The Quarry (PC) review "An American Werewolf in America"

Occasionally, a game might be derisively referred to as an “interactive movie.” Titles of this nature usually lack interaction and feature more watching and storyline than playing and mechanics. Some have argued that such works should be treated as their own medium, but one that hasn't come into its own yet. And really, I feel that last statement. Sure, when I play video games, I mostly want to play, but if a developer turns out an interactive piece of fiction that I end up enjoying, then why complain?

Let me put this argument in a perspective that befits my own tastes: what if a developer offers interactive horror fiction, and at least sometimes it's good? Do you really think I'm going to turn my nose up because there's film in my gaming? Of course not. Slather that genre all over my interactive movies. I've been dying for an opportunity to be the final girl, short of actually experiencing a mass murder at the hands of a monster or masked killer, of course...

The Quarry is not even close to the first of its kind, but it represents my entry into that slim category. It partly harks back to '80s horror films, where summer camp counselors explore the complexities of human relationships with each other. In older movies, it usually meant at least two of a camp's staff were going to hook up and bone, and usually get bumped off at some point during or after intercourse. Kevin Bacon, strangely, provides a noteworthy example...



The Quarry, thankfully, remembers its showing us a story mostly starring younger people, and opts not to be creepy about their relationships... You don't get any of that obligatory T&A, instead watching how these intertwining youths deal with a hostile situation they could have avoided if one of them hadn't been such a love-struck fool and the others hadn't fed into his nonsense. You see, one of the camp staff in question had a summer fling that he felt could be more. So how else does he attempt to resolve his unrequited feelings except cause everyone to become temporarily stranded at camp, thus buying him at least one more night to try to prove himself to his love interest?

Oh, and because these are older teens we're talking here, they ignore all requests from authority figures to hunker down and remain safe, and instead throw a huge party with a bonfire, guaranteed to attract attention when that's the last thing they want to do...

This is no normal summer camp, and The Quarry is no normal game. It shows you as much during its introductory phases, in which a young couple who happen to be counselors drive to the camp, called “Hacket's Quarry.”. You learn very quickly that it's essentially a gaming equivalent of “Choose Your Own Adventure,” where you guide a focal character through plot beats and make decisions. The prelude introduces you to Laura, a college-bound girl who travels with her partner, Max. After a little roadside trouble, her boyfriend asks her to fetch something from the trunk. You receive the option to snoop in your man's baggage or remain focused on getting whatever tool he's asked you to grab. If you choose the snoop option, you discover something that you can bring up later in conversation, which can alter the relationship between them for better or worse.



It's not long before they experience some paranormal phenomena, bump into a cop played by Ted Raimi, and head to camp (which happens to be run by David Arquette). As it turns out, they got there awfully early because they wanted to scope the place out. That decision proves to be a huge mistake, as their travels lead them to a dark cellar holding and equally dark secret in the form of a cursed, predatory beast... Your choices during this segment set the stage for later interactions, both romantic and professional. The kids involved in this affair will need all the allies they can get, and they'll need each other, and wrong choices could mean dissension.

Or even death...

True to its horror film trappings, no one dons plot armor here. At various points, you guide one of the youths through creepy, well-constructed set pieces that accentuate the sense of fear that comes with being stalked by something hideous and hungry. You venture into dark forests surrounded by mists, sometimes running from unseen figures while navigating bumpy paths and dilapidated structures. At any moment, something or someone lurking in the shadows could come after you, sending you through a gauntlet of fast choices and QTEs. The game asks you if you want to continue running or hide. The former selection could send you to safety or end up throwing you into a field full of bear traps...

You might decide to hide instead. That's when you hold your breath by holding a button down and hope you don't screw things up. As it turns out, if you release the button too early, you could alert whatever's after you, and that almost certainly ends in your youngster's throat getting ripped out...



Here's the thing: sometime failure just feels right. If you've watched your share of horror movies, especially ones with a potentially large body count, you know things don't get interesting if everyone survives. So screwing up, either intentionally or accidentally, could play into your favor as a fan of the genre. Yes, you are basically playing an interactive horror movie, sometimes in the best way possible.

However, you don't always get the full story if you let some folks perish or make poor choices. Keeping some kids alive means you'll get other choices down the line, which allow you to fully flesh out the tale. For instance, if you aren't careful during one scene where you need to choose someone to shoot, you could end up your best option for a final girl dead. What's more: you don't get any rewinds or do-overs, and the game autosaves. If you screw up, it stands for all time, or at least until you decide to throw away hours of progress to replay the game.

Sure, you can unlock “death rewinds” after you've completed the campaign once, but you only get three per playthrough...

Somehow, this sours the experience. Yes, your decisions should be binding and brutal, otherwise they lose their sense of tension. At the same time, I shouldn't have to entirely restart the campaign because I accidentally picked the wrong option or because I fired a gun a split-second too early when I had mere seconds to aim and shoot.



Granted, the story remains mostly great throughout, although its middle section slacks a bit as it tries to establish partnerships between three potential couples while also building its antagonists. However, perseverance takes you to wilder scenes and scarier moments as the plot comes to a boil, and you realize it's not just the beasts who are your enemies. Obviously, there's commentary there about how the authority figures who are supposed to keep you safe can turn against you and sometimes prove to be an even bigger adversary than those they fight off.

Sadly, if you make too many mistakes, you may not get what feels like a proper conclusion. During my first playthrough, the night ended on an anticlimactic note, some teens and antagonists survived, others kicked the bucket, and the game recapped everyone's current status. And that was that. I can't express how disappointed I was to devote hours only to get, “Well, these guys got mauled to death, and this one got shot with a silver bullet, but this girl lived. Too bad her boyfriend is still infected...”

However, I can't say I don't feel motivated to try again and see if I can get a good ending. The game is gripping enough that my disappointment isn't going to stop me from donating more of my precious, limited hours to finding out what really goes down at Hacket's Quarry when the full moon rises, and if there's a way to break the cycle. It's just a real bummer that there aren't more unlockable options to replay certain scenes so you can get the full experience after finishing the outing. That would probably spur me to not only replay, but keep playing until I've experienced every little gory detail.

Staff review by Joseph Shaffer (October 22, 2025) Rumor has it that Joe is not actually a man, but a machine that likes video games, horror movies, and long walks on the beach. His/Its first contribution to HonestGamers was a review of Breath of Fire III.