Imagine being a young teenager living with your aunt and finding out that not only is your dead dad actually still alive, but that he wants you to come to find him on some random island with a questionable name. This is the fun awaiting Ashley Robbins, the protagonist of Another Code: Recollection, as she receives a letter and a device that looks like a Nintendo Switch by way Tron called a DAS – a Dual ANOTHER System.
Strangely trusting of a letter from a total stranger that is inviting her to visit Blood Edward Island – yes, really – she heads there with her aunt, but they quickly get separated and she stumbles across an altogether too creepy mansion with all the signs of being abandoned for some time. Oh, and she also meets a ghost boy called D.
That’s is the beginning of the first game in this collection, with the second picking up two years later, with Ashley stumbling into a new mystery involving Lake Juliet, memories of her mother, and a young boy that has run away from home.
Both titles here are third-person adventures, with the player controlling Ashley and solving puzzles to progress. This can be as simple as remembering a code for a lock or a complex as requiring multiple items from different rooms. Where these games stand out is with the DAS. This device can take pictures of anything in the game, show relationships or links between characters, and review documents you find littered around the games.
The first of these features is the most interesting as it is often used directly in the puzzle solving. You can take pictures of codes or puzzle solutions, scan elements in your environment to gather information, or even photograph items and use the photographs themselves in the solutions. It’s a versatile tool and is used in so many ways that it’s genuinely impressive, but not enough to feel like it’s overused or simply too powerful an item.
Using it effectively puts you in good stead to find the memories hidden in the game that reveal more information about ongoing or past events. Plus, it’s fun to take pictures in general, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. If you do tire of the DAS, you can tackle the mysteries the old fashioned way with talking to other characters you meet or examining any items you have picked to gather the information to progress.
As there’s a fair few puzzles to deal with, there might be times where you just need a little guidance, and Another Code: Recollection has you covered with a new system incorporated into these enhanced ports to help with either navigation or puzzle solving. The former activates a ring around Ashley to point you in the correct direction for progress, with icons appearing on the route as well to really guide you. The latter will give you a little clue to the current puzzle with the tap of a button. I didn’t find any of the puzzles taxing enough to need the help, but I was happy to see it’s there.
The only big complaint I really have is with the length of the games, which were both quite short, even for someone that never played the original games. There’s something that can be said for a game not outstaying it’s welcome, but this was a slight disappointment for me. Even if there were more things to do that didn’t involve the main story, it would have helped here. Thankfully the main story is well written and paced so these are minor gripes.
Of course, the biggest leap forward is with the game’s visuals and sound. The graphical upgrade in particular is incredible, with the first game in this collection barely recognisable as a Nintendo DS title. This care and attention to detail passes through to the sound as well, with subtle but great music and some fantastic voice acting.
Now that this is out there, can we get a Kyle Hyde Collection next please! You know it makes sense, Nintendo.
