I'm a sucker for "lost memory" stories even though I think it's a trope full of lazy cliché, especially in games. Too often it's a matter of convenience and makes it feel like the designer didn't quite know how to begin a story so he or she washes the main character up on a beach with a healthy case of amnesia. The character innately knows how to summon a two-headed, acid-breathing dragon, SURPRISE, which is the only way to defeat the evil sorcerer, SURPRISE!
The player is never surprised.
With Remember Me, coming from Capcom, the "lost memory" trope would appear to be what the entire plot of the game hinges upon. For reasons unknown (or maybe they are known, though not accurately), the protagonist Nilin has had her memory wiped by her former employer, Memorize. Really she should have seen it coming since she had been employed as a "memory hunter."
Aside from the story, memory hunting might form a large part of how the combat combos can be customized and re-ordered so Nilin can be more efficient in combat. With a total of 24 "Pressens" and 5 "S-Pressens" players should be kept busy in the "Combo Lab" organizing combo sets. Capcom saved me the trouble with the math and has stated there are "over 50,000" move combination. Whether or not there's an Achievement or Trophy unlock for trying them all out remains to be seen.I do like the look of the puzzle solving, besides physical obstacles Nilin will often have to enter and manipulate the memory of other people. In a society that can digitize and upload their memories and memory junkies stalk the dark corners of stylish Neo Paris, it makes some sense that a select few can alter memories on a whim or to neutralize guards in a creative manner.
The interaction in these memory altering sections suggests a video editor, with the ability to rewind and fast-forward to achieve certain ends. It all looks engaging so I'm looking forward to how that actually holds up over the course of an entire game.
Remember Me is scheduled to launch June 4, 2013 in North America and June 7, 2013 in Europe.
- Aaron Simmer
