whoops! Obi-Wan failed to save Luke in time! Rewind, watch it, WHOOPS! This time Obi-Wan didn?t swing the saber in time and died! Ok, sliced the dude?s arm off. Now we can just get on with it and GOD DAMMIT Greedo shot Han!