Remember Me is a third-person action game set in Neo-Paris, year 2084. The game stars Nillin, the world’s top
“memory hunter”, working under the banner of being an “Errorist” seeking to bring down the false utopia created
by the Memorize corporation, where the plutocrats live in places like Mnemopolis, buying, selling, sharing, and
reliving their memories at a moments notice, while the poor abuse this gift and turn it into a drug, spending
away their money for a quick memorial high.
Nillin’s quest requires that she go through and rewrite the memories of different people by accessing their Sensen,
which is mankind’s door to access their memories. These revision sequences, though how few there are, are the
high points of the game; however, to get to these highs, you have to drudge through semi-tedious battles against
enemies, boss fights that are high in frustration, and overly simplified climbing. The net result ends up being a poor
amalgam of Batman Arkham Asylum and Assassin’s Creed. Thankfully, carrying you through these sections of
mediocrity you have the often cinematic camera angles, dialogue between Nillin and her mysterious helper Edge,
the fantastic soundtrack, and the beautiful outdoor and indoor scenery of Neo-Paris.
Touching further on the music and scenery, it should be noted how in-tune these two are. Neo-Paris has classical
beauty, modern architecture, futuristic artworks and graffiti, and spectacular technological advancements. The
music, composed by Olivier Derivière, in kind, has classical instrumentation overlayed with electronic beats and
effects, creating the perfect audio-visual synchronization for the game’s setting.
After working your way through to your target and beginning the “memory remix” process, you watch a memory
play through for the first time, then you are instructed to rewind by rotating your analog stick counter-clockwise.
Fast forwarding can also be achieved by rotating clockwise. Your job is to rewind and fast forward the memory to
find certain “memory bugs” that can be abused. A robot that can malfunction, a gun safety that can be turned off, a
restraint let loose, simple things that when combined together make big impacts on the memory’s outcome. And
while there is always a clear path to your goal in the rewrite process, you can also watch other, equally interesting,
alternative scenarios play out. This memory revision process is one of the most refreshing game experiences
I’ve had in a long time and makes any problems worth overlooking.
Overall, Remember Me has amazing high notes like the memory remixing, amazing soundtrack, and gorgeous
visuals, that easily outweigh any negative or mediocre moments that may reduce the game’s focus. I would not
suggest playing this game on its hard difficulty, as the extra challenge, I find, detracts from the otherwise
amazingly cinematic experience. Play this game and play it quick, don’t get too distracted along the way.
Personally, I give this game an 8 out of 10. Remember Me is a thought-provoking and refreshing game experience.
Post-review side thought: Remember Me evokes the thought that video games are not all that different from
buying a memory for your Sensen. You’re taking someone else’s experience (you’re not Master Chief or Nillin or
Mario or any other character), reliving it in full detail, and making it a piece of your own memory.
