Yep, that's basically it. It's set in 1979 and it's about an ex-cop who ends up at a hotel where mysterious goings-on are occurring. I haven't actually gotten too far into it, so the story hasn't really picked up yet, but I'm already seriously impressed by its art and writing quality.
As for the gameplay, it's basically a point-and-click (or rather point-and-tap) adventure game, and kinda reminds me of Under a Killing Moon with its FPS-ish system of moving around. The sideways-ness is also a neat touch. You hold the DS sideways like a book when you're playing it, and it's the only DS game I've seen so far that really uses the two-screen aspect of the system as something other than a disposable gimmick.
(It also occurs to me that a DS port of UKM and the other old Tex Murphy games would also kick ass, although they might lose a bit in the translation due to the fact that a DS card really can't store the amount of FMV and voice acting that those games used.)
Yep, a lot of reviews compare it to Trace Memory, but they pretty much all say that Hotel Dusk is about 1000x better. Of course, I haven't played Trace Memory yet (the used copy I ordered from Amazon still hasn't come in) so I can't really confirm or deny this.
Wow, This game looks really good, the sideways DS, and navigation system in general are really cool. It's good too see that developers are really using the touch screen feature so well. I love all the B&W pen and ink art on the 3D backgrounds, I really wish I had DS right now.
Yeah, I had a hell of a time getting my hands on Trace Memory as well. How long has it been since you ordered? I think I ordered it from multiple places online that said it was in stock but then told me it was on backorder, until finally I got lucky on some obscure site.
Trace Memory was developed by Cing. I'll check GameFAQs to see who made this game.
EDIT: Yep, that's Cing as well. I think I pretty much have to get this game now.
I ordered Trace Memory about two weeks ago, but apparently the shipping method I used means that it'll take 10 to 14 business days to actually get here, which seems pretty excessive seeing as how it's just going from the US to Canada. I was hoping I'd get it before Hotel Dusk so that I could use it as a bit of a warmup, since I have a feeling it's going to be a bit disappointing if I play it after finishing HD.
I snagged the last copy Wal Mart had on the shelf! Mwahahahaha! I shall post my initial impressions after I get something to eat.
EDIT: DI is totally right. The art and writing styles are great. I love the main character's attitude. I expected him to get into a fist fight with the hotel owner.
Well, my copy of Trace Memory finally came in last night, so I've taken a break from Hotel Dusk to play it for a little while.
Initial impressions are good; it's nice to play a game with a bit of colour in it after all the browns in HD, and the puzzles are a bit more interesting than Dusk's. It's interface doesn't work as well with the stylus, though, what with having to tap the object you want to look at then hit the "look at" button on the side of the screen instead of just tapping the object twice like in HD. Trace Memory actually seems like it was made with D-pad control in mind and the developers only threw in touch screen support as an afterthought (sorta like Phoenix Wright, but at least that had the excuse of being a GBA game originally that was ported over.)
Still, it's a pretty good game so far. I've heard it's kinda short, though.
Still, it's a pretty good game so far. I've heard it's kinda short, though.
Yeah, Trace Memory is very short, especially when compared to Hotel Dusk. Still pretty good, though. But just for the record, you can double-tap items in Trace Memory.
One thing that annoys me about both games is that sometimes it won't let you pick something up until right when you need it, which means pointless backtracking. I know I'm not the only one playin HD and kept telling him "take the products out of the box you dolt, you'll probably need those later!" and then sure enough, I had to go back for them. I hoped they'd fixed that problem from Trace Memory, but oh well.
I just got past the part of Trace Memory with the zoetrope tape, which really illustrates this point. Had to backtrack halfway through the game for that thing.
Pros:
1. Adventure game!
2. Detective noir!
3. Interesting characters
4. Protagonist who uses mild profanities and takes no guff (something you need to sell #2)
5. A script that pokes fun at its own shortcomings
6. Genuinely interesting, twisty storyline
7. Keep notes in your own handwriting
8. Very clever uses of the DS in a few cases...
Cons:
1. It's really a story on rails.
2. All conversations have binary branching...either of the choices takes you to the same answer OR one takes you to a GAME OVER (i.e., it's more Cyberia than LucasArts, if you want to nitpick)
3. You can't go off the beaten path, and you're pretty much told what to do next every step of the way, which can get annoying in just the way that MJC and DI bring up.
4. The language is PG-13, yet the difficulty level will insult the intelligence of anyone older than 12. It kind of reminded me of DaVinci Code in this respect ...there's a line between making your reader feel smart and insulting their intelligence, and HD crosses that line a few times.
5. It's decompressed storytelling to the extreeeeme.
6. There's no way to speed up the text flow (by much) until you beat the game once.
Overall, I'm kind of mixed on it. It's not terribly interactive, so if you do pick it up, pick it up for a clever tip of the hat to noir cliches, and interesting characters, rather than as a game. (I don't quite agree with these guys, but they have a few points...it does drag in the middle.) It also makes you sit through lengthy plot recaps at the beginning and end of every chapter, so it seems like it's best to play it in bits and pieces over a long period of time rather than all in one gulp.
All in all, it kind of made me miss old LucasArts adventure games, though.
I tend to think that, like Phoenix Wright, it's more of a visual novel than an adventure game. "Adventure game" is a better marketing term, though, because it attracts the Sierra/Lucasarts nostalgia.
I really want to play it.. the visual style alone cemented my eventual purchase, not to mention the noir stuff.
Comments
I too desire the answer to this question.
As for the gameplay, it's basically a point-and-click (or rather point-and-tap) adventure game, and kinda reminds me of Under a Killing Moon with its FPS-ish system of moving around. The sideways-ness is also a neat touch. You hold the DS sideways like a book when you're playing it, and it's the only DS game I've seen so far that really uses the two-screen aspect of the system as something other than a disposable gimmick.
(It also occurs to me that a DS port of UKM and the other old Tex Murphy games would also kick ass, although they might lose a bit in the translation due to the fact that a DS card really can't store the amount of FMV and voice acting that those games used.)
If it is, and a bit longer as well, then that's surely something I'd want to play at one point or another.
The website is pretty nifty aswell.
Trace Memory was developed by Cing. I'll check GameFAQs to see who made this game.
EDIT: Yep, that's Cing as well. I think I pretty much have to get this game now.
And...bought.
EDIT: DI is totally right. The art and writing styles are great. I love the main character's attitude. I expected him to get into a fist fight with the hotel owner.
>.<
I blame LucasArts for the woeful lack of this sort of game lately.
Then, whenever I finally buy, play, and beat it, you can all yell at me for being behind the times.
Well, there's the fourth page with that drawing the kid did, but I can't write on that one.
Yeah. It's a good thing he uses a pencil, or we'd be screwed with only 3 pages.
Initial impressions are good; it's nice to play a game with a bit of colour in it after all the browns in HD, and the puzzles are a bit more interesting than Dusk's. It's interface doesn't work as well with the stylus, though, what with having to tap the object you want to look at then hit the "look at" button on the side of the screen instead of just tapping the object twice like in HD. Trace Memory actually seems like it was made with D-pad control in mind and the developers only threw in touch screen support as an afterthought (sorta like Phoenix Wright, but at least that had the excuse of being a GBA game originally that was ported over.)
Still, it's a pretty good game so far. I've heard it's kinda short, though.
Also, old ladies with eyepatches ftw.
Yeah, Trace Memory is very short, especially when compared to Hotel Dusk. Still pretty good, though. But just for the record, you can double-tap items in Trace Memory.
One thing that annoys me about both games is that sometimes it won't let you pick something up until right when you need it, which means pointless backtracking. I know I'm not the only one playin HD and kept telling him "take the products out of the box you dolt, you'll probably need those later!" and then sure enough, I had to go back for them. I hoped they'd fixed that problem from Trace Memory, but oh well.
One thing that's bugging me about Hotel Dusk is that damn screwdriver. I never used it. Just put it back later in the game.
Pros:
1. Adventure game!
2. Detective noir!
3. Interesting characters
4. Protagonist who uses mild profanities and takes no guff (something you need to sell #2)
5. A script that pokes fun at its own shortcomings
6. Genuinely interesting, twisty storyline
7. Keep notes in your own handwriting
8. Very clever uses of the DS in a few cases...
Cons:
1. It's really a story on rails.
2. All conversations have binary branching...either of the choices takes you to the same answer OR one takes you to a GAME OVER (i.e., it's more Cyberia than LucasArts, if you want to nitpick)
3. You can't go off the beaten path, and you're pretty much told what to do next every step of the way, which can get annoying in just the way that MJC and DI bring up.
4. The language is PG-13, yet the difficulty level will insult the intelligence of anyone older than 12. It kind of reminded me of DaVinci Code in this respect ...there's a line between making your reader feel smart and insulting their intelligence, and HD crosses that line a few times.
5. It's decompressed storytelling to the extreeeeme.
6. There's no way to speed up the text flow (by much) until you beat the game once.
Overall, I'm kind of mixed on it. It's not terribly interactive, so if you do pick it up, pick it up for a clever tip of the hat to noir cliches, and interesting characters, rather than as a game. (I don't quite agree with these guys, but they have a few points...it does drag in the middle.) It also makes you sit through lengthy plot recaps at the beginning and end of every chapter, so it seems like it's best to play it in bits and pieces over a long period of time rather than all in one gulp.
All in all, it kind of made me miss old LucasArts adventure games, though.
I really want to play it.. the visual style alone cemented my eventual purchase, not to mention the noir stuff.