Trace Memory
After it was announced, Trace Memory became one of my most anticipated Nintendo DS titles. So, like any normal gamer who anticipates a new game, I picked this title up the day it came out. Since I had never really played a “point and click” type of adventure game before, Trace Memory was somewhat of a new experience for me. And as far as new experiences go, Trace Memory definitely presented a simple yet enjoyable one.

Graphics:

The look of Trace Memory is presented in two different ways: overhead 3D and animated 2D. The bottom screen presents a bird’s eye view of your surroundings as you move throughout them, while the top screen shows a 2D presentation of your surroundings for a more detailed look. During puzzle moments, the top screen will switch to the bottom screen, and you’ll be able to investigate the area with more precision. The game’s story elements and cutscenes are also in 2D and the game’s characters are heavily influenced by anime. Though the 3D environments look pretty good, it’s definitely the hand drawn 2D puzzles, cutscenes, and characters that are the true pride and joy within this category.

Sound and Music:

Though Trace Memory does not have a wide variety of musical selections, what it does have it does well. The music is always fitting to the situation, and for the most part it helps create a better mood for the environment. Since the game is a murder mystery of sorts, the music tends to be on the eerie and dramatic side. Don’t expect a lot (if any) upbeat tunes here. As for the sound effects, they do their job pretty well. You’ll hear a nice sound every time you correctly solve a puzzle, gunshots are heard nicely in certain cutscenes, and you can even hear your own footsteps on the floors as you run around on the bottom screen. In fact, you can even hear some floors make creaking noises as you pass over them. Overall, the music and sound is pretty good, but there isn’t really anything here to get excited over.

Storyline:

As with most point and click adventure games, the storyline tends to be one of the most important elements. Since these types of games don’t usually revolve around intense action, the storyline is made deep and interesting to grab onto and hold the player’s interest. Well, in short, Trace Memory succeeds. The game revolves around a fourteen year old girl named Ashley Robbins. For ten years, she’s been living with her aunt under the belief that her parents are dead. On her fourteenth birthday, she receives a package from her father saying that he is alive and that he wants her to meet him on Blood Edward Island. Once on the island, you meet up with a ghost of a young boy named “D”, who died on the island nearly sixty years ago. As you progress through the game, you will find out the truth behind your mother’s murder and why your father left you with your aunt for ten years. Along with that, you will also discover the truth behind how “D” died all those years ago by helping him recover his memories. The game’s murder mystery storyline is a lot like that of the simple board game Clue. You will slowly piece together what happened, where it happened, and most important of them all: why it happened. It’s definitely an interesting plot, and it should most certainly be able to hold your attention throughout the entire game.

Gameplay:

Trace Memory is the perfect example of a point and click adventure game. You will wander around Blood Edward Island solving puzzles that allow you to make your way further into the island’s mansion. As stated earlier, the 2D environments will take the place of the 3D view during puzzle moments. You must then use your stylus to point at and investigate these environments. If you investigate the right areas, you will then zoom in to that specific area. Most of the time, these specific areas lead to a puzzle. The puzzles within the game range from simple (putting together ripped up pieces of paper to read what it once said) to somewhat difficult (I won’t reveal the solution, but the stamp puzzle stumped me for about thirty minutes). Another common puzzle is picture overlapping. By taking pictures of certain things and then overlapping them, you will get the solution to certain puzzles (often codes to unlock doors). There are also quite a few moments where you’ll have to backtrack and grab an item that at one time wasn’t useful, but after exploring a certain area, becomes the solution to a puzzle. The game itself is split up into six chapters, with each chapter taking about an hour to beat. At the end of each chapter, you will take a small quiz to refresh your memory on the main story elements of the game. Trace Memory is definitely a thinking man’s game, so don’t expect the game to be filled with fast paced action that will keep you on your toes. One bit of advice though: be sure to explore everything, because even the simple act of just looking at something can trigger certain story elements that otherwise wouldn’t show up.

Controls:

Well, Trace Memory is a point and click game, so just about everything you do uses the stylus. You will use the stylus to point at, touch, and investigate the environment around you. You can also use the stylus to move your character, but I honestly found it easier to just use the D-Pad instead. Throughout the game, and especially during cutscenes, you will also use the stylus to advance through the massive amounts of text you’ll be reading. The pointing and clicking (touching in this game’s case) is actually pretty precise, and I honestly never found myself investigating the wrong thing (if I did, it was because of my own ignorance and not the game’s fault). All in all, the game’s simplicity is an advantage when it comes to how it controls.

Replayability:

Trace Memory suffers badly when it comes to replay value. While the game’s storyline is excellent and the main quest is very satisfying, but it’ll only take you about six or so hours to complete. The game definitely deserves a second play through, since some story elements are different, but it just isn’t the same when you now know the solutions to all the puzzles. Other than playing through it again, there isn’t really any other replay value.

With a six hour long main story, and a second play through probably clocking in at less than half that time, Trace Memory is a satisfying yet very short experience. It’s not overly difficult, but some puzzles are sure to boggle your mind. Despite being short, the game is an excellent title for those who are just getting into point and click adventure games (like myself), and the storyline itself is worth the price of the title.
Graphics: 8.5/10
Sound and Music: 7.0/10
Storyline: 9.3/10
Gameplay: 8.0/10
Controls: 9.5/10
Replayability: 5.0/10
9.0
Out of 10