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jp's 11-11:Memories Retold (PS4)
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| [December 27, 2019 04:23:19 PM]
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I've been debating whether to include this as a game for a class I teach and, having finished it and explored all of the different endings, I'm not sure. The game is a pretty linear experience and yes, choices to affect the outcome of the game (e.g. who lives, dies, etc.) but...there's something that really rubbed me the wrong way in this game. It shouldn't have - but it did...
You basically follow two characters' experiences in WWI (a Canadian and a German) on either side of the conflict and, at times, together. It's all story stuff really - but each level/area/section has a lot of collectibles for you to find. Tracking these down really got in the way of the narrative experience (for me at least). I didn't want it to, but it did. Normally I'd just ignore...BUT the collectibles unlocked little snippets of information about WWI that I found really interesting. So, I felt invested in learning history while collecting items in a game that's primarily about the story experience. Sigh.
Is the story interesting/engaging? Yes, at least enough for me to want to play to the end and there is an overarching question/issue that is left open (regardless of ending) which...ugh. I really wanted to know if Max was dead or not...
I'm definitely adding this game as an example of a wargame that's NOT about shooting (technically you can fire a weapon during the game - but it really is an exception).
What I enjoyed the most, in terms of gameplay, was the letter writing. At certain moments in the game you can write letters home (in the case of the German character Kurt to his wife) and you are given options for each paragraph - tell the truth to your daughter, etc. You can tell what will appear in the letter and so on, but I thought it was a neat way to add some storytelling and character building/role-playing. In this game, your choices do really affect how the characters grow/perceive themselves. For example, there's a possible ending where Harry shoots Kurt - and Harry will reflect on this in the end cut scene from the point of view that he feels like he made the correct choice (even if expressing some regrets). Thus, the game never second-guesses your choices - but rather assumes them literally. The player's choice should always be interpreted as the character being convinced that the choice was a correct one.
Neat game. Art is very interesting and I enjoyed the animal sections too - the break up the pace in a nice way. Animation was "meh", which hurt the games' experience a bit and I was surprised by...I'd assume Aardman would have really good animation?
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jp's 11-11:Memories Retold (PS4)
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Current Status: Finished playing
GameLog started on: Sunday 1 December, 2019
GameLog closed on: Friday 27 December, 2019 |
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