NEURODIVER doesn’t go into great detail to explain its characters. However, that’s okay because it keeps the dialogue sharp and the pacing tight.
Read Only Memories: NEURODIVER
Platform: PC
Developer: MidBoss
Publisher: Chorus Worldwide Games
Release date: May 15th, 2024
Availability: Digital
Price: $14.99 via Steam
Read Only Memories (2013) and its 2015 director’s cut raise important questions regarding artificial intelligence and transhumanism that are still relevant ten years later. The game was a risky first outing, with well-developed, multifaceted characters, a music composed of FM synthesis, and an artistic approach that exuded a fondness for dithering. It’s worth looking into if you enjoy existential sci-fi films like Snatcher, Blade Runner, or Ghost in the Shell.
As an alternative, you can start playing the most recent game from developer MidBoss, Read Only Memories: NEURODIVER, right away. While the backdrop of Neo-San Francisco is revisited and two characters make a return, the game is designed such that new players may dive right in and not feel like they’re missing anything. For the most part, NEURODIVER expands upon the strong framework of its predecessor to produce an utterly captivating pulpy cyberpunk adventure. One of the few negative things I can say about NEURODIVER is that, aside from minor audio level concerns, it left me wanting more. However, isn’t it preferable to a situation where you feel overextended?
Deep in the Mind of Someone Else
You will take on the role of Luna Cruz, a member of the MINERVA organization who works under the codename ES88. Cruz was chosen for the company’s esper program because she possesses extrasensory perception. In contrast to the majority of people who have developed the skill artificially, Cruz’s mental reading ability comes naturally. She is a likeable, predictably sympathetic protagonist who is just indecisive enough to feel like a real person. However, who wouldn’t feel a little uneasy while delving into someone else’s faulty recollections?
As she’s about to execute a neurodive, Cruz prompts her with a clever slogan as part of a recurring joke. Moreover, rather than being the product of a writer attempting to flaunt their intelligence, the majority of her answers come off as the words of someone who has been taken aback. Even though the majority of dialogue options won’t significantly alter the course of the narrative, they do provide you a sense of agency and aid in character development because you will encounter a variety of responses.
Recalling Our Short Time Together
Cruz frequently travels with folks that are almost as fascinating as she is on her head excursions. Despite the fact that the game may have used technology to access memories, the NEURODIVER is a creature that resembles a squid. Despite the fact that the creature primarily makes unintelligible noises like “blorp!”, Cruz has an unbreakable link with it. The two can clear up confused memories or even erase painful memories by relying on one another, which is similar to some of the thoughts in Eternal Sunshine for the Spotless Mind. The writers at MidBoss believe that memories and experiences are the essence of the human experience.
Despite this, I did wish I had more memories with some of the most notable secondary characters in the game. Codename GATE is a former soldier and bodyguard for NEURODRIVER. There’s a simmering romantic tension in the title because of her relationship with Cruz. The game’s scripting is lighthearted and somewhat arbitrary, but ties aren’t utopian.Hearing GATE chastise our protagonist every now and again shows us not only that they are concerned, but also that they are expressing differences in opinion in a way that is genuine. However, I was hoping to see more of their interactions, as I was with a few other characters. Thus, NEURODIVER may disappoint if you’re the kind of person who enjoys it when a story wraps up all of its loose ends. The game lasts for roughly five hours, although I could have played with the characters for a lot longer.
No annoyances with adventure games
Positively, NEURODIVER honors your time. There are numerous puzzles in the vein of an adventure game, but the majority of the game consists of dialogue akin to that of a visual novel. For the most part, these fix glitchy memories by having you drag items from your inventory into assigned spaces. It is improbable that an impasse would be reached because the solution set is consistently limited. Having said that, there were a few situations where I had to experiment because the reasoning behind the challenge was evasive.
The visuals of the game have an aesthetic reminiscent to a classic 16-bit game. Here, the enchanting spritework of NEURODIVER is scattered across several windows, bringing back memories of the time people believed that screens in the future might have multiple picture-in-pictures. There are many amusing references to video games and anime, but one standout example is when NEURODIVER offers eye-catching screens that play a sequence of chimes reminiscent of the introduction of Street Fighter II. The vocal work is what really shines, even if the music has a number of catchy tunes. These are really excellent performances that bring Cruz, GATE, and other eccentrics to life. However, there are times when the volume levels are noticeably changed, which makes a few talks less enjoyable.
In summary
Thanks to its intelligent dialogue, lively pop-culture references, and a cast of endearing characters, NEURODIVER is sure to leave viewers with happy memories. I don’t generally enjoy adventure games, but for five hours, Read Only Memories held my attention. Even though the game left me wanting more explanation, there are a few small puzzles and enjoyable stories that you’ll still be thinking about after the credits have rolled.
The song NEURODIVER was played on Read Only Memories.
PC with the publisher’s review code provided.
Review Overview
Story – 80%
Interface – 75%
Aesthetics – 80%
Content – 75%
Accessibility – 85%
Value – 85%
80%
VERY GOOD
Summary :Read Only Memories: NEURODIVER is a better film and television series than most of its contemporary rivals if you’re seeking for pulpy science fiction with a likeable cast. It is an investigation of what makes us human, much like some of the greatest works in the genre. The clever combination of light puzzles and visual novel storytelling strikes a balance between seriousness and fleeting moments of childish pleasure. This one is probably going to bring back some good memories.