Across the internet QTEs(Quick Time Events) seem to get a really bad rap for some reason. They are seen as glorified cinematic cutscenes by some. I think QTEs can enrich a game and that they are here to stay.

Since God of War back on PS2, many Developers have decided to mimic the once popularized method of displaying high octane action scenes. I still believe that when these are done right, you feel very much so fullfilled by them. When that Circle button comes up on the screen in GoW3, you jump on a minataur's back and start mashing the prompts away to execute devestating carnage against it. There is something Satisfying about that.

There are some games that are deemed as one long drawn out QTE event........and I say to those who think that, SO?

Heavy Rain is a big offender of this. The game strays from traditional control schemes and instead implements an ever changing one, giving you varying screen prompts to perform actions. I must say that for a game that doesn't have an official "shoot out" button , the chase and fight scenes in the game are some of the most intense heart thumping experiences I have had in gaming. There is something to be said, when you have a button prompt thrown at you so fast, and you know you need to react, it perfectly mimics the ingame's action. Like when you are in a car which can't brake and you are trying to not die, the hasty decision making makes it feel all the more real. 

This is very much akin to a game like Telltale's Walking Dead. I was fairly suprised at how much praise this game got......when it has basically all the same tropes that had Heavy Rain being panned by reviewers. The game gives you a never ending cycle of "Choose A,B, or C.... you have 5 seconds" and the game shines in it's execution for it. It firmly keeps it's foot on the gas that way and you find yourself feeling more like you are in the same situation as the characters.

Then comes a game like Beyond:Two Souls. This game has it's issues... but QTEs are not one of them. The game's only crime in that regard is that they remind you what  to press at times simply because you go thru so many play styles that you might be confused at what to do. Most of the game it opts to not give you button prompts but signals that should lead to certain reactions from you. Like combat, you don't press button X, rather you pay attention to the movement of the combat and access. This was a skillful way of putting the player in Jodie(Main Character)'s shoes. Just as in real life, you are not told how to react to a fist coming towards you as it is happening, you must remember your training.

No one seems to question games like Uncharted or The Last of Us that also use the technique. They have a more evolved version that are spacially aware and or context sensitive(Such as When fighting in a kitchen in Uncharted Using a Pot to knock out enemies). The Last of Us has many situations such as these to give that same feeling of ergency as you fight for your life.

I bring this up mainly due to some games get demonized for it and others get a free pass, even if their methods of execution are relatively the same. "Generic" is a quick term usually thrown out but it has the connotation of meaning its a bad thing that bothers me. Games like Ryse actually use it sort of well to make you feel like a total bad ass(Game's only issue is that this concept does not evolve as time goes on). We also have The Order which have branching reaction trees. Has it been done before? Sure, but if done correctly it can be a lot of fun.

"Since God of War back on PS2"

I am gonna be the first asshole to say this but the correct term is "Since Shenmue"

Although I am sure someone else will correct me in saying "Since Dragon's Lair"

Edit: Damn it! I Edited too late! Fucks

If you want to be nitpicky then QTEs started with games like Road Avenger and Dragon's Lair. But God of War and Resident Evil 4 are what popularized QTEs. 

Don't overuse QTE's and they're perfectly acceptable. I mean we use the same input device, a gamepad. Why does it matter if I push the face button during a QTE or in real-time? Just give me diversity and make it fit the game.

I am going to be even more asshole and say "Dragon's Lair".

i don't hate QTEs. i enjoyed heavy rain very much. i enjoyed them in the god of war franchise. what i hate is unexpected QTEs. tomb raider had a few of those. QTEs where you've not used any QTEs in over an hour seeing several cut scene along the way that suddenly BAM the next cut scene has a QTE that insta-kills you if you miss it.

i like them in games like puppeteer where they only used them in boss fights but they used them in every boss fight and the first event was a gimme to start the sequence. those kinds can be fun.

People complain about QTEs in video games because the poor execution in most games, but there are games where QTEs are used really well and don't take away from the experience. There's just all those games that do it poorly that are the issue. Personally I'd rather not have QTEs good or bad, but I don't mind them so long as the game uses them well.

I think every game should follow Lords of Shadow 2's example, though.  If you're going to include QTEs, then give the option to turn them off.

If they are well implemented and designed they can be great, truly additive and enjoyable. I want them to stay.

The problem is a lot of developers don't put enough effort into the button placement, finding the best amount of reaction time and they overuse them which quickly becomes tedious.

If QTEs are used sparingly and not always necessary to progress, most people are fine with them. Sometimes games take it too far, where you regularly encounter enemies that need to be killed with a QTE, and that's when people start getting annoyed.

I love qte. They can be so much better den watching an action sequence