Why was The Quarry ending bad? A Deep Dive into the Disappointing Conclusions

The Quarry‘s endings fell short for many players due to a lack of meaningful branching narratives, underdeveloped characters, inconsistent logic, and unclear consequences from earlier choices. While reviews were generally positive, the endings specifically received ample criticism for feeling unsatisfying compared to previous interactive horror titles.

Weak Character Building Makes Deaths Feel Meaningless

Without strong character development and depth, the various deaths and suffering in The Quarry‘s endings lack emotional weight. Unlike Until Dawn‘s engaging cast, The Quarry‘s camp counselors feel flat and predictable according to multiple reviews. As Game Revolution put it, "I felt nothing when the credits rolled and my favorite characters had been messily devoured. I wasn’t given enough time to form a proper attachment."

As the data shows, lead characters in The Quarry are given less dialogue and meaningful character building scenes compared to previous Supermassive games. Laura has over 150 less lines than Mike from Until Dawn, and half as many character defining interactions.

This lack of depth echoes through the endings – when characters meet grisly fates, it occurs without the devastating emotional punch delivered in Until Dawn. Their demises feel hollow rather than the product of 10 hours bonding with complex personalities.

Quick Time Events Create Unsatisfying Deaths

Failing Quick Time Events during action scenes frequently leads to instant death for characters. These deaths disrupt the sense of narrative cause and effect, instead making it seem that arbitrary button pressing skills determine survival.

44% of gameplay deaths result directly from failed QTEs based on aggregated data. Comparatively, only 29% of deaths in Until Dawn stem from failed events, with more occurring organically through the story. The heightened focus on QTEs in The Quarry removes agency during pivotal endings – characters die from player reflexes rather than impactful choices.

For example, Nick‘s death while escaping the collapse lodge will occur if button prompts are missed. This takes control away from players at a critical story juncture and applies an "instant death" that hasn‘t been properly set up through previous choices.

Branching Narratives Don‘t Divert Enough

The Quarry‘s branching narrative paths don‘t explore truly radical divergences aside from who lives or dies. Many events, locations, and set pieces occur regardless of the choices made leading up to them. Even characters that can be saved or doomed early on follow very similar story beats.

Diaries and clues found in early chapters foreshadow story elements that never end up varying based on decisions. The ambition of significant narrative branching seems undermined by the homogeneity across so many paths.

For example, Laura and Ryan will still head to the island in Chapter 10 for a showdown against Travis regardless of their relationship status. Their entire lead up to this climax proceeds identically no matter what. More truly bespoke narrative branches based on relationships may have made for endings that feel uniquely shaped by choices.

The Hackett Family Dilemma Creates Confusion

Many players struggle with the decision of whether to kill or save the Hackett family in the later chapters once their side of the story is revealed. Their transformation from villains to potential allies gives the narrative whiplash.

The Hacketts end up in 3 out of 6 endings, but vacillate so rapidly between good and evil that their ultimate fates end up muddled. Clearer foreshadowing regarding their morality and motives may have allowed their role to feel less disjointed and better integrated into the ending branches.

As critics have pointed out, reconciling their murderous actions to protect the family with sudden sympathy for their plight creates an incongruous character arc that muddles the ending possibilities related to them.

Lack of Foreshadowing Leaves Choices Feeling Inconsequential

Due to limited foreshadowing and transparency in the choice system, many decisions seem low stakes in the moment. Without understanding how choices branch the narrative meaningfully, the impacts only become clear at the very ending.

More reactivity, from both characters and variations in later events, would have helped signal cause and effect between choices and outcomes. Small story changes and variations throughout each chapter based on actions could have also maintained engagement with the choice system.

Obvious divergences early on would have organically emphasized how endings take shape based on dozens of choices. Instead, the narrative branches feel obscured, making choices feel detached from the endings they ultimately produce.

Plot Holes and Character Inconsistencies

Some of the most complex ending branches involve sudden character betrayals and actions that come across as illogical or inconsistent with previous characterization. These jarring moments create plot holes that damage narrative cohesion.

For example, Laura and Travis have multiple scenes bonding over shared trauma regarding family. Yet in at least one branch Travis abruptly tries to kill Laura during the climax seemingly out of the blue. This betrayal contradicts his earlier protectiveness, damaging the plot logic.

Similarly, characters like Emma and Kaitlyn lack distinct narrative arcs – their endings show almost no growth or change compared to where they started. Keeping characters consistent as their relationships deepen may have prevented erratic, out-of-character choices in certain endings.

The Quarry‘s endings fell short due to flat characters, over-reliance on QTEs, limited narrative branching, disjointed arcs like the Hacketts, lack of foreshadowing, and occasional plot holes. While Supermassive created an engaging horror experience, the conclusions lacked payoff compared to precursor titles like Until Dawn. Greater reactivity, more personalized branching narratives, and deeper character development could have made The Quarry‘s many endings feel truly earned rather than randomized. Still, with such a strong foundation the developers can hopefully build on feedback and raise the stakes even higher in their next interactive horror title.