Quantum: Recharged

Quantum: Recharged didn’t set my world on fire, nor do I think it was really expected to. It’s a revival of an old formula intended to sit alongside the rest of the Recharged series. If you’ve already been following the series, you probably already know you’ll enjoy it. Otherwise, you can skip over it and not really miss much, but it’s definitely worth trying out. You might find yourself getting sucked in, at least for a little while.

Quantum: Recharged feels like a singular entry within a larger anthology or collection of retro arcade games harkening back to the early 80s. The game is highly responsive, and its polished, dazzling appearance indicates meticulous attention was paid to pay homage to the original Quantum. While it's commendable that the classic Atari game is receiving due respect, the extent of its acclaim appears to be overstated, primarily due to its excessively simplistic nature.

The basic concept is simply too simple for today, and even though the developers have made some changes and innovations, it is simply not enough. This is a game about a single mechanic that you repeat over and over again. What keeps you playing is a decent level of challenge, and maybe even co-op, but definitely not variability.

Quantum Recharged is likely going to appeal only to the Atari faithful or die-hard retro game players. While it's a very simple game to learn and play, there just isn't that much in it to keep you invested for any long amount of time (unless you want to climb the leaderboards). It's great for a five minute burst, which fits well on Nintendo Switch. Yet, like a lot of the Recharged series, the new additions of things like "Mission Mode" highlight how there isn't much you can add to these older games. It's a fun experience that will likely have a limited appeal.

It’s not that Quantum: Recharged is bad, far from it. The thing is: it’s beyond basic. It feels like the Recharged games released a handful of years ago, back when they were basically vector-based remakes of old arcade games with little else to offer besides new visuals and an EDM soundtrack. This is still a somewhat entertaining game for a handful of minutes at a time, but after playing more interesting games by Atari in recent times, I’ve started to expect more from their outings. The best thing I can say about it is that it’s… fine.

Despite being simplistic in concept with just movement and a dash to play with, Quantum Recharged’s scoring loop is just so addicting that you’ll gladly whip it out for a few quick play sessions.

Quantum Recharged basically can't do much wrong and comes across less cluttered than, say, a Geometry Wars. The fan community that still has enough reflexes to prove their skill, wants to invest a few hours in perfecting their combo moves and doesn't mind the squeaky color explosions will certainly get their money's worth. Everyone else will keep their hands off Quantum Charged, as expected.

What's up, Quantum: Recharged? Did you absolutely have to be released in these days without some final tweaks? The game is fast-paced and fun, making it perfect for a score attack, but there are a number of shortcomings that soon end up spoiling the experience. Controlling the spacecraft with the mouse is frustrating, but fortunately the pad does its job very well. The additional challenges are more or less all the same and represent no real added value. With a little more attention to detail it could have become a must-have hyper casual, instead it is little more than a weekend game.

Quantum: Recharged from developer SneakyBox and publisher Atari is an improvement from the original arcade experience. It brings enough newness to enemies, provides a good dose of mode variety, and is quick fun. While the arcade experience might not attract every gamer due to its lack of depth, there is enough here to warrant a hard look.

A fun revamped take on an arcade classic from Atari's history