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Great Concept but Short and a Bit Annoying

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 62 / 64
Date: October 29, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Trace Memory is an interesting puzzle game that involves regaining memories and learning what they mean. It's slightly tedious but generally fun.

You are a girl who is turning 14 tomorrow. You've just discovered that your father is alive, after 10 years of living with your aunt Jessica. There is a LOT of talking involved as you go through your tasks. You take a ship to Blood Edward Island, to meet your father. Of course he's not there to meet you, so you begin your adventure of exploring the island.

In no time at all you've met "D", a ghost representation of a boy about your age. You two quickly decide you're soulmates, as both of you are looking to find your father and explore your memories.

The puzzles are reasonably complex - the game is rated "teen" so this game wasn't meant for the little ones. They expect you to have at least a reasonable ability to remember clues and figure out puzzles. That being said, a lot of the puzzles are maddening because it's obvious what you have to do. It's just your CHARACTER that is completely clueless and doesn't get it. You have to click, click, click until she finally gets it. Sometimes you can't even pick up an object that you figure you'll need until you go somewhere else, see the "destination object", then trek back to the first object and pick it up then.

Another issue I have is that some of the puzzles involve a lot of mindless screen rubbing. In one situation you have to clear a brass sign of rust. That means you have to sit there scrubbing your DS screen repeatedly until all of the rust comes off. There's enough wear and tear on a DS screen (and yes I do have a screen protector on it) to worry about the sensors wearing out, without actively doing something like this to it.

Finally, there is a lot of random screen clicking that you have to do to even find things. You look at a sign and you SEE the pieces of it beneath the sign - but when you click on them it just says they are wooden pieces. You have to click in an exact spot to actually rearrange them. You look at a gate and it looks like a plain gate. You have to click on it further to see the lock mechanism. It means you waste a lot of time randomly clicking all over just in case something is active. This girl should have better eyes than that.

That all being said, I really do love puzzle games in general. The idea of a young teen girl trying to figure out who she is is rather cliche, but it gives her the chance to be both 'going out on her own' and 'nervous about being alone'. Having the ghost boy tag along is a nice touch - it's not too long ago that the main character would have "of course" been male, maybe with a helpless female sidekick.

I'll give this a 3.5/5 for a fun concept and nice graphics, but a little too short and tedious. Maybe the gamemakers will come out with a sequel that is more filled out and easier to use.

BEWARE! Blood Edward Island is haunted!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 38 / 44
Date: October 15, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I have not actually beaten this game yet but I've played quite a bit to know about it. You are Ashley Robbins, a 13 year old girl who has been living with her aunt Jessica for the past 10 years. Ashley's parents, who were said to be dead, supposedly went to Blood Edward Island but never returned. Just recently, Ashley received a gift that she believes is from her father. The gift turned out to be a little device called the DTS which had a message saying for her to meet him (her father) there at Blood Edward Island. Ashley sets off to Blood Edward Island the day before her 14th birthday with her aunt Jessica.

After you get to Blood Edward Island, the real fun and mystery and creepiness begins. There is creey music, creepy surroundings, a lot of dialog which kind of makes me feel like I'm reading a book, which is a good thing by the way, to balance out all the other games I play. You will meet a ghost who died 57 years ago when he was a boy, who has completely forgotton why he died and who he is. D, the ghost, is trying to solve his own mysteries as well.

Most of the game is used with the touch screen and it's filled with puzzles and searching for clues. It's one of those games that you want to play either at night or just when you don't want a whole lot of action. I personally love it!! And I haven't even finished it yet. There are two different endings to get so after I beat it once, I will play it again and probably more times after that. It's kind of like watching a mystery and reading a mystery book with very little or no actual enemies. As far as I can tell, there are no enemies but that's what makes this game so intriguing. You are trying to find out what happened to Ashley's parents, aunt (who also disappeared after arriving at the island) and the ghost.

It really is a nice change from the regular games I usually play like Castlevania, Silent Hill, Resident Evil, and Final Fantasy. I really believe that there should be more games made like Trace Memory because it's kind of like nothing else ever made and Nintendo has always been like no one else and Trace Memory is another example. I am a 26 year old female who loves many different kinds of games and if you like creepy and psychological stories without violence, Trace Memory is the best there is! Way to go Nintendo!

An adventure that's over almost too quickly

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 20 / 21
Date: October 06, 2005
Author: Amazon User

The Nintendo DS has served up some intriguing games of late, and Trace Memory is definitely one of them. Unlike games that place emphasis on violent contents to attract a fan base, Trace Memory relies on the good old point-and-expore adventures that we used to play on the PC. With many instances of puzzle-solving, several areas for exploration, as well as some stunning visual and audio presentations, Trace Memory could really be one of the best DS games to date. Unfortunately, before we could even get warmed up, it's over. The length, or lack of it, of the game is perhaps the one thing the mar the otherwise great adventure.

The plot of the game is simple. You assume the role of Ashley Mizuki Robbins, the daughter of a pair of scientists working on a research known only as "Trace". Believing that your parents were dead, you were surprised to receive a package from your father just before your 14th birthday. The package contains a DTS (Dual Trace System), which looks exactly like the Nintendo DS, as well as an invitation to a certain Blood Edward Island to meet him. Your adventure begins on this island, which used to house the Edward family.

While searching for your father on the island, you come across the ghost of a boy named "D", who has been dead for almost 57 years. Logic tells you that he has something to do with the Edwards. So begins a few hours of companionship, which sees D and you scout around the island and the Edwards' mansion for clues that may lead to a recovery of both his or your memories.

Throughout the search, you'll encounter several puzzles that made up the bulk of the game's gameplay. The puzzles you find can range from the relatively easy, to the ultimately head-banging. Solving puzzles mostly requires the use of your stylus, but at times, the entire DS comes into play - no, I'm not kidding. In fact, some of the puzzles in this game can't be solved unless you find an out-of-the-box way to utlilise your DS.

Examining the areas in this game will unlock several items, which will be useful in solving the puzzles. Backtracking is frequently required, however, because you won't pick up items that you find no use of. Apart from items, you'll also find DTS cards, which are shaped like a Nintedo DS game cart. These carts contain messages from your father to you, as well as his journals. Reading them will give you more insight into the story.

Puzzles and items aside, you'll come across snippets of the past all over the game. These will either trigger D's, or your very own memories. Collecting all memories for D will unlock an alternate ending, but it's not essential for the completion of the game. Unless you're a completist, or you really feel for him, you may just conveniently get done with your side of the story and move on.

As I mentioned, the game is relatively short though, and a first attempt going through it shouldn't take you than five hours. A second playthrough, if you already know the puzzles and manage to skip past the conversations, will take half that amount of time. All in all, the length of the game makes it really unfulfilling if you're looking for a longer adventure. Completing it a second time, however, unlocks some different messages of DTS cards, as well as an additional ending, which may interest some players. But after that, you'll find no incentive to replay the game.

Still, you can't fault Cing's attempt in creating the game. Not when the graphics are so beautifully rendered, and the sound, so perfectly complementary. You'll find both 2D and 3D graphics in this game, and they're drawn in a mixture of anime and American style, which should appeal to people from most masses. The details on closed-up items are also nicely drawn, which is a testimony to how much effort has been put into the graphic designs. The audios may be a little bland for some quarters, but the various background music fit the mood of the scenarios pretty well, which is also a plus point for any game.

In close, I'll say that Trace Memory is a fun game for fans who enjoy games of this genre. However, even so, it may not be worth the retail price since it's just too short. I'd only recommend a purchase if you don't mind the length, or if you're looking for a short, but refreshing game that doesn't take up too much of your time to complete.

A great mystery in a great game.

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 6 / 6
Date: September 28, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Trace Memory is really a bit of a throwback. There's a genre of game that consists of static scenes that you move through to gain pieces of story and items and puzzles. Usually these are mystery games, and examples I know of are Shadowgate, Deja Vu, Myst (and all it's imitators). Trace Memory also falls into this category.

In Trace Memory, you take the role of a 14 year old girl who is searching for her father. Believed dead, he contacted her on her birthday to ask to meet her on Blood Edwards Island. Once there, she finds the island deserted and sets off to find her father (and unravel the mystery of his disappearance). To tell you any more would be cruel, as it's best to find out for yourself.

The game takes place over both screens. You control Ashley (the heroine) on the bottom screen in a top down view. As you explore, you'll see static pictures of your view on the top screen. If you want to examine them, the static picture drops to the bottom screen and you can point at and examine items to see if they're of interest.

It sounds clunky, and it could be, but with the stylus and touchscreen it flows beautifully. Trace Memory really works with the DS. In fact, many of the puzzles require ingenius manipulation of items with the stylus to find the solution. It works, and breathes new life into an old genre.

The puzzles themselves are somewhat typical of the type of game, but they all work and for those new to this style will seem innovative (which some indeed are) and difficult (which is also true for the uninitiated). Many times, sadly, frustration comes from simply not knowing what items you can and can't interact with, but this is a rare faulting.

The graphics of the game are beautiful, with a melding of pre-rendered scenes, polygonal puzzle-settings, and characters done in gorgeous hand-drawn style. It's really perfect in creating the mood and atmosphere of Blood Edwards Island, and immerses you in the story.

Sadly, I can't talk about that story, which is the most interesting and entertaining part of the game. It is simply too good to spoil, so I will only implore you to play it, and enjoy it for yourself.

One note, also, is that the game is fairly short. I imagine that it wouldn't take more than 8 hours to play through it, though I am only half through. Replay value depends upon the person, I imagine, though the game gives you new information and a slightly different ending your second time through.

All in all, I can't recommend this one enough. It's a great game, a great example of an old genre brought to the modern stage, and--above all--a deep and emotional story.

Great game with some shortcomings

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: February 07, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I must admit that I had a lot of fun playing this game and it does hold your attention, but it could definately use some improvements. For one thing, about 75% of the game is devoted to reading with only 25% devoted to actual game play. It is a good story line, but all the reading was a little tedious. It has a lot of good puzzles, but there were times when I had no idea what to do next and had to look for a walkthrough online. It is a very short game and when I finished it, I was a little dissapointed. I had no desire to go through the whole thing again and read all the dialogue all over again. And there was too much backtracking. You can't pick up an item until the main character sees what she needs it for and then you have to go back and get it. So all in all, I would recommend this game and I had a good time playing it, but I also traded it in for something else when I was finished. I was also really dissapointed when it was over. I knew when I was reaching the end and couldn't believe that it was over so soon!

Puzzle Fanatics, Rejoice!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: March 15, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I bought Trace Memory on a whim and it's one of the most enjoyable games I've ever played. The talking of the characters tends to drag on a bit, but the game is filled with puzzled that require you to pay attention and be precise. Detail-oriented people will love this game; I know I did. I'm not sure about its replay value because I haven't gone back to play it again since I beat it initally, but it really hooks you in the first time through. There's no fighting or escaping from murderers or zombies or anything, it is purely a puzzle and logic game, and I give it two thumbs up. It's definitely worth its lower-than-average price.

Fun but short.

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: December 02, 2005
Author: Amazon User

This is a non-combat puzzle game in the same vein as Myst. In fact, if you like Myst, you should have fun with Trace Memory.

Trace Memory is very innovative. It uses all of the DS's abilities in clever ways. It uses the touch screen, the mic and even uses the sleep mode as ways of solving puzzles.

It'll take you a while to figure things out the first time through, yet it's not overly difficult. If you keep at it, you'll have no problem making your way through.

It's such a fun game, I really wanted to give it five stars. However there are two flaws that really kill this game.

For one thing, it's short. I finished it within a couple days playing time. That's pretty short in my book.

The other flaw is that once you do finish it, there's not much incentive to play again. You have a slightly different ending the second time around, but all and all, not enough to bother going through it again. At most, you'll go through the game twice, get bored with it and then stash it on the shelf.

So while this game is clever and great fun to play, the length and lack of replay value takes it down a notch. You may want to wait till it comes down in price or find it used. It's worth owning, but not at what it's selling for right now.

Trace Memory: Traces of Disappointment

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 5 / 8
Date: January 04, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Trace Memory was the first title I purchased with my beloved Nintendo DS system. When I first got it, I was excited to embark on a deep, thrilling murder mystery game filled with twists and turns and "Omygosh!" plot shocks, that would keep me up well into the night.

Sadly, I was horribly wrong. When I first picked it up, the first thing I noticed was the fact that the game was morbidly texty. In other words: If you didn't know how to read before you played this game, you were so very screwed. This game REVOLVES around reading text box after text box of mediochre dialogue.

The second thing that I noticed was how important it was that you noticed even the SMALLEST, borderline invisible details. For example, if you did not touch the EXACT place on the screen where you needed to examine to find the key to the next room or puzzle, you could sit there and gradually get more and more frustrated until you threw your DS on the bed and caved in to looking up the answer to the puzzle online.

The third and final thing that I noticed was that while the story was decent, the ending was extremely predictable and came FAR too soon.

To give you an idea of what I mean by far too soon, my total play time by the end cinema of the game was SIX HOURS and THIRTY SEVEN MINUTES. No game should be that short. The re-play value of this game is practically zero, since there is no way to deviate the plot (in a 'choose your own adventure' kind of way) and all the puzzles remain the same.

The next day when I finished it, I called the man who sold it to me to ask him the sell-back value and said I was finished with it. He told me to come back and get something different (Since I had JUST been in to buy it the night before.)

So basically, do what I did. Save your thirty dollars, and buy Nintendogs instead.

Happy Gaming!

Great, but short

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 4 / 6
Date: January 30, 2006
Author: Amazon User

This game was a lot of fun, and at times a challenge to play. However, I was able to complete it in one night. I just feel as though potential customers ought to know that they are not in for a long game, or a game with much replay value.

Must Have Title for Nintendo DS...Fantastic.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 4
Date: October 04, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Get this game!

Just do it already!

Okay, now that we have that out of the way...this is one awesome game. Other reviews covered the genre and gameplay aspects already, so I'm just going to show my support for it.

I've loved every minute of it, and while some may say it's too short, I can tell you that there wasn't one wasted bit of gaming goodness found here. The puzzles made splendid use of the trusty ol' Dual-Screener and the story was engaging, as well as rather moving.

The graphics were beautiful, but what really grabbed me was the gorgeous and haunting music. You'll want to play with headphones on for this one; trust me. There is also a very cool (albeit short) opening movie that sets the stage for a good old-fashioned mystery, the kind of which we just don't see more of on gaming consoles these days.

Also refreshing is that the lead female character isn't contrived or "marked" by her own gender in any way. She's smart, confident and edgy without her gender feeling like an open ad to sell more games to girls, or worse, stereotypical pandering ("thank you but our princess is in another castle"). It's honest; major props to Nintendo for that.

Overall this is essential for your handheld/portable gaming library. Load times are almost non-existent, so this is perfect for long drawn out sessions, or pick-up-and-go gaming. Parents should take particular note that this is ideal for the 13-16 age market (the main character is on the eve of her 14th birthday). And when they're done playing? Have a go at it yourself.

A+...and that's for awesome. Every DS owner should make it theirs.

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