Memory's Dogma CODE:01
- November 4, 2016
- Liz-Arts
- 3h median play time
Get on Steam"Memory's Dogma CODE:01" is a sci-fi visual novel set in a futuristic society where memories can be shared and relived. The story follows a man named Hitomi, who along with his companions, delve into the memories of the past to uncover a conspiracy and save a friend. Through interactive dialogue and exploration, players uncover a complex narrative with multiple endings.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The art style and graphics are stunning, providing a visually appealing experience.
- The voice acting is top-notch, enhancing the emotional depth of the characters.
- The story starts strong with an intriguing sci-fi premise, keeping players engaged throughout.
- The plot becomes convoluted and shifts from sci-fi to fantasy, leaving many loose ends and unresolved storylines.
- Character development is lacking, with many side characters introduced but not explored further.
- The game suffers from bugs, particularly with achievements not working and occasional text skipping issues.
- story246 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The story of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting a strong start that devolves into a convoluted narrative filled with clichés and genre shifts from sci-fi to fantasy. While some appreciate the intriguing themes and character development, others criticize the lack of resolution for side characters and the abrupt changes in plot direction, leading to an overall feeling of dissatisfaction. Additionally, the game is part of a series, leaving many plot points unresolved, which may deter those seeking a complete narrative experience.
“It's a humane story that started as depressing and finishes on a bittersweet note -- because, literally, this is a story of going forward despite losing our loved ones.”
“The story is intriguing and the voice acting is stellar.”
“The story was well organized and set perfectly with minor plot points and major points intertwined perfectly.”
“The game was cancelled, and I cannot with a clean conscience recommend the beginning of a story that will never see an end.”
“However, somewhere in the middle, the story suddenly got derailed.”
“The story's start was its strongest point, but I believe that it falters towards the middle due to the excessive cast of characters, some of which felt horribly jarring in the setting provided and the jarring shift between the original, believable sci-fi plotline and a second one involving supernatural abilities.”
- music66 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its ability to set the tone and enhance the atmosphere, while others find it generic or forgettable. Some standout tracks are noted, particularly the opening song, but there are criticisms regarding mismatched styles and a lack of memorable pieces. Overall, while the soundtrack is generally considered good, it may not leave a lasting impression for all players.
“The music is pretty good; it sets you in a good mood for the current scene, and there were some pretty lit soundtracks too.”
“Now, the best part of this visual novel is the audio overall; music and sound effects are very well done and implemented.”
“The soundtrack is also pretty awesome, with some quite memorable tracks to be found.”
“In this regard, it feels far more like an endless wall of text with some soundtrack in the background, as opposed to a voice-acted visual novel.”
“Music was entirely mediocre and forgettable.”
“With some exceptions towards the end, where I liked the pieces themselves, but the almost chiptune-y style or the occasional use of dubstep didn’t fit the scene or even the whole previously established musical themes at all.”
- graphics39 mentions
- 59 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The graphics of the visual novel are widely praised for their impressive artwork, clean art style, and attention to detail, including well-synced expressions and subtle animations that enhance the overall experience. While some users noted a slight simplicity in the art and occasional aliasing issues, the visuals are generally considered breathtaking and a highlight of the game. Overall, the combination of beautiful character designs and effective voice acting contributes significantly to the game's appeal, despite some criticisms regarding the plot's pacing and depth.
“The graphical side is very good, though, and lots of little details are added (like syncing expressions to the dialogue and small animation to indicate movement) that give it a lot of life.”
“The novel visuals are beautiful, the scenarios are really amazing.”
“But the biggest point of this VN is the music and visuals: they are breathtaking.”
“Despite the amount of time that was clearly spent on all the artwork, you can also see aliasing all over the place where the dev clearly upscaled some low resolution artwork.”
“The artwork is pretty despite the slightly simple feeling to it.”
“The story, the graphics, the voice acting, and the soundtrack are good, some characters are a bit similar to other animes and there are a few plot holes.”
- character development11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is notably inconsistent, with some players praising the rapid growth of certain characters like Hiroki, while others criticize the overall lack of depth and reliance on clichés. While the character designs are generally well-received, particularly for the female characters, many reviewers feel that the narrative fails to provide meaningful development or world-building, resulting in a shallow experience.
“I'm really surprised by the fast character development Hiroki goes through, but I can't say I didn't like it.”
“I liked most of the art and character designs, and the voice acting was mostly well done as well.”
“Since release, I've been quite interested in this one as its premise, general art style, and character design are to my liking.”
“As a result, the plot gets reduced to the bare minimum - no additional character development, world building, or deeper mystery, with the finale relying solely on shock, surprise, and a cheap climax straight from any cliché shōnen anime.”
“It's awful: bad story, bad character development, bad dialogue, forgettable soundtrack, and while the art is pretty good, there's nothing else to praise about the title.”
“There is barely any character development.”
- atmosphere5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the visual novel is generally considered decent, with good graphics and voice acting contributing positively. While the music is appreciated by some for its atmospheric qualities, it is often described as generic and occasionally mismatched, which detracts from the overall experience. Despite the detailed descriptions of movements and settings, the atmosphere alone is not enough to compensate for shortcomings in the story.
“The music was quite atmospheric and I personally liked it a lot.”
“But the atmosphere and the mostly interesting characters can't save the story.”
“Music is alright and does its job building atmosphere, but it gets mismatched from time to time and is rather on the generic side.”
“Every movement and atmosphere is described precisely without any visual character effects.”
- emotional5 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a mix of heartfelt moments and a struggle with grief, particularly through the characters' interactions and their coping mechanisms. While some players appreciated the nuanced performances, others felt that the emotional depth was undermined by a shift towards supernatural elements, detracting from the intended exploration of loss and moral dilemmas. Overall, the emotional impact is seen as inconsistent, with some finding it touching and others viewing it as tired and lacking depth.
“Everyone did a stellar job, delivering a nuanced and emotional performance.”
“If he believed the only way he could stand to see her was to atone with his life, then he was delusional with self-hatred and grief, which leads to an emotionally unstable main character.”
“Prior to all of this torture nonsense, Aoi and Hiroki already had a heartfelt talk together about Sorano, and they were both finally ready to move on from her death.”
- gameplay5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
Gameplay in the visual novel is criticized for its limited choices and minimal impact on the story, leading to a sense of irritation. However, the inclusion of a timed decision-making mechanic adds an engaging layer of immersion and tests players' reading and memory skills. Overall, while the gameplay may not be groundbreaking, it offers some entertaining elements that could benefit from further development.
“It sometimes lacks consistency, but the mechanic of choices with a limited time is quite entertaining, as it forces us to be aware of what is happening and immerses us more into the game.”
“For mechanics, I like the timer on the branches, making it even more of a test on how well you are reading and how well you remember.”
“Yeah, okay, no one plays a visual novel to experience the pinnacle of gameplay, but the choices were few and far between and had next to no impact on the story.”
“Even though I waited a year and a half for this game, I would have willingly waited for more if the gameplay extended to 10-30 hours.”
“Another source of irritation was gameplay.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is noted for its impressive visuals and strong voice performances, which effectively enhance character introductions. However, despite these strengths, the overall execution does not fully realize the initial potential, suggesting room for improvement in optimization.
“Voice performance is well-matched.”
“Everyone did a stellar job, delivering a nuanced and emotional performance.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviewers note that the episodic nature of the game limits its replayability, with some players reporting a total playtime of around 5.3 hours and expressing that there isn't much incentive to replay the game.
“The episodic nature of the series does impact replay value, but it makes sense within the context of the story.”
“I have logged 5.3 hours in the game, which suggests limited replay value.”
“This takes away some of the replay value, though it makes sense as it has been stated that this series is episodic.”
“And... it looks like I have 5.3 hours as my playtime, and that's pretty much everything (not much replay value here).”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly as they approach the end, which can detract from the overall experience.
“And finishing it can be tedious, especially towards the end.”
