Supermassive Games seems to have found a winning formula with its choose-your-own-adventure horror games – and The Quarry is the most compelling and visually striking effort yet. The game uses the popular Unreal engine and is out on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC and last-gen machines, a proper cross-platform release despite reports that it was originally a Stadia exclusive. How does each platform perform – especially the underpowered Series S – and does the unique cinematic presentation work on a technical level? Let’s find out.
Before we get to the numbers, let’s set the scene with a few words on The Quarry’s cinematic presentation. With limited player agency – and even a movie mode that strips out inputs entirely – there’s a huge emphasis on the motion-captured cast performances. Presented in a filmic 2.35:1 aspect ratio, every character is put in tight, close-up shots where any technical shortcomings would be quite obvious.
Thankfully, the motion capture tech is excellent, with only a few ‘uncanny valley’ moments, and these are mostly noticed with one character (Emma). The material work also holds up to close scrutiny, with skin reacting convincingly to torchlight and sunlight, including subsurface scattering that simulates light passing through thinner parts of the body like ears or fingers. Characters’ eyes are also beautifully reproduced, with reflections and realistic movement. Altogether, it’s an impressive showcase of real-time character rendering, which together with filmic framing and depth of field, gives Supermassive the tools needed to tell a story.
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