Where is the line with Quick Time Events?

As games get more and more cinematic, the move towards Quick Time Events (QTEs) becomes more apparent. Certain titles have really overused them or used them incorrectly recently I feel. Games are supposed to be a source of escapism and enjoyment, but QTEs can really blow this concept out of the water.

Asura's Wrath was a title with lofty goals and ambitions. Some of the battle sequences are impressive to say the least and really push the boundaries. There aren't many games where a boss the size of a planet will attempt to crush you with his index finger, but Asura's Wrath was willing to push the boundaries in this regard. However, the demo was enough for me. Why? The overuse of QTEs. Everything in the two featured boss battles was a case of pressing the right button at the right time. This isn't gaming and it isn't fun. While I appreciate the attempt to go bigger and better, I felt removed from the experience. What is the point of doing big, dramatic battles if I have to focus on two square inches of the screen?                          

I have been playing Syndicate recently and, while I enjoy the game as a whole bar the iffy A.I., the Quick Time Event button mashing for simple tasks such as opening a door irk me. In life opening a door, even if it sticks a little, isn't the most taxing experience in the world. However, Syndicate possibly made it more tiring to conduct even the most basic tasks at times.

Then there is the infamous Need for Speed: The Run experiment. "Why are there action QTE sequences (on foot) in a racing title?" many fans exclaimed. The reasoning behind it was to get players involved in a cut scene. Again, the cinematic experience is lost as players must focus on a small area of the screen or risk failure.

Quick Time Events allow developers to go for bigger scenes that players would more than likely be unable to accomplish themselves. However, overuse of them becomes tiring and takes away from the cinematic side that developers may be trying to push. I enjoy battles with enemies and like the feeling of accomplishment when I know that I have contributed to my victory, rather than simply feeling like I pressed the buttons at the right times and the game did the rest.

QTEs make it difficult to relax when playing a game. I find myself watching cinematics with one eye on the bottom section of the screen in case a command pops up. The days of eating and drinking during a gaming session could also be something consigned to the past as a result of these cinematics. The day is coming when we read a news headline some day that a gamer drowned while playing simply because a QTE popped up as they were taking a drink. Just you wait and see...