Memoria (PC) Review

The one thing that really hits hard from the start is just how lush everything looks in Memoria - from the detailed characters to the intricate backdrops they are set against, the whole world looks amazing. Whilst the old adage is 'don't judge a book by its cover,' thankfully this does not disappoint after the strong initial appearance, despite a touch of clunky movement from characters at times.

There may be one or two moments at the beginning of the tale where having played the first in the Dark Eye series would be beneficial, but overall this can be thoroughly enjoyed by newcomers without fear of feeling left behind by the plot. The story has two intertwining plots, one focusing on Princess Sadja who disappeared under mysterious circumstances during her mission of becoming the greatest heroine of all time, and the other revolving around Geron, a bird-catcher from the first Dark Eye title, who lives five Centuries in the future from the events of Sadja's vanishing. He is tasked with uncovering the truth behind the events of Sadja's disappearance in return for receiving help to transform his girlfriend back from a cursed black raven into human form once more.

What transpires is a perfect excuse to start an adventure filled with the usual point-and-click traits of collecting numerous objects from the surroundings and learning the best possible way to combine and use them to overcome a whole host of crafty conundrums littered around the in-game world. Add in some magical tricks and treats to aid with the cracking of puzzles and Memoria quickly elevates itself above other popular adventure titles through sheer intrigue alone.

Some of the brainteasers can be a tad too obtuse in places, but these hair-pulling exercises are few and far between, thankfully (plus there is a hints option and 'hotspot' locator), so all that is left is a sedately paced, thoroughly gripping tale filled with smart puzzles, fantastic presentation values, and a very interesting script. With Broken Age and Broken Sword 5 both excelling in recent times, Daedalic's The Dark Eye: Memoria is one to add to the must-play list after their completion.