#'dual another system' sounds WAY weirder than 'dual trace system'

[n7punk]

for all the None people who follow me and care about Trace Memory/Another Code (spoiler free I promise): if you're interested in the remaster, I recommend you only get it if you're getting it for the sequel that was never released in America. they changed a lot in Trace Memory (Another Code 1) and this isn't a "new is bad" thing (usually I prefer remasters), this is a "they cut puzzles, 'streamlined' the game, and reworked/removed the best scene in the entire game" kind of thing. the game undoubtedly looks better, but it's also missing some of the hand-drawn art that really added to its story. there are some improvements (the new voice acting is cool to have, especially having it be optional, and the way they implemented the autoplay feature for that is clever. there are some improved scenes they could rework with the benefit of 3D graphics and voice acting), but I don't think it should be your first Trace Memory experience.

if you can't get your hands on the DS line and an emulator isn't working for the puzzles (something I can see - some of them did actually need to be cut just for being janky or more difficult than they needed to be) and this is the only way you can ever experience the first game, I recommend it over not playing the game, I'm just saying it's not the original. from what I can tell they normed the style of the first game with the second, so it's brighter and all the dialogue and non-flashback cutscenes are rendered in game, which loses some of the impact of the stylistic comic panels. I never thought I'd prefer flat art to rendered cut scenes but in a game like this the hand-drawn, kinda gritty art did a LOT and the brightly-rendered 3D models just don't lend themselves to the mystery of all these people's deaths. I am excited to play the second game since, changes or not, this is the only way to experience it in America (like I said, I still recommend Another Code: Recollection if it's the only way you can experience Trace Memory), but I would say the remaster is mostly worth buying for the sequel if you like the original game.

#might do a more in depth post later #definitely wanted to keep this free of any spoiler since i Love the story #also can i just say. my understanding is that it was always known as 'another code' in japan #so they changed it from trace memory to the 'real' name in the remaster #but the problem with that is languages differ and i bet people calling it 'the another' sounds less fucking dumb in japanese #because calling something 'the trace' worked a lot better in the original #like just. this is literally the opening cutscene when you boot up the game before even the starting menu so no spoilers #'dual another system' sounds WAY weirder than 'dual trace system' #this is a very minor gripe #i was genuinely excited the whole way through to be playing the game again and it is fun #i just don't think it should be anyone's first experience of the trace memory story lmao #words and things #trace memory #another code #another code: recollection