When video games take place in a dream world, you have license for strange and original ideas. Throw all logic and rules out the window and enjoy a unique experience that doesn’t necessarily have to make sense. In Rememoried, the surreal becomes real and your time in each area is short-lived before you are thrust into another unusual scenario. While you may not always know what is going on or where to go, it is the experience that makes Rememoried truly memorable.
Concept:
Imagine yourself in a dream world where one moment you are walking and the next jumping far gaps or seemingly floating in the stars. Rememoried is broken up into concise areas where the objective is to go from point A to point B, but it isn’t always so simple. The player must sometimes jump or float across obstacles and occasionally look away to change the environment to proceed. Most levels are procedurally generated, meaning they will be slightly different each time you play. Along the way, the game will have plenty of dialogue, but like the world of Rememoried, it is hard to make sense of.
While creepy, this figure usually means you are on the correct path.
Gameplay:
Rememoried is played from a first-person perspective with jumping mechanics. You will only walk, turn and jump your entire time spent in the dream world. With procedurally generated levels, most of the gameplay involves finding your objective in a typically confusing environment. What makes things harder is that you don’t always know what you’re looking for and there is no map or waypoints to guide you. There are platforming sections that I found to be occasionally frustrating, particularly one where you must keep looking away to spawn new platforms. Of course, these platforms are rocks or staircases that are sometimes positioned just out of reach. This usually results in a fall to your “death” which in Rememoried means just a simple restart of the area. The controls felt natural, but like any first-person game with jumping, accuracy can sometimes be tricky.
Floating through these celestial spheres was a highlight of the brief story.
Presentation:
The contrast between black backgrounds and white/gray environments creates a simple beauty that I don’t see very often. This style is punctuated when bright green or pink trees appear, making the level even more visually impressive. There is voicework that I appreciated and felt added to Rememoried’s presentation values along with relaxing music that blended in and enhanced the experience. I was never taken out of this dream world with long loading times and overall the game ran very smoothly on my original Xbox One.
Floating boulders don’t always make for a functional staircase.
Final Thoughts:
Rememoried is the perfect type of game for those who like to figure things out with little help. Anybody who prefers to be given specific directions or visual cues will likely get frustrated quickly. With a little over a dozen areas to explore, Rememoried will last most gamers between 1 and 5 hours depending on skill with a lovely 1000 gamerscore by the end credits. The retail price is $14.99 USD, which seems slightly high for a game that can be beaten so quickly. While it may be brief, the world of Rememoried is memorable, unique and worth experiencing.
A press copy of Rememoried was provided by Hangonit Studio for the purpose of this review.