Parents' Guide to Bright Memory

Though it has some rather basic flaws, and is kind of mindless, this first-person sci-fi action game still manages to be fun if you don't take it seriously. Bright Memory is billed as the first game in a larger saga, which is why it's as short as it is inexpensive. A soldier named Shielia is transported to a somewhat primitive part of her world after she causes an accident in a secret lab. Armed with her guns, her sword, her grappling hook, and her ability to shock enemies into the air, she has to make her way to freedom by navigating her way through some dungeon-like environments full of weird creatures and enemy soldiers. What makes this somewhat different is its distinctly approach to its character designs, the overwrought dialog, and how it constantly grades your fighting skills. It really feels like what the people who made Devil May Cry would come up with if they were tasked with designing a Halo sequel.

Too bad it doesn't work as well as that combination suggests. The button layout could be more intuitive, especially where your EMP attack is concerned, while the parts where you're jumping work as poorly here as, well, they always do in first-person games. Also, the game's proportions are out of whack. While Shielia's sword can deal some serious damage, the recharge time between uses is oddly long. Similarly, some enemies are disproportionately stronger than others, which makes some fights more frustrating than fun. And yet, despite these issues, Bright Memory's somewhat unique approach and frantic fights make this both compelling and challenging, and makes you eager to see what happens next.