Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #11344 in Computer & Video Games
• Brand: Konami
• Released on: 2001-03-30
• Platform: PlayStation2
• Number of items: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
Imagine being able to turn back time and prevent your own death. Now, imagine that in doing so you forever alter history and have to jump back and forth through the dimensions to put the world to rights. Welcome to Shadow of Memories.

Described by Konami as an "interactive novel", the game's plot follows the fortunes of lead character Eike, a man knifed to death in a quiet German town by an unknown assailant, who must save his own life and in the process discover why he was murdered in the first place.

This is a full 3-D world around which Eike can wander in a number of different time zones ranging from the present back to the middle ages, with suitable graphical treatments for all. It's a standard adventure game fare, with the usual array of objects to collect and use in the pursuit of altering history. Graphics are well above average and convey a real sense of being there; this is heightened by the superb 3-D sound, which makes a major mark on the gameplay, thoroughly enhancing the atmosphere in a way little seen in console games.

There are only two things which prevent Shadow of Memories from being a grade A PS2 title. The first is the length and frequency of the cutscenes. In the first 45 minutes or so of play there's so much scene setting that there's precious little for the player to do except watch--it can be frustrating, but the patient player is rewarded with a deep and immersive experience that becomes compulsive. The second is the short playing time--around seven hours to complete one of the game's half dozen paths. It's just not long enough for the serious gamer and does the title no justice.

However, if you can get past these hurdles, Shadow of Memories is a wonderful game, with the plot intriguing enough to have you arguing over who the killer was.

Shadow of Memories certainly won't be to everyone's taste. It's unusual mix of heavy storytelling and adventure action seems a little odd at first but perseverance is the name of the game and the player who sticks with it will be left with an engrossing experience. --Chris Russell

Manufacturer's Description
Eike, is murdered in the street His next memory is of being offered the chance to relive his life, this time with the ability to travel in time! You maybe able to cheat death once, but if You don't get to the root of the cause, fate will catch up with You. Who offers you a chance like this? Why do they want you alive? Who are You really? Do you have a higher purpose?

With the help of a handheld time travel device, Eike must try to change the future.

From the 16th Century to present day, time must be navigated, time lines maintained and paradoxes avoided if Eike is to have any chance of saving himself and discovering his purpose.

What is Homonculus? What is the Philosophers stone? Why would a 16th Century alchemist want it? Why is someone so keen you should live? Why is someone so keen you should die? What happens if you leave people in there wrong time?

Customer Reviews

Not for everyone
All people are different, and gamers are no different. Some prefer hard-core button-mashing a la Tekken or FIFA, others are into it basically to be told a story, like the Final Fantasy series.

Shadow of Memories (sold abroad as Shadow of Destiny) is very much so for the latter group, except there isn't even any turn-based combat- there is just plot, and minimal gameplay (largely running around places and between timezones) with only flimsy excuses for puzzles. You need to collect energy balls to travel between timezones- but there are so many you that it's rather pointless and get the feeling that they were added as a committee decision at the end of the game development.

The plot runs along the lines of "A man dies, but is given the chance to change his fate by going back in time". There are numerous endings- technically there are 7- all of which interweave and reveal more and more about the characters' true histories.

The game starts off well, with a spooky feeling as your character, Eike, tries to avoid being killed. It's way easy though, and after you've finished a couple of the endings you may get a bit bored trying to get the other few. It's satisfying when you get the "A" ending and the "EX" endings; it's just getting there that's the problem.

Still, there are some nice little extras for getting there- some movies of development and the EX ending are unlocked when you complete the various threads. But you can't help getting a feeling that you've been a bit cheated on actual entertainment, as you sit there watching the game go by.

I would recommend the game to those who *wouldn't* buy a football or racing game, but who *would* buy all the Final Fantasy games. Some people will love the cerebral nature of the game but like I said, it's not for everyone.

A classic at the time
Now, I remember many years ago rushing out of school to get this game (too many years ago) when the PS2 was yet to see the splendor of a great deal of games, but having just replayed this one, it isn't a bad game even now.

You play a chap named Eike who dies and is brought back to life by a mysterious man, and the primary objective is just to survive really by any means necessary. Along the way you'll meet a lot of people from all sorts of times to help as well. Graphically, this game is still incredible. The places you visit and the people you see are almost real-even now the game still stands apart, the only disappointment being that you cant enter half the buildings in the village. Remarkably the voice acting is also pretty decent-even though the music is a little to be desired.

In terms of gameplay, you have to avoid death by any means-so if someone is going to stab you, try and have a frying pan ready (serious) or try being in a place where their is a crowd and thus the attempt is thrawted. What I really like is the chance to go to different times to change things in the modern day-for instance, in one scene he goes back in time to become a juggler to foil an attempt of death on himself! Now thats clever. There are plenty of twists and turns in the game as well, and there is more than one way to do anything in the game-yet despite this, once you've completed it, there is little appeal to do it again-even if there are 5 different endings.

Unfortunately, if your an avid fan of action you won't like this-it's very much a case of go here do this and even wait. But for those who love good murder mysteries and twists this is a good game to have in your collection.

Take control of your destiny!
This game starts off with the main character being murdered. You are then given the chance to cheat death by an immoral being, who in return gives you time shifting powers. This game does not take long to play, but you NEED to play the game another six times to experience the extire plot. I love this game, but I wish their was a sequel to play!