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SHADOW OF MEMORIES (PS2)
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a.k.a. Shadow of Destiny.
Publisher: Konami. Developer: KCET. Released: March 2001. Genre: Adventure. Other versions: PC. Posted 4th January 2023. By Tom Clare © 2023 |
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Though it might not have seemed likely in 2001, time has proven fairly kind on the quirky whodunnit that was Shadow of Memories. At the time of the game’s release, it would have been understandable to look upon this quaint adventure with a glass-half-empty outlook. Konami’s recent successes, most prominently Metal Gear Solid and Silent Hill, had mirrored the industry’s promising late-nineties trajectory. Games were becoming more cerebral, focusing on sophisticated narratives and immersive, creative gameplay mechanics: a media finally growing up, alongside its audience. To some degree, however, this would prove a false dawn. The big-hitters from the early part of the next (sixth) generation would instead help usher in a style of gaming dominated by visual impact. As evidenced by the magnetic beach-landing level in Medal of Honor: Frontline, developers sought to fuse the special-effects bombast of movies seamlessly into their games, something that’s become more prevalent as the years have passed.
SoM was without many of the staple gameplay aspects of its contemporaries: there’s no combat and its puzzles are largely confined to the realms of fetching and using prescribed items. Thus it’s left to a convoluted and eclectic story to do most of the heavy lifting. A couple of decades later, it’s easier to appreciate a story-driven game that uses time travel and exploration elements to involve its player. It does so to enjoyable effect.
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As the plot thickens, more time-frames open, as small alterations in the past can lead to big changes in the present
The 8th of April 2001 is a really bad day for Eike Kusch. Before 24 hours have passed, he’ll have been stabbed, burned, bludgeoned, poisoned, run over and pushed to his death from a tower. After his unceremonious murder in the opening cut-scene, Eike is resurrected by a mysterious entity, who tells him he can avoid his fate by changing aspects of the past. However, as Eike soon discovers, avoiding one attempt on his life won’t solve the overriding problem. Kitted out with a time-travelling device, Eike is returned to the quaint town of Lebensbaum (Life Tree), to change his destiny and discover the identity of his assailant in the process. A long day lies in wait.
One of Konami’s early PlayStation 2 showcases, Shadow of Memories is what we’d now think of as a narrative adventure, albeit with a fair bit of exploration and item gathering thrown in for the sake of player involvement. You’ll likely spend longer watching Eike than controlling him, but don’t let that put you off. The adventure is split into eight chapters: each typically beginning with the hapless hero being bumped off, handed some hints by the mysterious ‘Homunculus’, and then sent back out there a short while before he’s destined to meet his doom.
One of Konami’s early PlayStation 2 showcases, Shadow of Memories is what we’d now think of as a narrative adventure, albeit with a fair bit of exploration and item gathering thrown in for the sake of player involvement. You’ll likely spend longer watching Eike than controlling him, but don’t let that put you off. The adventure is split into eight chapters: each typically beginning with the hapless hero being bumped off, handed some hints by the mysterious ‘Homunculus’, and then sent back out there a short while before he’s destined to meet his doom.
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Woken by an unknown woman in a cafe, situated in a mysterious foggy town? Similarities with Silent Hill prove only skin-deep, however
Time is everything in SoM. Throughout your travels, you’ll always have half an eye on the clock. Whilst Eike is exploring Lebensbaum, time ticks along in real-time. Certain members of the community can hold important information, whilst others offer idle chat. Every time Eike interacts with them, thirty seconds is whittled from the time, nudging things closer to the time of his death. As the chapters pass, the web becomes more complex, with new time zones becoming available.
It’s an original and well-crafted effort, with several brave and progressive ideas. The game instead focuses on challenging brainpower and awareness, with time your greatest foe. Timelines in 1979, 1901 and 1580 not only feature new personalities, but distinctive visual styles too: the 16th Century appears almost sepia in its yellow and brown hues, whilst the turn of the 20th Century looks austere, drab almost to the point of monochrome. Decisions made in earlier times change ‘present day’ Lebensbaum. The Butterfly Effect is crucial to saving Eike, such as asking a gardener to plant flowers as opposed to a tree, so then when he’s attacked in the present, there’s nowhere for the assailant to hide. There are other far-reaching decisions, such as influencing the owner of an old house to convert it either into a museum, or a library. It’s absorbing stuff; the storyline is mostly very well-devised and though there are some lengthy dialogues, it’s atmospheric and immersive. The characters are pretty decent too and it’s all extra appealing, given the opportunities to alter their destinies along with Eike’s.
It’s an original and well-crafted effort, with several brave and progressive ideas. The game instead focuses on challenging brainpower and awareness, with time your greatest foe. Timelines in 1979, 1901 and 1580 not only feature new personalities, but distinctive visual styles too: the 16th Century appears almost sepia in its yellow and brown hues, whilst the turn of the 20th Century looks austere, drab almost to the point of monochrome. Decisions made in earlier times change ‘present day’ Lebensbaum. The Butterfly Effect is crucial to saving Eike, such as asking a gardener to plant flowers as opposed to a tree, so then when he’s attacked in the present, there’s nowhere for the assailant to hide. There are other far-reaching decisions, such as influencing the owner of an old house to convert it either into a museum, or a library. It’s absorbing stuff; the storyline is mostly very well-devised and though there are some lengthy dialogues, it’s atmospheric and immersive. The characters are pretty decent too and it’s all extra appealing, given the opportunities to alter their destinies along with Eike’s.
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Shadow of Memories looks great for an early PlayStation 2 outing. Whilst the layout of the town remains much the same throughout each period, the contrasting visual approaches prove both impressive and cohesive. The older eras are predictably the most unusual, both in terms of architecture and inhabitants. 1580 sees maids and lantern-carrying guards roaming the streets, whilst the snow-covered 1979 deserves exploration, as a lot of its shops are awash with gorgeous little details, though the period is visited far less than the other timelines. Each time offers an effective contrast to the consistently-colourful Eike. The modern era shows off the designers’ flair; it’s easy to see why the camera is positioned a little lower than in most adventures, its uncomplicated rotation system (navigated via the shoulder buttons) allows players to witness some truly beautiful sights. The church, in particular, is a remarkable structure, both inside and out. The attention to detail is quite fabulous, there is even a tower from which the entire town can be viewed from on-high. It’s breathtaking, especially given the same view can be admired in three different time zones across a hundred-year period.
Shadow of Memories is very easy on the eye, an uncomplicated beauty that suits it down to the ground. It goes about its business with smooth, glitch-free efficiency. It’s the environments that shine, capitalising on the lack of action to ensure a fast and consistent frame rate. Perhaps its only shortcoming in the graphical department concerns character appearances. Whilst they do exhibit some personality, Eike and co. appear a little bit bland, in terms of facial detailing. Furthermore, Eike has bizarrely long thighs, a proportional mismatch so obsurd that, even towards the end of the game, your eyes are inevitably drawn to them.
Shadow of Memories is very easy on the eye, an uncomplicated beauty that suits it down to the ground. It goes about its business with smooth, glitch-free efficiency. It’s the environments that shine, capitalising on the lack of action to ensure a fast and consistent frame rate. Perhaps its only shortcoming in the graphical department concerns character appearances. Whilst they do exhibit some personality, Eike and co. appear a little bit bland, in terms of facial detailing. Furthermore, Eike has bizarrely long thighs, a proportional mismatch so obsurd that, even towards the end of the game, your eyes are inevitably drawn to them.
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The level of environmental detail is impresive, especially as many of these locations need never be investigated
The voicing is more Razzies than Oscars: SoM finds itself nearer Silent Hill than Metal Gear Solid on the dubbing scale. Charles Martinet’s turn as the mysterious Homunculus is a standout, soft yet unsettling, managing to retain a moral ambiguity around the character that is entirely fitting. The female leads are reasonably well-voiced, though most of the male characters are whiny, wooden or overblown. Eike himself is reminiscent of Harry Mason, responding to emotionally resonant moments with an almost-comical lack of emotional range and placing sudden and strange emphasis on innocuous small-talk. Oh well, some things never change. Add to this broad American accents in 1580 and lines such as “hey, you’re cute” and “I’ll go take a peek” that seem inexorably out of place, and diplomatically, we’ll say it was about par-for-the-course in 2001.
Whilst the plot is satisfying and complex, the gameplay ultimately lacks the depth of its contemporaries. Shadow of Memories is a gripping experience that, intermittently at least, offers a degree of challenge. However, it took me only four hours to finish it. Having completed it once, you are given the option to skip the cut-scenes you’ve already witnessed, and consequently, a second play took just 1 hour 45 minutes. After that, with only the various endings to play for, there’s less than an hour’s gameplay still to see. Strip away the intriguing storyline and you’re left with an adventure that’s relatively basic at its core.
Whilst the plot is satisfying and complex, the gameplay ultimately lacks the depth of its contemporaries. Shadow of Memories is a gripping experience that, intermittently at least, offers a degree of challenge. However, it took me only four hours to finish it. Having completed it once, you are given the option to skip the cut-scenes you’ve already witnessed, and consequently, a second play took just 1 hour 45 minutes. After that, with only the various endings to play for, there’s less than an hour’s gameplay still to see. Strip away the intriguing storyline and you’re left with an adventure that’s relatively basic at its core.
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One of the benefits of SoM’s branching story is a wealth of endings. These involve decisions made at key points throughout your journey, with six normal endings. Attain all of these and you’ll uncover the ‘extra’ game mode. Essentially an extended prologue, it's very funny as Eike preempts events that he (and the player) will have seen several times already, surprising the fortune teller by telling her they’ve already met!
Ultimately, Konami’s adventure combined tried-and-tested elements with some eye-catching and generally well-implemented new ideas, with the result being an odd but enjoyable time-travelling mystery. Gaming veterans will find little challenge and beyond routing out little details and different endings, the game may not draw you back. At least, not in the short term. Cunning and well-structured, just a little more gameplay and it could have been great.
Ultimately, Konami’s adventure combined tried-and-tested elements with some eye-catching and generally well-implemented new ideas, with the result being an odd but enjoyable time-travelling mystery. Gaming veterans will find little challenge and beyond routing out little details and different endings, the game may not draw you back. At least, not in the short term. Cunning and well-structured, just a little more gameplay and it could have been great.
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VERDICT
"An original and well-crafted adventure, with several brave and progressive ideas. Shadow of Memories is an odd but enjoyable time-travelling mystery, with beautiful design, patchy voicing and a story enjoyable enough to play through" OVERALL: 7/10 |
PIXEL SECONDS: SHADOW OF MEMORIES (PS2)
While the concept of time travel is nothing new, preventing the recurring death of Shadow of Memories’ central protagonist makes for a remarkably engaging story. Eike Kusch, perishing after being stabbed in the back, is greeted by a mysterious voice who grants him the Digipad, a device which allows him to return and prevent his death. But destiny has a twisted sense of humour, as preventing one death merely leads to another. Divided into chapters, Eike can move freely around the environment, interact with NPCs to gain information and use items in proximity to event triggers. But you cannot jump freely in time, as energy is required. Throughout the adventure, a handful of decisions will alter the course of the game. These will shape the latter portion of the story, resulting in different epilogues and one of six endings. While the initial six-hour run may seem a touch short, there’s plenty of replay value in seeing all the divergences play out. The only shame is the presentation, which errs on the uneven side. It is admittedly an early PS2 title, but even by those standards, there’s a flatness and lack of detail to characters, the environment and assets. The voice acting is B-Movie fare, with tons of odd moments that make the whole game rather surreal. Shadow of Memories doesn’t necessarily strike it lucky with all of its ambitions, but it is nevertheless an intriguing and memorable adventure that is both defined by, and hindered by, its outlandishness. It’s not a game for everyone, with a perverse strangeness and slow-burn pacing that will turn off plenty of players. But those who can deal with these parts will find a rewarding mystery which unravels into several satisfying strands. [7] – Shane Battams © 2023
While the concept of time travel is nothing new, preventing the recurring death of Shadow of Memories’ central protagonist makes for a remarkably engaging story. Eike Kusch, perishing after being stabbed in the back, is greeted by a mysterious voice who grants him the Digipad, a device which allows him to return and prevent his death. But destiny has a twisted sense of humour, as preventing one death merely leads to another. Divided into chapters, Eike can move freely around the environment, interact with NPCs to gain information and use items in proximity to event triggers. But you cannot jump freely in time, as energy is required. Throughout the adventure, a handful of decisions will alter the course of the game. These will shape the latter portion of the story, resulting in different epilogues and one of six endings. While the initial six-hour run may seem a touch short, there’s plenty of replay value in seeing all the divergences play out. The only shame is the presentation, which errs on the uneven side. It is admittedly an early PS2 title, but even by those standards, there’s a flatness and lack of detail to characters, the environment and assets. The voice acting is B-Movie fare, with tons of odd moments that make the whole game rather surreal. Shadow of Memories doesn’t necessarily strike it lucky with all of its ambitions, but it is nevertheless an intriguing and memorable adventure that is both defined by, and hindered by, its outlandishness. It’s not a game for everyone, with a perverse strangeness and slow-burn pacing that will turn off plenty of players. But those who can deal with these parts will find a rewarding mystery which unravels into several satisfying strands. [7] – Shane Battams © 2023
MORE TIME-TRAVELLING VIDEO GAME REVIEWS
Chrono Trigger (1995, Super Nintendo)
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Life is Strange (2015, Xbox One)
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