Trace Memory is a cracker-jack adventure game developed and beautifully suited for the DS system. It's not at the level and complexity of the best adventure titles for the PC, but it's not reasonable to expect that from a handheld title. What it does bring to the table is an engaging, wonderfully done and integrated story with facilitating puzzles.
While some players may be disgruntled by the lack of action and lack of length, fans of the point and click adventure genre will be thrilled with this artistically-inclined entry from Nintendo.
i'm more of a fps gamer, but this game holds a special place in my heart since it was the first adventure game i played... it's one of those underrated japanese games that i tend to ignore on gaming sites and magazines, but sometimes they can be worth the effort
The game takes 5 hours at most to complete, and it has very little replay value, unless you didn't get the best ending the first time around and you want to see it.
Not a game without its problems: its short length, its stilted dialogue, its murky 3D graphics, its ridiculous name (seriously, what will the sequel be called?!); and yet there is an ineffable quality to the game that transcends these shortcomings.
Trace Memory is a sound and striking dissection and rebuilding of the adventure game, one that wraps itself well around the specs and strengths of the DS, but one that isn’t the sum of its parts. But it is a worthy and touching whole, nonetheless. [Aug 2005, p.96]
[ESP] Este fue el primer juego de NDS que me enganchó de niño según recuerdo. No solo eso, sino que fue el primer juego que completé de niño, y me lo he jugado ya 3 veces. Además, me hace ilusión que como a mi, más personas se han tatuado este juego en el corazón, ya que no soy de juegos de puzles y este sin dudas me ha marcado el alma para bien<3.
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Me gusta la forma en la que el juego relaciona los puzles con la historia del juego, el apartado gráfico y su banda sonora el cual también me marcó (Soy músico y aprecio mucho la banda sonora de los videojuegos). Y a pesar de lo corto que pueda ser para algunos, ofrece una experiencia "satisfactoria" para los que no son muy amantes de la exploración/aventura; ya que si bien puedes atascarte en algunos puntos o tener problemas con la jugabilidad, siempre puedes continuar jugando de manera satisfactoria.
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(Only Review) [ENG]:
I like the way the game relates the puzzles to the game's story, the graphics and its soundtrack, which also marked me (I'm a musician and I really appreciate the soundtracks of video games). And despite how short it may be for some, it offers a "satisfying" experience for those who are not very fond of exploration/adventure; since although you may get stuck at some points or have problems with the gameplay, you can always continue playing satisfactorily.
La primera aventura gráfica que jugué en mi vida. En su día me voló la cabeza. Recién acabado estos días otra vez, me ha parecido demasiado sencillo y pocos puzzles para lo que recordaba, por no decir que te lo puedes acabar en una ****. Lo que me parece imperdonable es que acaba el juego y deja totalmente abandonada una línea argumental. ¿Qué leches?
I actually wanted to like this game. But really? The User score is based on emotion. I played this game after adventures such as 999, Virtues Last Reward, Hotel Dusk, Ghost Trick and some Ace Attorney games. Compared to them, this is bland.
The premise was what made me want to play the game despite the bad reviews. I played Theresia, and I liked that. Why not this? This was not like Theresia, or any other good adventure game.
It starts off with little Ashley. She has a constant blush, and makes a cute pouting face. She's confused, hurt and mad. She's found out that her Auntie Jessica has lied to her all of her life. She was under the impression her father was dead, and Jessica reinforced that impression. But daddy was alive. She'd been sent a letter and a strange device very reminiscent of a DS console, telling her to come to an Island where he has been all of her life.
She also remembers what happened when she was 3. Her mother was murdered right in front of her, and she doesn't know why, or whom by. She is of the belief that she very well may be alive too, despite knowing better.
Jessica goes off to see where her brother is when nobody is there to meet them, and she doesn't come back. The captain of the boat can't stick around and is ready to sail off after giving little Ashley some candy. So, Ashley is stuck all alone on the Island, perusing it's history and it's secrets, whilst trying to piece together her past.
Sounds alright, eh? However, between the answer to her personal turmoil and 5 hour adventure is a whole lot of backstory about the island and it's resident ghost boy. I found all of that uninspiring. Lots of talk about Trace, and memories, and blah blah blah. None of it had any depth. Any substance. I found myself getting bored and going 'whatever'.
All of the intense set-up is generally thrown away. I won't spoil what happens in the mansion, but despite the grim backstory, the rest of the game is pretty light.
There's a ton of puzzles. Some are fun, some are very annoying. They all utilize the DS's capabilities well in it's early life. The exploration is bland, however, and the game is very linear. Some items can't be picked up until they are needed, D is an annoying fool and... and... ugh.
It's very boring and uninspiring after you get over the premise is what I'm trying to say. Nothing seems to happen for the majority of the game except for learning backstory that you couldn't possibly care less about. If it was an Island with a gloomy past, I might get that. But it wasn't.
So, yeah, I was disappointed.
Plays more like a tech demo than an actual game. Utterly bland on almost every single account - avoid like a plague! Oh, and if you ever want to show off the DS features to your friends, there are still much better games out there (like WarioWare).
Summary(Also known as "Another Code: Two Memories") Uncover clues to a family's dark mystery in the first true adventure game on the Nintendo DS. Featuring a riveting plot and unique puzzles that must be solved using the touch screen and microphone, Another challenges you to navigate detailed environments bristling with gritty characters. Anoth...