The release of Another Code: Recollection is fastly approaching, and the demo provides an excellent opportunity for Nintendo Switch players to familiarize themselves with the revived IP from the DS/Wii era. I wasn’t aware of the Another Code series back then, but the game’s announcement and demo piqued my curiosity as a fan of mystery adventure games. Surely enough, the Another Code: Recollection demo manages to captivate me in just a few hours’ time, with the most intriguing mystery arriving right when the demo ends.
In Another Code: Recollection, protagonist Ashley Mizuki Robins and her aunt Jessica sail toward the ominous Blood Edward Island. The two characters are determined to get in contact with Ashley’s seemingly deceased father, Richard, since a letter suggests he’s still alive. Ashley grow up believing that her father was dead for the past decade or so, but this turned out to be a lie. Jessica actually raised Ashley while keeping her father’s existence a secret. Richard had a goal in mind, and a strange device known as the DAS may hold the keys to solving the mystery at hand.
Another Code: Recollection Demo – Sample of a Captivating Story
After making it to Blood Edward Island, it becomes clear that Jessica won’t be around for long, as she’s just as determined to get in contact with Richard. Her separation from Ashley was predictable, but this gives Ashley the chance to shine on her own. The game’s systems, including Dual ANOTHER System (DAS) functionality, are introduced as Ashley explores the island and attempts to reunite with Jessica. Ashley’s monologue begins to brew as well, as she slowly makes sense of the entire scenario.
The cutscenes shown in the demo provide further glimpses into what happened with Ashley’s parents, but she’s unable to recognize Richard’s face due to the memories being from a very young age. These memories weight heavy on Ashley’s mind, playing deeper into the game’s theme regarding the importance of memories, no matter how distance it feels. This theme seemingly comes full circle when Ashley meets a mysterious ghost named “D.” D is able to progress their toward his own goal, since Ashley can help invoke his old memories.
Eventually, Ashley gains a lead on where Jessica may be headed—the Edward Mansion. D is determined to go inside the mansion too, since his own father was the one that brought him to the island. Both characters are linked to their fathers, and it appears that the mystery of the Edward family murders may be linked to them as well. The demo ends right when Ashley and D head into the mansion, but I personally found a lot of enjoyment based on the connections that the story was building in those three hours or so.
A Few Brain Teasers
The demo only featured the game’s first chapter, so there wasn’t much in terms of gameplay sequences or puzzles. However, the first chapter of Another Code: Recollection presents a unique mini-game that uses full 360-degree gyro sensing from the Joy-Cons and Pro Controller. In this particular mini-game, Ashley needs to shake a key out of a cage-like compartment on a stool. I needed a few resets for this mini-game since the gyro sensor was really sensitive, but I’d love to see more mini-games like this in the full game.
Other puzzles in the demo involve looking for clues and patterns in the nearby area in order to unlock door and progress to the next area. These are the puzzles I expected from Another Code: Recollection from the get-go, but I appreciate how the game sets up these puzzles nonetheless. The puzzle needed to unlock the mansion door requires D to remember a specific memory involving his father, which gives Ashley a unique set of instructions for door knockers. It’s possible to catch this clue required to get this puzzle done quite easily, but talking to D makes the puzzle feel more integral to the character’s development.
My only real gripe with some of the puzzles involves the game’s visuals. While I actually enjoy the game’s art style, some of the areas and objects look washed out. For example, the textures on gravestones in a certain puzzle looked really muddy and bland, clashing with vivid color palette this game brings.
Final Thoughts
The Another Code: Recollection demo offers a great first look into what this mystery game has to offer. I also think the demo will prove to be useful after launch for those wanting to try something new and different from Nintendo. Overall, I’m really interested in seeing how Ashley and D’s story moves forward with the hints that the first chapter gives. If there’s more mini-games that take full advantage of the Nintendo Switch hardware, Another Code: Recollection should prove to be a well-rounded game.
Another Code: Recollection launches on January 19 for Nintendo Switch, and digital pre-orders are live in the Nintendo eShop.
