Developer: Design Factory/Otomate/Idea Factory
Publisher: Idea Factory
Price:$17.99 (on sale until Sept 1st, 2015. $29.99 Without 40% off.)
Genre: Visual Novel, Adventure Game
Release Date: 8/25/2015
Visual Novels have become a strong influx into the realm of interactive media. I recall a simple time whenever a new PC gamer or some Niche music magazine came out with their sampler cds they would include the scarce interactive novels in along with the clutter of random demos, or music. This trend is mostly focused with most comic books as well as Anime Manga now. It makes sense a ton of Steam users as a demographic enjoy Anime or comic books anyway so having this game tossed in there has that comic book shelf store feel to it. How does this game weight to your hungering question, well put down that copy of 50 Shades of Purple and strap in for a bumpy adventure. Interlaced into a land of girls who loose their memories and a random weird bug like demon invade your dreams named Orion. Well removes your memories by knocking them out and placing himself in their wake. Not intentionally. He tries to help you by giving you advice on recovering your said memories by being a social bunny through out the game.
Gameplay itself is like a build your adventure. You start off within the games introduction into the situation by allowing you to choose from four worlds. Those worlds being: Spade, Diamond, Clover, and Heart. With a months worth of time to guess and unlock your past through out the play session. Charmingly is the fact how well written the game is with loopholes. Like why can your character just find a news paper or news cast in her place of living to have people come forward to unlock your past(of course those people proving they are really your family.) All you do is mostly navigate by clicking answers or clicking actions for yourself to “look through boxes”, or what not. Then you move on to strictly having conversations, answering questions or responding accordingly to what you might think they want to hear. Combining some light adventure game likeness to it. Well more like text adventures of yesteryear. Most of the game is stream lined in a narrow path. You go about making decisions by responding to characters throughout the game. This seemingly did not effect anything too too much. I mostly picked the things that I knew the route of story I went with wanted to here (Clover, Kent). Being a male, I just pretended I was helping a girl out get hooked up with her man. Ok I felt awkward. Very awkward. So after emulating Hitch here for a moment your sole goal it uncover your past, and get hooked up with some dude of your choose. Mostly the males you pick from are themed off of suits from a card deck. Each having your typical themed personalities all differing from one another. I guess the final thing I can note about the game is it has mini-games. Do not get excited though, the cursor goes wonky and you are screwed while some metro-sexual character giggles at your self-worth as a air hockey player. I suppose to kill some time for any reason and you want unyielding difficulty give the Air-hockey one a chance, you will release some needed stress I guess.
To the games credit it does pose a good set of love stories for many girls to sit around their Vitas or computer to tear eye over no doubt. I went with the Clover route for this review first. I will not spoil a thing at all for all of the ladies out there who HATE things to be ruined for them. All I will mention for this is the first bits, that you come into anyway so there is not too many spoilers. You are in a dream like state where you meet a bug looking demon(as I mentioned above) called Orion. You get introduced in the situation and what happens to you. You then need to over your life around you. Then they bring in a colorful set of characters who are all stereotypes of personality. You got your bubbly friend, a seemingly jealous co worker among the fray. I suppose they place these personas into every type of romantic game to try to appease to every demographic. I can say for what it is worth the experience does just that well and offers plenty to witness. With one session of the game I spent five hours into that. Then I tackled the Spade route, costing me four and a half hours. So total nine hours from just two routes. You can do the rest of the math of the games/interactive nature.There are a total of five dudes you can route from aside from a visual four by default.
I found myself cracking up from the games humor at points. As it was not completely devoted to fan service as much as it just kept it safe. Which I have seen first hand too many games toss that in just to try to lure readers, or gamers into the mold to stick around for a peak at some cleave. Ok, I am fibbing. There is a pool scene with boobs. Not all over the place. Just one bit that is fair game then constantly tossed around ravishingly. The reason I mention this is there are some sensitive folks who love a good read or to watch these things and simply do not like that kind of thing. Any-who lets break into the summery of my thoughts on this.
In closing:
Amnesia: Memories offers a pretty decent length of reading/viewing in regards of what they try to aim for, a visual experience for many Anime fans who love a good romantic story. I am not a huge fan of romantic stories, I prefer stuff like Berserk or even Trigun to name a few. I did actually think this was a swell written story for all four of the stories or routes given. The choices you make in the game are interesting as there are many routes to see if you pick certain things to say, down to simple choices. The mini games in the game (there shown on the main menu) are not really that great and I suppose there to just be there. Offering no real depth or fun. If you have some money in your pocket for a good interactive experience, have a girl friend or a friend in general who loves romantic novels evolving Anime girls finding their socially awkward, or overly imposing personalized males to fantasize about while building a cardboard set of dresses for the next con, this one is for them.
Recommended – A good presented story for those who enjoy romantic novels. Or just like a lengthy novel to sit though.
