A Memoir Blue | Xbox Series X Review
I love a good, emotional story. I especially adore it if it keeps me in its thrall long after finishing it. Cloister Interactive’s A Memoir Blue is one such title. If you adore experiences in the same vein as Florence and If Found…, then this will be right up your alley.
A Mother’s Love
A Memoir Blue opens on an unnamed woman receiving a gold medal during a swimming event. As the cameras flash and journalists pepper her with questions, her thoughts flash back to her childhood and the journey she went on with her mother. The story explores themes related to trauma and how escaping it irrevocably changed the lives of both the mother and daughter. The daughter didn’t understand as a child why her mother chose to take them on a “journey,” but she has fond memories of the experiences she shared with her mother. Now, their relationship is strained and the younger woman delves into her past to reconnect with the woman who sacrificed everything for her.
A Light in the Darkness
This is an absolutely stunning experience. This isn’t so much a game as it is an interactive short film. Gameplay simply revolves around clicking on objects in the environment to solve gentle puzzles to progress the story. A Memoir Blue is also dialogue-free, instead choosing to convey its story and emotional beats through its visuals.
I adored the choice of graphical style. Mixing cartoon and 3D styles, this is a stunning game. I felt compelled to take multiple screenshots during my playthrough, which is a rare occurrence for me.
The Final Verdict
A Memoir Blue is a narrative journey worth taking. It explores heavy topics through the eyes of a child, and shows how the trauma that stems from these experiences not only affects individuals in the present, but also in their future. The mother-daughter bond is beautifully portrayed, and the gorgeous visuals only add to the impact of the story. This is a very short experience, with my playthrough lasting an hour before I rolled credits. Replayability is limited to gathering achievements/trophies not obtained during the first run, which may turn off some players. Also, research trigger warnings before playing. If this sounds like your kind of experience and you can handle the topics that are presented, this is a game that demands your attention.
This review is based on a Game Pass copy of A Memoir Blue for Xbox Series X/S. It is also available on Xbox One, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam.
A Memoir Blue
$7.99
Pros
- Absolutely Stunning Graphics
- Heavy-Hitting Story
- Beautifully Explores Mother-Daughter Bonds
Cons
- Extremely Short
- Limited Replayability
