What does passing away mean? For those left behind, what does it mean? What does the passing of a memory mean? When Trace Memory was initially published in the United States in 2005, nobody was prepared to respond to these questions, certainly not when it came to a point-and-click adventure game for the Nintendo DS. But now, nineteen years later, here we are. Time has decided to bestow upon us a small miracle in the shape of Another Code: Recollection, which not only brings us back to the experiences of young Ashley Mizuki Robins on her tour across Blood Edward Island but also gives American fans the chance to experience her first-ever trip to Lake Juliet.
Ashley is a distinct lead character for a story with such weighty material. She is a young girl, only 14 years old, when we first meet her, and she is worried about a father she doesn’t remember and a mother who was taken from her too soon. She must face realities well beyond her years throughout her voyage around Blood Edward Island with the phantom D, but as Ashley soon discovers, it’s best to face hard realities head-on. Ashley spends a large portion of the first section of the novel, which Recollection refers to as “Two Memories,” piecing together the lives of others who came before her using meaningless hints. She discovers details of tragedies and deaths that happened before Ashley was even born. Even though Ashley is a lot moodier 16-year-old with strained familial ties when we are reunited with her in the second half, “Journey into Lost Memories,” the harsh realities she faces do in fact help her reach a happy place in life. Despite this, Ashley is able to use her own experience to guide those around her through their loss and teach them how to deal with the memories of loved ones who have passed away. The fact that everyone can work together to complete a task is more significant than whether it’s simple or attractive at all.
Ashley’s adventures have been good to her over the years. With both of the original Another Code titles, Nintendo and Arc System Works took a lot of creative license, but overall, it’s for the better. Ashley may now completely explore her surroundings in the three-dimensional adventure game that replaces the point-and-click and 2.5D adventure structure of the earlier games. The numerous locations on Blood Edward Island have been altered from Ashley’s portable adventures, but this is all done to up the ante on tension and speed and to compensate for the DS’s lack of touch screen controls. In fact, Ashley’s in-game DAS has been altered to resemble a Nintendo Switch rather than a DS (the RAS, on the other hand, has been changed from appearing like a Wiimote to a bracelet). The other challenges Ashley faces are equally challenging: to get past the numerous traps and tricks put in front of Ashley, players will need to employ a combination of motion controls, cryptography, deduction, and memory. If the puzzles become too difficult for you, you may even access an in-game hint system, which is helpful, especially if you want to play this game with younger players. Recollection’s departure from the less-sensible approaches taken by its creators is a plus; although superimposing images was a highly contextual tool, it was still simpler to understand than purposefully shutting down a DS in order to “reflect” a picture on the lower screen.
There are other modifications that may cause some people to wonder. D’s memories in the original Trace Memory were entirely different from Ashley’s, and the game could be finished without figuring out D’s death’s mystery. Recollection streamlines things by removing or drastically simplifying specific information about D’s existence while also much more clearly integrating D’s past into Ashley’s mission. In a similar vein, the Journey into Lost Memories portion resolves long-standing questions surrounding Lake Juliet by revising specific parts of the original tale.
Recollection graphically updates its creators from top to bottom. Ashley wears a hoodie that is more appropriate for her Seattle roots than her Trace Memory belly shirt, and some other characters even have entirely new designs. The visual style is all new. This does detract from the strong contrast of the original Trace Memory game on the Nintendo System; that game’s anxious atmosphere was enhanced by the deep shadows cast on each model. But now, a more consistent cel-shaded appearance enhances both Two Memories and Journey into Lost Memories. There are a few small problems. For example, many trees and plants have paper-thin boughs that show at certain angles. However, Recollection’s methodology is actually rather elegant.
Recollection introduces a few more twists to the formula: after conquering the game, players can unlock a costume that lets Ashley relive the events of Two Memories in her original Trace Memory attire. Additionally, hidden origami cranes that, when scanned, reveal journal entries that expand on one of the main characters in the game. (Unfortunately, despite seeing artwork of it in-game, Ashley’s original pink luau tank top from the first Journey into Lost Memories was not transported over.) When it comes to finding them all, the origami are a lot of fun, however throughout my playthrough of Another Code, I found that one of the cranes was permanently missing. A little nuisance, at the very least. Fans of Cing’s previous well-known adventure series, Hotel Dusk, may also find some fanservice strewn throughout the game to be enjoyable.
Fourteen years have passed when developer Cing closed, but much like Ashley, we are reunited with the young white-haired girl, thanks to an enigmatic letter Ashley got on her birthday. We’ve all changed along with the world, which has altered since 2005. Another Code: Recollection is a game that will linger in your memory, regardless of whether you played Ashley’s first DS adventure or you’re a new buddy. We don’t frequently have flashbacks like this one, so make sure not to miss it.
