Horror can come from all sorts of inspirations. Whether cultural anxieties or forgotten legends, there is often a clear connection with specific times and places and this is especially the case for Subversive Memories. Prior to playing I was not particularly aware of the Brazilian dictatorship that oppressed the population between 1964 and 1985, but reading up on it afterwards makes it apparent that the generational trauma inflicted here has left a lasting impression on the country. Rather than a strictly historical story, Subversive Memories adds a supernatural aspect to emphasise the depths of the damage being done.
Aesthetically, Subversive Memories takes a lo-fi PS1 style approach that is very reminiscent of the excellent Signalis. Where that title went for a futuristic science fiction look, the low poly graphics give everything here a drab and utilitarian feel – perfect for the mood and period. Your torch is an essential piece of equipment and the lighting effects are excellent, showcasing the details in the environment. I really got the sense that I was exploring a mid-20th century base with analogue phones and typewriters helping to set the scene.
You play as Renata, a Brazilian investigator in period appropriate flared jeans. Haunted by gaps in her memory and a sense of being lost she follows a lead to an abandoned military base. What at first seems like a routine, if horrific, tale of oppression soon turns into a nightmare beyond her wildest fears. In gameplay terms this takes the form of a classic survival horror, with limited inventory slots, scarce resources, and a focused map filled with shortcuts and secret passages.
Unlike many games in this genre there are no weapons to wield here. Instead, your torch doubles up as a ranged attack with a focused beam doing damage to the shadowy entities that lurk around the base. This is heavily inspired by Alan Wake, of course, but actually fits the narrative and setting even better here. Batteries are used up by flashes and are in short supply. I actually ran out a couple of times and had to reload an earlier save to plan my attacks more strategically and to avoid more enemies.
The base is not a huge location and the game is very much a small and focused experience. This means that you quickly get to grips with the layout and can focus on the most efficient and safest route between puzzles and interactive objects. There are many notes and files to read which are all stored in your safe rooms to go over later. This twist on the usual format could have been annoying if the game world were bigger, but it can also be remedied by taking notes or taking screenshots to refer back to.
The puzzles are logical and depend on you keeping careful track of the information you find, as well as taking objects from one place to another. There is a good mix of the two as well, with the former always feeling clear and understandable – aside from one optional padlock that I haven’t yet found the solution to. Combat is also intuitive but enemies hit hard and healing items are in very short supply, so it is definitely a good idea to save regularly.
One of the real highlights of any traditional survival horror is the feeling of the save rooms and Subversive Memories absolutely nails this. The calming music is perfectly judged and wouldn’t be out of place in any Resident Evil title. Your files can be read in the save rooms, but there isn’t an inventory box to juggle items – the latter not really being needed as the loadout is much more streamlined than in many other games of this genre.
The most important aspect of the game, however, is the power of the narrative and setting. While the presentation isn’t a huge departure from the likes of the Umbrella Corporation, the fact that this is based on real stories of torture and murder make this a far more significant and historically important game. The files and notes you come across contain redacted accounts of some truly abhorrent actions, many of which are unfortunately still relevant to oppressive regimes today.
Another key feature of the storyline is the uncanny ability for Renata to exorcise the ghosts of victims and enter a vision of their pasts. This requires you to find hidden candles, some of which are locked behind the most complex puzzles in the game, with each memory telling a particular story of abuse and corruption. Whether you’re familiar with the history or not these are heartbreaking moments and are a testament to the trauma that has inspired the game.
