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Another Code: Two Memories, also titled as Trace Memory in North America, is a adventure game developed by Cing and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS. It was released in 2005 and is the first game of the Another Code series.

The game centers on the 13-year-old Ashley Mizuki Robbins, who travels to Blood Edward Island and is in search for her father Richard Robbins and the truth behind mysterious events in her childhood. The player takes control of Ashley and has to solve many puzzles that make use of the Nintendo DS hardware. A diary from Ashley's perspective was written as a prologue for the game which can be read before playing it.

Although the game inexplicably managed to only be rated 7+ in Europe, it was raised to a "Teen and up" rating in North America. Although the game is far from being incredibly violent and graphic, the story contains some dark themes, including death, grief, murder and suicide. Handguns and blood are also depicted in the game as well.

A sequel titled Another Code: R - A Journey into Lost Memories was released in 2009 for the Wii.

A remake of both games, Another Code: Recollection, was released in January 2024.

The game is set in the same universe as the Kyle Hyde Saga.

Gameplay[]

Trace_Memory_Nintendo_DS_Gameplay_-_A_walk_through_the

Trace Memory Nintendo DS Gameplay - A walk through the

Gameplay near the beginning.

Another Code is a visual novel, puzzle, mystery and adventure game hybrid. There is no fighting or combat in the installment because it seems that this wasn't developed for the action genre in mind; gameplay mainly consists of exploring abandoned environments and rooms, searching for clues and reading notes. Players control Ashley Mizuki Robbins from a top-down perspective. Players can examine the environment, switching to pre-rendered backgrounds in which they can tap the objects for detailed information about what Ashley sees. Puzzles often involve usage of the touch screen, while others may involve the usage of the microphone. Ashley's DAS lets the player take in-game screenshots; players can overlay two screenshots on top of each other to help with puzzles.

At the end of every chapter, Ashley must review her memories and the player must select the correct answer during these quizzes. Early on in the game, Ashley meets a companion and can help him find his memories by exploring the world thoroughly; if Ashley does not help them find his memories, this results in a sadder ending.

Endings[]

The player will earn one of two variations of the ending:

  • The "good" ending occurs if the player has triggered enough of D's memories. D will remember his death, and will be able to to depart in peace. Dialogue from Ashley in the sequel confirms the "good ending" is canonical.
  • The "bad" ending is triggered by either finding not enough or all of D's memories. (verification needed) D does not remember how he died, and does not find peace.

After completing the game once, the contents of eight DAS cards contain new information detailing more about the history of the Edward family.

Synopsis[]

DAS in a package

The Dual Another System

Two days before her fourteenth birthday, in 2005, Ashley Mizuki Robbins receives a package from her father, Richard Robbins, whom she thought was dead. The package contained a small handheld device called a Dual Another System, or "DAS" (Dual Trace System, DTS in the American release), along with an invitation to meet him on Blood Edward Island. The following day, her and her aunt, Jessica Robbins, set off for the island.

While there, Ashley meets "D", a ghost with no memories, who has been wandering the island alone for decades since his death. Ashley attempts to aide D in uncovering his lost memories, while also uncovering the truth about her parents, and the mysterious project, code named "Another".

Characters[]

D AC

D, the game's ghostly deuteragonist.

  • Ashley Mizuki Robbins – The protagonist. A 13-year-old girl born in 1991 who has a strange recurring dream. Ashley travels to Blood Edward Island in order to meet her father whom she believed to be dead.
  • Jessica Robbins – The sister of Ashley's father. She raised Ashley when her father left his daughter and attends her niece on the trip to the island.
  • Richard Robbins – Ashley's father. He invites her to Blood Edward Island in 2005. He is a scientist who researches biometrics. He also worked with his wife and Bill Edward on the Another project. He gave Ashley to his sister so that he could continue his work on Another.
  • Captain – He steers the boat that takes Ashley and Jessica to Blood Edward Island.
  • D – The deuteragonist and the ghost of a boy who died in 1948, his spirit is forced to wander the island for decades. D is in search for his memories. He befriends Ashley and accompanies her on the adventure. Through the course of the game, more and more details of his past are revealed.
  • Bill Edward – A descendant of the Edward family and scientist who worked with Ashley's parents.

Mentioned characters:

  • Sayoko Robbins – Ashley's mother. A brilliant Japanese scientist who was heavily involved in the Another project. She also specializes in memory research.
  • Lawrence Edward – He was once the head of the Edward family. Lawrence had a son, Leonard, and took care of his two grandsons. When Lawrence was dying, only a small remnant of the Edward family's wealth was left.
  • Leonard Edward – The son of Lawrence. He left his family's mansion and had two sons, Henry and Thomas, but died young. Leonard's father took care of the two boys afterwards.
  • Henry Edward – A painter and Leonard's older son. He had a daughter named Frannie
  • Frannie Edward – Henry's daughter. She was close friends with her cousin Daniel Edward.
  • Thomas Edward – A writer and Leonard's younger son. He had a son named Daniel.
  • Wells – The butler of the Edward family.

Music[]

The music is composed by Makoto Hagiwara, Kenjiro Matsuo, and Yuichi Nakamura.[1] There was no official soundtrack for the game. The songs were only ripped by fans and given fan-made names. Although, the tracks are officially titled in the sequel, seen via the music list in the White Music Player.

Development[]

Another Code started development in February 2004, and was officially announced by Nintendo on October 7, under the working title Another. The first playable demo of the game debuted during the November 2004 Nintendo World Japanese tour. At a Nintendo retailer conference in January 2005, the release date was set for Japan on February 24. The release date for Europe was set on June 24, under the title Another Code: Two Memories. The game was showcased at E3 2005 under the title Trace Memory. It was released in North America on September 27.

Rika Suzuki, game designer and scenario writer for the game, said that she "prefers stories that are emotionally moving", and that, "one thing that is reflected in my work is the idea of memories as a device for moving the story along. One of the things I try to acknowledge is the difference between a recollection and a memory". She said that "Another Code is set over the course of one day, and it's a very special day", and that something she finds interesting to portray in a story is "when you wake up in the morning, you could have an extraordinary day which will be memorable for the rest of your life". Additionally, she explained: "When [my father] was very young he lived in Shanghai, and because of the disease he became able to draw very detailed maps of the area, which he couldn't before. That stimulated me to think a lot more about memory". Suzuki's father had Alzheimer's disease.

Another Code was originally displayed from a quarter view, but was later changed to a top-down perspective due to difficulties with controlling the game using the stylus, and in an attempt to make it more user-friendly for players not used to a 3D game. Taisuke Kanasaki, the game's director and character designer, said that the development team always considers the relation a puzzle has to a game's story, and, "even if we could invent an amazing idea for a puzzle, it might not be adopted without a solid relationship with the story". Suzuki said she thought the burden on the programmers was quite large. Lead Programmer Kazuhiko Hagihara reportedly had disagreements with Kanasaki during the latter half of development. The game's protagonist, Ashley Robbins, was designed by Kanasaki to appeal to both male and female players. She was originally intended to be 17 years old, but her age was later changed to 14 by Suzuki.

Reception[]

The game received generally positive reviews, with players enjoying the game's music, story, atmosphere and the interactivity of the Nintendo DS' features, such as the touch screen and microphone. At one point, players are supposed to close their DS, and also look at the reflections of the two screens, in order to solve puzzles. The game received commendation for trying to include a mature coming-of-age story with dark themes, particularly by teens and adults who have dealt with tragedy in their lives. It is considered by some players to be a "hidden gem" or "cult classic", especially due to only having one sequel and no anime or manga adaptation.

The game was criticized for its short length, with many players feeling the game could have used another chapter or two. It also received criticism for being a little backtracky and having almost trollish game design; at one point, players are supposed to go back into the mansion, explored in a previous chapter, to retrieve a doll for a puzzle, with no indication they are supposed to go back that far, with players assuming that area of the mansion is done with. Another instance occurs with retrieving zoetrope paper from an art room.

Some of the gameplay can be obtuse as well; even if the player already suspects the answer to a puzzle and attempts it, Ashley won't do it, and the player will need to examine everything in order for Ashley to do it. This is a common symptom of earlier adventure games, in which the player must assume the protagonist is as unaware as possible. Some of the answers in Ashley's memory recollection segments have been said to be painfully easy as well.

Trace Memory versus Another Code[]

Main article: Trace Memory localization changes
Another Code Two Memories NA

Trace Memory cover.

When Another Code was localized for North America as Trace Memory, the script received some changes to flair it up and make it more interesting and engaging. For a long time, the amount and extent of the changes went under the radar due to the most players assuming that they were similar enough, not having two Nintendo DSes, let alone both copies of Another Code and Trace Memory and playing them side-by-side. Playing both versions at once can prove to be a fascinating experience for players.

An interview with writer Ann Lin in the October 2005 issue of Nintendo Power talked about some of these changes. She wanted to make Ashley a more realistic character and explore her feelings about being betrayed by Jessica and her father. She also wanted to add a bit of humor to humanize the cast, and not use trendy lingo so the story would not feel dated. Lin said, "Although their take on her character was different from mine, my depiction was based, in large part, off the game's art style. Visually speaking, Ashley has such a wide range of expressions and emotions that I tried to make the text reflect that complexity as well."

For the most part, the script is similar with some minor rewording changes here and there, although sometimes in Trace Memory, it is noticeable the editors added some things; unfortunately, in some cases, some nuance of the original Japanese script has been lost in translation, and sometimes the plot and characters in Trace Memory are more nonsensical than intended. At worst, Trace Memory loses some plot details from time to time and characters lose their intended characterization; they can say something completely different, for example, when Ashley is asked if she is okay, she says "not really" in Another and "I'm fine" in Trace.

Another Code is closer to the original intent of the Japanese developers as a result, although this may not always be the case and there may be some times when Trace Memory is closer to the original Japanese text. Some may prefer Another Code due to the faithfulness of the script, while others may prefer Trace Memory due to Ashley's spunkier personality among other reasons.

Ashley is a bit more outspoken, impatient and stubborn in Trace than the more quiet Ashley in Another. She is spunkier, sassier, more skeptical, more independent, more assertive and more capable of backtalk against adults. She could be perceived as more impolite as she says "thank you" less, such as not thanking the Captain when she receives the candy as she did in Another. At one point in Another, Ashley describes a display case in Frannie's room as "pretty" while she calls it "pink" in Trace.

Because of this, it can be posited Nintendo of America aimed for a less stereotypically feminine protagonist in order to appeal to boys more, while making the game seem grittier through its new boxart. The blue-tinted art of the island has been replaced with a black background and it now has horror-like scrawled writing. Ashley is enlarged with her confused expression being more prominent, and her mid-riff is no longer shown, possibly to make her seem less feminine and she could be mistaken for being a boy. The words "blood", "mysterious" and "past" are now on the cover. Additionally, what is also shown are "father" and "what really happened?". While this is pure speculation, it coincides with the above.

In 2005, many youth were embracing grittier moods, aesthetics and angst. For example, the emo/scene aesthetic was on the rise, especially on growing websites like Myspace. Teens would often express themselves and vent about their lives and the world on online blogs (similarly, the game's websites in both North America and Japan hosted diaries written by Ashley venting about her life and how Jessica just doesn't understand her). Bands such as Green Day, Three Days Grace and My Chemical Romance were becoming very popular. Movies such as Harry Potter became popular with teens, which also includes elements like ghosts and deceased parents like Another Code. Video games like Shadow the Hedgehog were capturing young audiences; although Trace Memory was released a couple months before Shadow, young gamers expressed much hype and interest in the game, which lacked the now-infamous reputation at the time. It is possible Nintendo noted the rise of this group of youth and wanted Trace Memory to cater more to them.

Additionally, it would help Nintendo's attempts to market the Nintendo DS and its games towards older audiences; Nintendo needed to compete with the PlayStation Portable and draw in older audiences. The system no longer was called a Game"Boy" and the Nintendo DS saw a major rise in mature-themed video games such as Hotel Dusk, Dementium, a port of Resident Evil and Theresia. Feel the Magic is an example of a game released near the DS' launch which is catered to adults, while Brain Age is another example of Nintendo trying to appeal to older audiences. With a much higher focus on mature narratives, Nintendo's and Sony's efforts in the mid-2000s helped to counter stereotypes that video games and mobile gaming were primarily for children.

Credits[]

See Another Code: Two Memories/Credits.

Trivia[]

  • The game is set in 2005, on the day before whatever the birthday is set on in the Nintendo DS system. Ashley and the player will share the same birthday, likely in order for players to feel more emotionally connected to Ashley. However, the game is set on February 24, 2005 otherwise. Another example of the player making them feel as if they are Ashley is when the game asks for a fingerprint scan in the opening.
  • In the official site for Trace Memory, the website was created to be an explorable version of Ashley's bedroom. The music would be the same music heard in the game's opening (before reaching the title screen). Viewers could click and examine objects, learning more about the game's plot. One of the objects was a diary about how Jessica insists on holding a traditional birthday party for Ashley, but Ashley talks about how what she wants most for her birthday, is just to be left alone. There was also a simplistic child-like sketch of a sad girl crying under a table, apparently drawn by a young Ashley. However, the site is defunct and has broken functionality despite being archived.[2]
  • By completing the game twice, each play through occupying a save slot, a special message appears. To make it out, one has to tilt the DS just enough that the upper screen reflects on the lower screen, and the message reads out as "TOYOUOF16YEARS". This foreshadows the sequel.
  • This installment is heavily affiliated with loss in terms of the plot, since it goes into the topic of losing loved ones, relationships and memories.
  • The North American title of this installment was seemingly changed to be more simplified, so the players would more easily understand what the plot is generally about.
    • Additionally, part of the game's name is incorporated into the story. Notably, the American translation called the titular device Trace instead of Another and Ashley's device DTS instead of DAS, presumably as a way to tie the name in.
  • A beta screenshot shows the broken sign the player fixes says "Gold Mine" on it, hinting the Edward family was supposed to be involved in the gold industry.
  • The Edward family encountering some bad circumstances is similar to the Kennedy curse, a supposed curse on the Kennedy family that has seemingly led to several of its members being killed, horribly injured or left in other negative situations. However, it can be argued that this isn't the development team's intention, until proven otherwise.
  • Rika Suzuki seemingly played a big role when the original script was being written during the game's development.
  • In Another Code: Recollection, the name of this installment will be changed back to Another Code: Two Memories instead of deciding to go with title Trace Memory again.

External links[]

References[]

  1. Another Code: Two Memories/Credits
  2. "Trace Memory Official Site". Nintendo. 2005. Archived from the original on 22 October 2005. Retrieved 17 October 2022.

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