Another Code R: A Journey into Lost Memories (Wii) - Review by Chris

Introduction

Back in 2005, Nintendo took a chance on creating a new intellectual property within the point and click genre for the Nintendo DS. Roping in developers Cing, they set about creating a title that would captivate those that played it through its story and the resulting title was Another Code: Two Memories. Met with a good amount of critical and commercial success, fans pined for a sequel, more so with the release of the Nintendo Wii given how perfect the controls would be for this type of game. Finally, at their October Conference in 2008, Nintendo finally showed off the sequel that fans had hoped for.

Gameplay

Another Code R: A Journey Into Lost Memories takes place 2 years after the events that conspired on Blood Edward Island. Ashley Mizuki Robins, now 16, has been invited on a camping trip by her father, who hasn't returned home for 6 months, to Lake Juliet. After a push from custodian Jessica, Ashley decides to go on the trip. But things quickly go wrong. As she steps off of the bus in Lake Juliet, her bag is stolen by an unknown antagonist and most of her possessions are gone. And from that point onwards, things soon prove to go deeper than merely the stealing of her bag as she becomes embroiled in a mystery surrounding her mother's death, whom she suddenly remembers coming to Lake Juliet with, as well as that of compatriot Matt and the disappearance of his father in the area 5 years ago. The game prides itself in providing a captivating story line and relatable characters and Cing has managed to incorporate these seamlessly. The genre itself is very story driven and so one of the key elements is to nail down these traits and they have done so. Yes, the game is very story and text heavy but it's engrossing and captivating. You'll find yourself wanting to spend just that little extra amount of time with the game just to see what unfolds in the story or to see what happens to the characters that are so endearing. The developers have taken what Nintendo does best with some of their other stalwart titles' stories, such as The Legend of Zelda, and brought the same care and dignity to this.

With the move up to a more powerful console, the series has gone through a few radical changes, but none of which ruin the experience. Gone is the overhead viewpoint and it is replaced by an almost side scrolling one where you're character moves along a path from left to right but can move into and out of the screen at designated crossroads. It will seem strange at first but once you get used to it, you'll love it because it has allowed the developers to create a depth of field within which they can place people and things which are integral to the story that you'll want to investigate. That's the biggest change to the game but the story driven puzzles return, as well as some interesting ones which result from new gear given to Ashley. Whereas before, the DAS was her main piece of kit, the TAS, which looks exactly like a Wii-mote, comes along and brings with it some nice little puzzles, some of which will leave you scratching your head later in the game. But unlike most other point and click titles, the puzzles here are more logic based than having to combine items together to work out an outcome and so you'll have to carefully investigate all areas if you want to get through without many problems. Trust me when I say, you will have your mental skills worked out considerably.

Controls

The game keeps things simple when it comes to controls. Utilising only the Wii-mote, the game makes good use of what is available. Pointer controls are used to investigate environments and they work great. The A button is used to select something with the B button being used to cancel or return to the full view of the environment. There are on screen markers for accessing your items cache as well as a map and your DAS but these are also mapped to buttons but you'll quickly find yourself just clicking the on screen markers because it just feels more natural. And as expected, the motion capabilities of the controls are put to the test in the puzzles as you'll find yourself twisting, turning, poking and shaking the controller to get the puzzles completed. For the most part, they work well but there is the odd occasion where motion isn't detected or isn't detected correctly. It can be frustrating especially on puzzles where finesse is needed and seems like something that could have perhaps been sorted out with a little more development time.

Graphics

The graphics have obviously taken an incredible step up from the DS' beginnings and here they are presented in a sumptuous cel-shaded style that is done so well, that at times it looks remarkable. The characters models are so crisp and clean, you'll have a hard job seeing any jaggies on them. Their animation is spot on and fluid, while also conveying expressions effortlessly and perfectly. They exude a charm that has been lost from the genre for quite some time purely because other titles try to go for a much darker look to fit the darker theme. The environments and buildings are also well done, but there are bits that could have been done better. You'll never look at a tree and think that it looks particularly great and as such, a little more detail would have done the game some good, especially on the background art which seems washed out and lifeless compared to the main design, which has rabbits and birds moving about in the background.

Sound

The game's soft graphics are met with a mellow sound track that suits the game perfectly. Many titles in the genre should take note of Another Code's attention to detail in regards to the music because at times, it is sublime; very relaxing and suits the pace of the game. Unfortunately, there are no voiceovers for the characters and as a result, you'll be doing lots and lots of reading. This will no doubt put people off of the game but it's not a big minus because they could have gone so wrong with voice work that by playing it safe, the game is probably better for it so don't be put off by it.

Final comments

Another Code R: A Journey Into Lost Memories is a perfect title for playing over the summer months. It's relaxed and mellow, meaning you can ease into it and take your time without having to worry about the outcomes too much. The pacing is slower than the original and so those put off with the slow pace there may not enjoy this for the same reasons but if you're open to taking things slow in games, then this is perfect for you. Bringing beautiful graphics and sound and some interesting puzzles, the Another Code series is really stepping up as one of Nintendo's best new properties. This game is much more than fan service, as newcomers can easily jump in but I do recommend playing the original first before this to get the most out of the story but as a piece of fan service, it's fantastic and a real joy to play the whole way through the emotional rollercoaster of a story.

Pro: Great graphics and sound, some interesting and taxing puzzles, superb emotional story
Con: Some control detection issues in puzzles, very text heavy
Final score: 8.5

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