WARNING: Tokyo Dark -Remembrance- is an Mature rated title and has a variety of extreme content throughout the game that is not suitable for younger gamers. Some of that content is depicted in this review.
Visual novels are not exactly a mainstream genre. Most gamers don’t really want to just sit and read a game, they’d rather play one instead. However, VNs are growing in popularity and are huge in Japan. In the West, where that popularity is growing more slowly, perhaps it is due partly to the rise of otaku culture and partly to the popularity of RPG gaming, which essentially consists of reading large quantities of text and menu driven gameplay. Either way we’re seeing more and more games in the vein of visual novels and some are noticeably better than others.
Tokyo Dark -Remembrance- from Cherrymochi is one of the newer releases that fits into this genre. Another Kickstarter-funded independent title, Tokyo Dark -Remembrance- is one of the games put forward for Windows by the Square Enix Collective, a project that brings out highly rated indie games under the umbrella of a major publisher. This is a unique title in many ways, but is easy to dismiss because it doesn’t fit in any particular genre well. Dark Remembrance is not entirely a visual novel, being described as a point and click adventure game, but it’s not really that either, as every click choice is highlighted and the further you play the more limited the choices become as you make major decisions and narrow your options down. Don’t walk away yet though, as this is easily one of the best writing I’ve seen in years and Dark Remembrance is absolutely and utterly compelling from beginning to end!
Make no mistake, you will read a significant amount of text in Tokyo Dark -Remembrance-. But you also walk around areas, and move to a main map area, giving the illusion of more choice, and making this seem like more of a point and click game than it actually is. You play as Tokyo Police detective Ito Ayami, who becomes embroiled in a strange series of events while searching for her missing partner. Things quickly spiral out of control and Ito is left questioning her sanity as she plumbs the depths of Tokyo. Speaking of sanity, Ito’s is managed by the “SPIN” system, and your choices affect her Sanity, Professionalism, Investigation, and Neurosis. Make certain choices and those statistics can suffer greatly, eventually leading to one of 11 different endings in the game. Oh, and you don’t get to save. The game autosaves at every decision you make, automatically forcing you through the choices you’ve made with no recourse or backtracking. This is actually a refreshing change, as it forces you to stick with the narrative rather than compiling a list of saves and trying to force your way to the best ending like folding the pages over in a Choose Your Own Adventure book.
Once you understand the structure of the game, 80% visual novel, 20% point and click with limited options, you can relax and take a look at the story, which is easily one of the most compelling and immersive I’ve seen in years. Right from the beginning, things are not only off, but downright disturbing, and the entire ambience has a very Silent Hill feel to it. The best part is that it’s entirely its own creation though. Tokyo Dark -Remembrance- doesn’t seem to take from other game so much as create an entirely unique take on the genres it’s based on, making for a complex, adult-themed game that delves deeply into the psyche of its characters. This is unquestionably an adult title too, with extreme sexual themes, graphic violence, depictions of suicide, murder, and occult themes. One of the more surprising side stories in the game actually even deals with a bit of pedophilia which was quite shocking and disturbing.
With all that content comes a fascinating dive into the psyche of Detective Ito, who is teetering on the edge of mental instability. This is as much a character analysis of It? as it is the story of an ancient cult and a series of murders, and as such, she feels fully realized to the point where the choices you make in the game actually feel like they matter. Issues around officer-involved shootings, human trafficking, and sacrificial cults that Detective Ito encounters during the course of the game so extreme as to give any actual investigating officer PTSD, which is why the SPIN system makes so much sense. Unfortunately, that is one of the areas neglected in the course of gameplay. Ultimately, your mental health could have had a significantly bigger impact on the game’s direction but doesn’t seem to matter all that much. Whether your sanity is slipping or you act in an unprofessional manner doesn’t really change what happens. Often, your only recourse is to make a choice you don’t actually want to make with static consequences. This is the only noticeable issue that keeps Tokyo Dark -Remembrance- from being fully immersive.
In regards to the immersion level of Tokyo Dark -Remembrance-, the soundtrack and sound effects of the game play a huge part. The soundtrack itself is exceptional, so much so in fact that it was worth checking to see if there was a physical copy. There actually is, but it was exclusive to Japan at around $40 and currently is only on eBay for upwards of $100. There is a digital soundtrack, but it’s only available with the collector’s edition of the game on Steam. Upon contacting Cherrymochi, it turns out that they’d love to bring the soundtrack out domestically but there are no firm plans or a timeframe as of this article. Part of the reason that the Tokyo Dark -Remembrance- soundtrack is so good is that it was composed by Matthew Steed, also known as Bison Steed, the lead vocalist for the British thrash metal band Reign of Fury. In addition to being an excellent singer, he’s also an accomplished composer, working on several smaller video game projects and a variety of films over the last several years. His work on Tokyo Dark –Remembrance- is absolutely outstanding and the game is all the richer for having such an atmospheric soundtrack.
With such rich sound to compare to, the graphics in Tokyo Dark -Remembrance- have a more indie feel to them. Despite the anime style though, the game is visually very indie looking. However, the distinctive style becomes more settled over the course of gameplay and the absolutely creepy visual effects and unique content really mesh well with the art style, creating a very believable and immersive environment considering the lack of interaction in the overall gameplay. Had the graphics been less skilfully executed, the game would have been hamstrung from the start, but there’s just enough depth to the presentation to really build the world that’s presented. Everything is quite detailed, and that includes the creepy imagery and blood-soaked crime scenes as well as the suffering of the characters.
This is a dark ride, from beginning to end, make no doubt about it. Tokyo Dark -Remembrance- will haunt your dreams and leave you wanting more. Just don’t expect some sort of horror action game because that’s not at all what this is. It’s a dive into a mostly fictional Tokyo, with a lot of lore loosely based on cults, underground clubs, and Japanese culture. The entire experience is incredibly well-engineered from beginning to end and never really lets up or lags anywhere. There’s a bit of humor injected here and there through the game (Tomo is particularly fun) but overall, Tokyo Dark -Remembrance- is oppressive, dark, and terrifying, even if it isn’t full of jump scares and monsters. The damaged and realistic characters alone are enough to drive the plot, which is also incredibly well-written. Even the translation is excellent, with absolutely no issues or confusion, a rarity for games of this style in the West.
At $20, there’s more than enough game here for your money. Your first playthrough might only take you 5-7 hours, but that also depends on your reading speed. Additionally, once you’ve beat the game, you unlock New Game+ which allows you to save normally at decision points, streamlining the unlocking of the additional endings in the game. Cherrymochi has really thought of everything in Tokyo Dark -Remembrance- and the game is all the more captivating for it. If you enjoy visual novels or a light point and click with some seriously dark and mature content, this is one game that is absolutely not to be missed.
This review is based on a digital copy of Tokyo Dark -Remembrance- for the Switch. It was played in both docked and undocked mode but is noticeably better in undocked mode with headphones due to the fantastic soundtrack and effects. Tokyo Dark -Remembrance- is also available for the PS4 and the PC on Steam. Mochis are also delicious, just saying. I’m just going to go break into a cold sweat while I sleep now…
