Q.U.B.E Director’s Cut to add new features, actual plot

A new updated version of Q.U.B.E with a brand new narrative is currently in the works for the PC and consoles, it has been announced.

Written and voice-directed by veteran industry sci-fi nonsense writer Rob Yescombe (Haze, Crysis 2, Alien Isolation) the Director’s Cut promises to add an all new layer of narrative to the currently rather starkly ambiguous plot. “The Director’s Cut is a single-location thriller” says Yescombe, “It’s about figuring out what the Qube is, and why you’re inside it. You’re told you are an astronaut inside some kind of alien structure hurtling towards Earth, but it’s also about something deeper than that.”

“Under the surface, there is a subtext about games themselves – “We are conditioned to expect death and doom. We’re resigned to it. At its heart, this story is about that state of mind and how it effects the way we view our experiences, in games and in life. The Director’s Cut will feel either heroic or unnerving, depending on your own personal trust issues.”

The new story stars Rachael Robinson (Fang from the Final Fantasy XIII games) and Royal Shakespeare Company actor Rupert Evans. The Director’s Cut will also feature a new musical score, a 10-level time trial mode, high score leaderboards and support for the Oculus Rift.

A first-person puzzler in the vein of Portal, the original Q.U.B.E (Quick Understanding of Block Extrusion) was praised by critics for its sleek design and innovative puzzles, but many players felt that what the game really lacked was a decent storyline. Indeed, a planned narrative was partially written and recorded for the original game during development, but cut due to time constraints. It would have starred Emily Love, a friend of the developers, as a feminine artificial intelligence that guided the player character through the game.

Whilst Toxic Games hasn’t said how much of this original vision has survived, it won’t be too long before players can find out for themselves; the PC version releases on Steam in May, with versions for the PS3, Wii U and Xbox One versions to follow over the course of the year.