If you could change your present by revisiting the past, would you? You have the power to choose who lives and who dies, could you use it? These are the questions that you’ll have to answer in Retrace: Memories of Death. A single-player, logic-based puzzle adventure title that asks you to overcome many problems in a dark and sinister world.
Developed by Spider Lily Studios and Eastasiasoft Limited and published by the latter, this atmospheric game will test your ability to solve a variety of problems, and it’ll push your memory to its limits. You will experience part, or whole sections of the gameplay repeatedly as you slowly piece together the correct course to take.
Simple premise done well!
The idea of time manipulation and travel isn’t a new concept, but how it was utilised here was both interesting and enjoyable. The constant changes of direction within the narrative made you question your thought process and actions. The mystery surrounding the circumstances of the story are; odd, haunting, and keep you feeling uneasy. The plot isn’t a masterpiece, but it’s written well enough that you begin to empathise with each character’s plight.
So, what on earth has happened in this creepy game? Freya (the female lead) and her friends intend to take a ghost tour of their hometown. This cheesy event isn’t to everyone’s liking, however, the group plans on taking the trip, nonetheless. Before the bus arrives, an earthquake shatters the peace, and the group of 4 is thrown into another realm. A universe filled with; horrors, death and puzzles.
A menacing sentry walks silently around the mansion that is now your prison. The more you desire to escape, the higher the risk that he’ll find you and kill you. It’s a dangerous world and actions must be achieved in a certain order. Failure to do so causes death to yourself and your loved ones.
A deadly feeling of Deja Vu.
Options must be considered, and answers given. The correct choices will see you progress, but then you find you are stuck. You have forgotten to find keys, or collect objects for issues that arrive later. You must return to the void and start again. You’ll learn from your errors and won’t make the same mistakes again. This is the crux of the problem solving, and the simplicity is absolutely glorious.
“Ah, you idiot” will be muttered repeatedly as items are forgotten, or puzzles failed. Reloading back into key points is quick, and though there is a break in the action, you feel fully immersed in everything that is happening in the surrounding world.
Multiple endings are offered, each with its own depressing finale. You must work hard, observing the small clues, and piecing together each moment with every character to hit the true happy ever after finish. You may think “It seems repetitive and slow!” Repetition is a key mechanism in what makes this game work, but it’s far from slow or boring.
Hitting the right sequence, or uncovering a missing item, is fantastic, it’s a euphoric moment when you finally pass a section you’ve been stuck on for ages. This makes Retrace: Memories of Death great. It’s gentle pace, and small pieces of the jigsaw slowly put together to create the bigger picture. The mystery slowly unravels, and eventually you understand the world you now exist in.
The 16-bit retro look.
If I was told that this was a remake of a Sega Mega Drive game, I wouldn’t have been shocked. Every element screamed retro and old-school. The character movement and look was dated, but worked well. The subdued colour palette did wonders at creating a sinister vibe, and the gothic text style worked brilliantly with the dark theme. It won’t win any medals for beauty, but it was on point for this style of game.
The audio does brilliant job of enhancing the sinister, doomed atmosphere. The slow minor tones drag you through a range of emotions, and though occasionally you hit a high point, mostly its; sombre, melancholy, and depressing as hell.
Walk crash, walk crash!
Get used to bumping into everything and anything as Freya likes nothing more than to meander into any person or inanimate object. To say its cumbersome and awkward is an understatement! It’s as if the use of analogue has been restricted to D-pad directional controls. It’s in keeping with the retro nature, however, I wasn’t a fan. It doesn’t ruin the game, I just wish it was sharper.
With the story diverging across so many paths, and the multiple endings, this will keep you playing for some time. Your progress heavily depends on your logic-skill and memory, so some gamers may find this considerably easier and shorter than others. A small achievement list is obtained through natural progression, and all endings must be uncovered to gain the 100% status. For completionists, this has a considerable amount of replay valve.
Deja Vu isn’t always a bad thing!
Wake, eat, sleep, repeat. If only it were that simple. Wake, deadly earthquake, horror realm, death! This is your life now, unless you solve the puzzles and break the cycle. An excellent testing game that will make you think outside of the box, and curse your inability to remember. You must piece together the many small parts of this mystery and try to save yourself and the others from this horror universe. It’s a game that I recommend you try, so buy it here! Can you help Freya and her friends survive their new prison? Logic and luck must be on your side in order to succeed.
