Synopsis:
Bright Memory: Infinite is an all-new lightning-fast fusion of the FPS and action genres, created by FYQD-Studio. Combine a wide variety of skills and abilities to unleash dazzling combo attacks.
Reviewed on: PC (Intel i5-9400F, @2.90GHZ, RTX 2060, 16GB RAM)
Also available for: N/A
Cast: TBD
Developer: FYQD Studio
Publisher: FYQD Studio
Bright Memory first burst on the scene to many exclamations, mainly about how a single person development studio could come up with such visual prowess. Though largely a demo for Bright Memory: Infinite, it still received more praise than many paid demos would. Since then, the team has expanded, and with it, the scope of their game, though some might still question the length of the campaign.
As with Bright Memory, the visuals of Infinite are stunning and look especially good in motion. The game’s visual style is very consistent and balances the line between realism and stylised very well. The utmost care has gone into this area and boasts some landscapes based on real provinces within China. In some more scripted setpieces, the game takes on some cinematic moments, and the initial jetting into conflict had me missing the quick time event due to wanting to take in the gorgeous rural Chinese horizon. These overall impressive visuals do have a few moments when they fall down, mainly as the particle effects are dialled to eleven, resulting in melee combat that blocks your vision from all else and a lot of general clutter. Bright Memory: Infinite is very dark throughout and never really varies up the lighting scheme, making some of the environments feel a bit samey.
The action is another standout of the game. It does not waste any time, opening up the combat abilities available to you in quick succession, giving you an exciting set of tools to deal with your foes. The addition of a sword and Exo(skeleton) arm Unit abilities add a lot of flair and style to the combat in Bright Memory: Infinite. The depth in the combat is all player skill-based, in that while there are upgrades available, there is only one path open for each weapon and ability. This means that most of the enjoyment in the game comes from the way you can combo attacks through blocking, slicing, shooting and Exo arm attacks. All these options are generally fast-paced as you switch between juggling the enemy with your sword, force pulling them into your shotgun blast or deflecting bullets back whence they came. Whilst this all flows quite well, there are moments when it can grind to a halt, with the reload animation of the weapons taking an eternity and having you ducking behind cover more than it feels like the game wants you to be. The guns are good, though I thought the default firing mode of the shotgun lacked a bit of the requisite umph we have come to know and love. This only detracts a little from the combat, just enough to feel like it never quite reaches some of its potential.
The gameplay isn’t all high octane action; two sections deviate from this formula. First up is the obligatory stealth section, which is exactly as expected, though the well-animated takedowns leave the first person, adding more to the cinematic blockbuster. The second such section is a car chase scene which does lean back into high octane. Considering the just over two-hour playtime, these were nice little ways to spice up the game’s pacing. The length also means that much of the mentioned depth and experimentation with the combat system will come upon secondary playthroughs as you move up in the four difficulty settings or jump back into your favourite missions directly.
Impressive visuals and a combat system that offers a lot of experimentation are the pillars that make Bright Memory: Infinite. While still a shorter experience that most players will beat in a sitting or two, it will give the player an experience more akin to a blockbuster action movie. If FYQD Studio continues to build on what they have here into their next game, and continue to offer short and refined experiences, then I will no doubt be playing their next outing.
(Bright Memory Infinite code provided for review)
