Trace Memory - Second Play

After the first Trace Memory play rating, I had to take a little break from the game. I was sort of bummed, disappointed, disheartened. I wanted a Maniac Mansion quality story that grabs you from the start. I wanted Out of Order humor and script writing. I wanted all of the suspense and awe from Myst. My expectations were unfairly set as high as the best adventure games I’ve ever played. So I took a few days to cool off, settle down, and came back with a fresh outlook on Trace Memory.

I’m very glad I did. And after playing through a few more chapters of Trace Memory, I would like to offer my humble apology to the game: Trace, I’ve misjudged you.

I’m working through the fifth chapter and the story is picking up, the puzzles are getting more complex, and the game as a whole is improving dramatically. Is it me or is it the game? I suppose it’s both. Either way I’m having a much better time playing Trace Memory.

As the story of Ashley searching for her father continues, more and more sub-plots are introduced. Clues relating to her father are strewn about the old mansion I’m exploring, but it’s the history of the house itself that really draws me in. Remnants of a family, a seemingly happy family, can be found. But laying alongside are seeds of anger, resentment and a troubled past. Fleshing out the back-story is a great way to make a game’s setting come alive. Trace Memory took some time getting there, but now I finally feel like I’m exploring a real world.

My initial fear of too-easy puzzles has been calmed. In fact, some of the puzzles in Trace Memory are remarkably unique, though not overly-challenging. Not only do you have to gather strange clues and items, but you have to think (and here’s a little tip for everyone) “outside of the DS”.

The simplistic text-adventure-like descriptions are still a slight nuisance. I’ve come to terms with their existence. Trace Memory could deny me information on non-essential objects, forcing me to learn only what I need to know to progress and thus creating a linear adventure. But instead I get minimal info and the door of discovery is kept wide open. Examine one object, then check it again after searching another room and the description might just change. It’s frustrating at first, but now I honestly appreciate it.

Trace Memory is a lot like a carry out lunch. Sure, it’s covered in plain white Styrofoam that looks bland and doesn’t taste much better. But once you open that sterile shell you can see and smell the delicious food waiting inside. The first few bites of Trace Memory were a little hard to swallow, but now I’ve reached the creme filling inside. Oh boy it’s yummy. All of the minor complaints with interface and clumsy descriptions seem to fall to the side as I continue on my quest. I still don’t know where Ashley’s father is and now there are half a dozen other things going on that have my brain working at top speed. I’ve suddenly discovered that I care about Ashley and hope she finds her dad and everything turns out alright. That’s the mark of a good game, something that gets your emotions going.

I’m still exploring the mysterious mansion and solving the puzzles of Trace Memory. I’m eager to see what the game has in store and I can’t wait to see what her father has been up to all this time. Watch for the next play rating to see if Trace Memory continues to enthrall my sense of adventure!