Another Code: R - A Journey into Lost Memories

In a previous review, I turned my attention to Another Code: Two Memories. A title for the Nintendo DS, Another Code is a well crafted game: an adventure game with an underlying mystery story and innovative use of the Nintendo DS hardware.

With my experience of Another Code behind me, I had high expectations of Another Code: R - A Journey into Lost Memories. But, as this review will show, the sequel lacks a lot of the quality and elements that made the first title successful in the first place. Do not get me wrong, I still like this second game. However, I cannot ignore the fact that Another Code: R falls well below the standard set by its predecessor.

Overview

Two years after the events of Blood Edward Island, Ashley is now sixteen and finds herself in a case of history repeating itself. While her father came back with her, he soon found work and has fallen back into his habit of being absent for months at a time.

So it comes as no surprise to Ashley when (you guessed it) a package from her father arrives with a new DS Lite-like device called a DAS arrives with a letter inviting Ashley to meet her father at a camping resort called Lake Juliet.

While originally intending to resolve the conflict between herself and her father, Ashley soon learns upon arrival that Lake Juliet has a secret. Shortly before her death, Ashley’s mother had gone to Lake Juliet.

Game Play

Like Another Code on the Nintendo DS, the player progresses the game by solving one puzzle after another. I have to be honest. I struggle to describe the game play of this game beyond this assessment, purely because there is not much game play to evaluate. Most of this game is basically reading one long text conversation after another.

Another problem is the creativity and challenge that made the puzzles worthwhile in Another Code is absent in this sequel. The puzzles feel like they were placed there as an afterthought and have not been given the design attention they needed. In general, this made the puzzles feel more like a frustration than a challenge. Especially when the puzzle where Ashley tests the acidity of water has been horrendously repeated throughout the game.

The only new element of the game is that Ashley now has yet another device called a TAS: an in game device that looks like a Wii Remote. Despite the addition of this new device, the only function of the TAS is to over ride electronic locks on doors that prevent Ashley from progressing. It makes clever use of the real world Wii Remote (the player has to try and look at the device on screen to work out the function and solve the current puzzle). But these cases are few and very far between so there is a lot of wasted potential.

On the whole, the majority of the game repeats the acid test puzzle and most of the diverse and creative puzzles are not found until near the end of the game. Even then, it is too little too late.

Story

If one looks at the cover of the game, one finds that the game has been described as an interactive mystery novel. Cing has taken care of the mystery novel part, but it is clear that the interactive element has been given little attention by comparison.

The story is well made, but suffers from the same repetition as the puzzles. As the player progresses, the various characters in the game constantly repeat the obvious. There are even cases where the characters talk in detail about something they just discussed five minutes ago.

The worst part is the constant breaking of the forth wall. Throughout the game, Ashley turns to the player and starts to express her inner thoughts and even talks about actions the player has just executed. First, this is needless repetition. And second, this prevents emersion from being sustained.

Still, the elements of a good story are there. The characters are given solid backgrounds, the player sees them develop over time and there is the odd moment where one really sympathises with the characters. In the end though, the story would have been better suited for a manga or perhaps an actual paperback novel. It simply was not designed from the start to be interactive thus does nothing to help the nature of the game.

Graphics and Sound

Graphics wise, Another Code: R can be described as being 2.5D (pronounced two and a half dimensional). While the graphics are three dimensional, Ashley’s movements are confined to a two dimensional plane. When she is in buildings however, she is basically fixed to a single point and the player is only able to rotate the view point.

Restrictions aside, I still like the graphics of this game. The characters are anime-styled and exist in a water colour-like environment. The environments are also lush and colourful (a rarity in this day and age as I constantly point).

As for sound, this is possibly the only other good trait this game has that comes from its predecessor. Each character in the game has his or her own unique theme and each environment has a theme depending on the current situation Ashley is in. In the same environment, the tone could be calm a cheerful yet will become tensioned if Ashley is in a worrying situation.

Overall

In all fairness, I still recommend this ‘game’ to fans of Another Code. But I have to be honest. First, one does not play this game: one reads it. All the potential for making a world full of adventure and mystery has been missed.

Instead of being creative with the Wii’s motion sensing capabilities, the focus has mostly been on the story. And even then, the story itself has been bloated with constant repetitions and excessive use of forth wall breaking.

The only element I deem well crafted in this game is the graphics and sound. The characters and environment are well stylised and the game very rich in its soundtrack. However, this is of little comfort. Sound and graphics are only two small elements to the whole when it comes to games. And sadly, this game is more riddled with design faults than it has accomplishments.

Another Code: Two Memories

It has been quite some time since I have released a game review. While my last run was short lived, I was still pleased as I was still able to at least get three game reviews in a row out on time. As my last review went to the Web, I found out that game developer Cing had filed for bankruptcy (sources: Kotaku and Wikipedia).

To me, this is a rather sad moment. While I have only played two Cing games and I am working on a third, I still had a lot of fun. While I have other reviews in the pipeline, I am putting them on hold as I review the two Cing games I have finished.

First up is Another Code: Two Memories. This was the first game I ever got for my Nintendo DS. I was drawn to it because reviews and promotional material make it look like a modern version of Myst. This was exactly the case and without further ado, here is my review in my usual comprehensive manner.

Overview

In Another Code, the player is cast the role of Ashley. While most young girls are full of joy whenever their fourteenth birthday arrives, Ashley is full of emotional turmoil. Just a few days prior, a package arrived for her. Inside is a DS like device called a DAS and a letter from Ashley’s father. This is a shock to Ashley as she had believed that her father died along with her mother when Ashley was only three years old.

The game starts with Ashley on a boat with her aunt to the destination specified in the letter: Blood Edward Island. No sooner does Ashley arrive her aunt is kidnapped and Ashley sets out find her.

Shortly afterwards, Ashley finds a ghost named D, who has no memory of how he died thus cannot pass over and finally rest in peace. Together, Ashley and D search the environs of Blood Edward Island in an attempt learn what has happened on the Island and hopefully answers from Ashley’s father as to why he left her behind all those years ago.

Game Play

While it is obvious, I am reluctant to dub Another Code as a Myst clone. Then again, this task is quite difficult for any adventure game, considering the fact Myst practically took adventure gaming at the time and made itself (Myst) a textbook of the genre.

There are some similarities in Another Code to Myst: the player is in pre-rendered backgrounds and moving around changes the stills. When playing Myst the player finds puzzle hints at one location, and then solves a device/puzzle in another location to progress. While puzzle rich, the environments of Myst are almost devoid of characters.

Like Myst, the player only has Ashley and D and basically wonders about the game world finding and solving puzzles to progress the game and story. This is basically the formula behind the whole Myst series: moving about a detailed world solving one puzzle after another.

It is the design of the puzzles that quickly separate Another Code from Myst. Through the use of the touch screen, the player is able to manipulate objects and try to solve the presented puzzles. These interactions vary from simply putting torn paper together to brushing away dust or using charcoal to reveal clues to help progress the game.

There are even puzzles that require solving by tiling the upper screen of the DS and a few puzzles ever require the use of the DS microphone. My personal favourite is the use of an in-game camera to take pictures of my surroundings and then overlay them to find further clues to further progress.

Puzzles aside, Another Code also makes effective use of both DS screens. On the top screen, the player is presented with a pre-rendered image of the current environment at a fixed angle. The bottom screen provides the player with a real time 3D, top-down view of the current environment. It is also on the bottom screen the player is able to move Ashley about.

As Ashley moves, the still image on the top screen changes depending on where Ashley is positioned. While a still image, it helps add other angle to Ashley’s point of view and makes it easier to search the environment for clues.

In general, the game play of Another Code is simply moving about the game world from one puzzle to the next. Thanks to the challenge and variety of the puzzles, the player is still compelled to continue the game.

Story

If my past reviews are anything to go by (especially with my assessment of Avatar), I like a good story. It is the primary reason why I play some games: I like to play a part of an epic tale in a world that is long gone or in a world that can only exist in the imagination.

Story wise, Another Code is part adventure and part mystery. Adventure wise, Ashley is on Blood Edward Island, seeking answers about her father. Mystery wise, Ashley, along with D, slowly learn of the final events that took place on the Island and what became of D in his own final moments.

Overall, the story is well written, and there are touching and sad moments. All of which are supported by the detail of the games environment. I would love to detail more, but given the short length of the story, I refrain from doing so as to not spoil the game for readers of this blog.

Graphics and Sound

To most, it may seem harsh to judge a Nintendo DS game on its sound and graphics capabilities. It is understandable given that the hardware is quite low powered. However, I am of the opinion that if a game is made twice, once on a HD console and again on a retro, 8-bit console, the overall playability and enjoyment of the two games should be identical. Overall, hardware to me is just an enabler, not a solution to make a good game.

Despite the limitations of the Nintendo DS hardware, Another Code is still able to deliver. True, the level of detail on the 3D environment on the lower screen is low. However, the visuals are backed by a well chosen selection of sounds. With a minimal amount of imagination, one is able to add the extra resolution and the environment of Blood Edward Island soon comes to life.

Another Code also sports a magnificent soundtrack. Given that only a very few set of characters are encountered in this game, it was a wise move to give each character his or her own sound theme. As well as the characters, each environment also has its own theme that matches both the visual and atmospheric characteristics.

Overall

To tell a long story short, Another Code is a game that is guaranteed to give a tall order of enjoyment. A well written adventure/mystery story, coupled with intelligent use of the hardware controls, backed by well crafted and placed music all wrapped up in one single game. I admit, I would have liked the game to go a little longer, but that is just nit-picking. I bought this game years ago, and I still play it to this day. Personally, this is a must for anyone who owns a DS.