Type of Review: Overall, First Impressions
Review Subject: Video Game, Otome
Available Platforms: PS Vita, Steam
Spoiler Content: Low
Personal Enjoyment: Very High
Amnesia: Memories is the third game I have played on a dedicated gaming console and I was very happy with it. So happy that I am still mourning having finished it. With that said, I will attempt to be as unbiased as possible in my review of it, but I can't promise you anything!
The game starts you out in between worlds where the heroine meets a spirit named Orion. It just so happens that Orion has crash landed into you and has accidentally gotten himself trapped within your soul. The result of this incident is that his presence there has pushed out all of your memories! You, the heroine, now have amnesia. At the end of the prologue, you get to choose one of the worlds to enter. Orion tells you that they are all parallel worlds and asks you to choose whichever one feels the most right to you. You pick and you wake up back in your own body with no memory of who you are. The first clue you receive is that you are in a relationship with one of the characters and your objective is to regain your memories without letting anyone know that you have amnesia because Orion fears that someone might take advantage of you if they discovered the truth.
Graphics: The game's graphics are fairly simple, but that is to be expected from a virtual novel and so I don't hold it against it. That said, the artwork is simply beautiful and very anime-esque. I really enjoyed all of the visuals, especially some of the more abstract backgrounds that looked more like colorful sketches than finished settings.
Gameplay: Again, very simple, but also to be expected from a visual novel. There is no action to the game, just reading and enjoying a story. Regardless, this has become one of my favorite forms of gameplay because it's just so relaxing and engaging. The replay value is high, even after finishing every ending.
Plot: The amnesia plot device is greatly overdone but it was necessary in order to make the story make sense as well as to move it forward and give it a sense of purpose. Amnesia aside, the plot was pretty unique and engaging, and I always felt like I was a part of the story. Empathy for the characters runs strong, especially for the heroine because that's who you're supposed to be, and it really works. The story sucked me right in and kept me hooked from start to finish. One of the problems that otome games sometimes face is that the playthroughs for each character can get kind of repetitive with the story, but that didn't happen here. Each playthrough took you into an alternate reality so even minor things would change from story to story. One such example would be the heroine's boss who can be sweet and caring in one story, then strict and domineering in another. Each story was a fairly fresh and exciting experience.
Characters: It is safe to say that this game's story was heavily driven by the characters. I had my doubts about some of the suitor characters in the beginning, but found that I was able to fall in love with every one of them. My only real complaint would be that the men all acted like they wouldn't be able to control themselves if they were left alone with you, as if they might accidentally rape you or something. That attitude was discomforting but it's not uncommon in Japanese pop culture.
Thank you for reading my first review, and look forward to the second part which will be a spoilerrific, more in-depth look at the game's main characters.
No comments:
Post a Comment