The game is interesting and very long for a Ludum Dare game. The concept is interesting and the graphics are nice. There was a lot of exploration, though it got confusing. There were so many different puzzles in so many different places I found myself wandering around a lot. I appreciate that you have to carry over runes and stuff and it's cool how you have to create platforms. I'm actually not sure what the five elements were. I think I just got lucky with that one. I don't know what that thing with some fire, but not too much, was. Was that the spark? I didn't think that would be an actual element, I thought that meant fire. There was also some annoyance with the slidy controls, though if you had more time for this, you probably could have worked that out. I think you ould have explained better that we're supposed to hit signal triggers to finish off puzzles, because I didn't know why those weren't removing the obstacles. I like the end, when the game starts speaking to you, and the ending itself was interesting. Just a memory, huh? Overall I'd say you did good with limited time and made some interesting metroidvania puzzles, though some were a bit confusing.
Reviews for "Memory.exe"
Yea that's why I had that message at the beginning saying to take notes :p
The end game puzzle isn't that hard once you've noted all the messages.
An interesting delve into a rare type of puzzle game.
Memory.exe has a lot in common with Antichamber, most prominently in the ability to place blocks, but also in the metroidvania aspect and minimalistic art style. However, Memory.exe is very much it's own thing, with an entirely different variety of puzzles, mechanics gained from upgrades, and a different take on what a Metroidvania puzzler is.
The puzzles in Memory.exe are unique in that they require the player to retain information from previous rooms. While not entirely unheard of, this is an uncommon choice due to the amount of thought that needs to be put into a puzzle to make it possible for a player to solve without a large headache. Often the solution is to have one puzzle per room, but only have them solvable with some upgrade earned later on. This game manages to avoid that trap, successfully implementing puzzles with different parts scattered about, missing the mark on only a couple puzzles; more specifically the "Rune of plenty" and elements puzzles.
The "Rune of plenty" puzzle was all but spelled out for the player. This is understandable considering it is the first puzzle most players will encounter, and is designed to teach the player a core mechanic of the game. However, it felt much too simple compared to the rest of the game, almost like it was forced in.
As for the elements puzzle, this has more to do with a lack of clarity in the instructions. It stated the elements needed to be done in sequence, but does not clarify that only one signal needs to be active for each element. This led to a lot of confusion, only compounded by how the "water" element is almost identical to the "earth" element.
However, other than those two puzzles, the puzzles are solid, with a good mix of exploration and problem-solving.
As for the music, while it is short and simple, the music is appropriate for the mood of the game, and does not get tiresome. Very well done.
An intriguing puzzler, with a lot of potential. While there are some problems, they do not detract too much from a session of peaceful gameplay and enjoyable brain teasers.
One other thing: Notes do not seem particularly necessary. While the information could get jumbled if the player is not careful, the puzzles themselves are fairly simple. This felt like a missed opportunity for some pretty complex puzzles, but is understandable considering this was for a game jam.
Hey, thanks for the long review, this is the kind of stuff I love to see!
I have actually never played Antichamber, in truth this was inspired by a more La Mulana style of puzzling - big world-wide puzzles with hints given in entirely different parts of your experience.
The Rune of Plenty I feel was necessary or else the Chalice would've been a real nightmare to deal with. I could've spelled it out less, but as it's one of the first puzzles, I wanted the player to just keep going into the cooler later puzzles as opposed to getting stuck on the first gatekeeper. In a longer game where there was more build up and that puzzle wasn't directly in the middle, I'd be down to make it much more obscure.
As for Notes in general, I think I'd need them if I were to attempt this with a fresh head. It was more of a warning to saying "keep this all in mind" as opposed to literally "I hope you brought a notebook."
Thank you so much for the review!
Well, this is certainly a unique game. It did motivate me to keep playing. You know, try to find out how the thing even works? It was definitely creative. I can look at this all day and not understand it. It's hard to make progression.
You really have to learn from your mistakes. I'm talking about me, not you. Congratulations on being the most popular game and highest ranked for this dare! Well, it's still not that much. It's still something to be proud of.
I am? What an honor!
Really original that you link placing and removing blocks with limited memory.
Highly polished art (player trail), general nice textured sprites.
And music, sounds good, sfx in harmony with background music.
Wasn't able to grab my attention for long tough.
At the signal part I quit
I've not beaten it yet, but it is quite a fun but simple game.
I do think the soundtrack does get a little repetitive