With the Souls genre becoming a dime a dozen these days, it’s important that these games find a way to stand out.
Memoria Wake is up to the task, with a strong emphasis on storytelling while placing players in an isometric environment. The result is less of a Dark Souls clone (the developers actually say the game is heavily inspired by Tunic) and its own customization. As a fan of the Tunic moment, I was sold right away.
Before long, I had spent 30 minutes playing and forced myself to stop so that someone else in line could have a chance. It was a common theme in the booth, too; People were so engrossed in playing Memoria Wake that they had to be politely asked to leave the demo.
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Memoria Wake Uses Your Past Memory About You
The Latin word “Memoria” is translated as “memory,” “remembrance,” or “remembrance.” So, it’s not exactly a secret that the theme throughout Memoria Wake is the constant battle against the nightmares of your past.
At first, you will see enemies that would give any child nightmares: Jack in the Box, a white cat; You know, the usual stuff. As the game progresses, however, expect things to take a serious turn. Finally, the story will take you to the University, and it’s time to delve into the depths of your mind that you’ve been hoping to shut down.
People were so engrossed in playing Memoria Wake that they had to be politely asked to leave the demo.
“For example, [the main character] slightly lost; he doesn’t know what he wants to do in life. So, the final boss of the area is his college mentor,” explains Daniel Stankiewicz, founder of Team Crescendo developers. This is how Memoria Wake shows that you are not only fighting enemies on the screen, but you are also fighting yourself.
As someone who spent four years in college to get my Associate’s Degree, I changed my major three times at a time, it hits home. I mean, I was 18 years old, two years removed from a big move across the country and leaving all my friends behind. I was lost and confused, and I would have fought my college counselor 100%.
The Crescendo Team Used Their Experiences as Inspiration for Memoria Wake’s Story
Like any good story, Memoria Wake takes the truth and does a little exaggeration. Are the dreams and memories that unfold in the game 100% true? No, but they are based in reality, and what I would argue is that it helps make the game more relatable.
We have all experienced scary things in our lives. Memoria Wake successfully manages to arm our greatest fears, physical or mental, and dare us to fight against them.
I asked Stankiewicz how he believes Memoria Wake stands out in a crowded genre. “It’s our story and the way we present it,” he explains. “This fantasy world is a little different than most other people do.” It’s a narrative hook that reminds me of Tunic’s style of storytelling. The difference here, however, is that you are not looking to open and reveal natural parts. You are looking to unlock parts of your past and help shape your future.
“We tried to pick up our pieces a little bit and bring all the team members together,” added Stankiewicz. He also mentions that many members of the group were more inexperienced than others, so it is possible that some missed out on “important past experiences.” Still, those adventures combined help shape one of the most impressive and promising builds I’ve seen in Soulslike.
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It’s honestly such a natural fit to cast these haunting nightmares and accompany them with challenging combat.
One thing that helps Memoria Wake shine is that this was always a plan: the game was always going to be a challenging experience, and the story was always going to include these past events from everyone’s lives. It’s a great way for story and gameplay to work together to deliver a cohesive experience.
Memoria Wake successfully manages to arm our greatest fears, physical or mental, and dare us to fight against them.
Because of this, the decision to make the game look and feel more like Tunic or Sekiro versus something like Dark Souls is a natural fit. It’s an action-adventure game first and foremost, and something that serves as an advantage to Memoria’s Wake. It feels familiar, comforting, and sometimes makes me feel free to face the past traumas I’m about to face.
At the same time, Sekiro’s fighting style means I have to be quick and ready to go. There is no slow, structured combat where I can bide my time. It’s now or never, and the light shines directly on me. As someone who tends to be incredibly unhappy, this is my worst nightmare. But you know that, sometimes, you have to avoid. You have to make it happen. You have to face that fear.
Memoria Wake are souls like keeping your eye open
Browsing the aisles of talented indie developers is always one of my favorite things to do at PAX East. It is very inspiring to see the creativity and imagination shown in what is, at times, an old industry.
I joked at the beginning of my preview that it felt like a genre like Souls was overpopulating, but that’s not the same as the number of live-action games or breakout shooters that seem to come and go at a rapid pace.
That being said, Memoria Wake does something new and exciting in the genre. Narrative-driven experiences aren’t exactly typical of Soulslike, though, for the most part, they make effective use of environmental storytelling. Memoria Wake does the same, but also taps into our past insecurities, asking the one question every Souls game asks: “Are you good enough?”
When Memoria Wake finally releases, I hope the answer to that question is a resounding yes.
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Prepare to try.
- Engineer(s).
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Crescendo Group
- Publisher
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Crescendo Group
