A Memoir Blue Reviews

A Memoir Blue is ranked in the 44th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
Apr 19, 2022

Video games have the power to create an affecting emotional experience by making their audience active participants in the world. In A Memoir Blue, the interactive elements aren’t impactful, while the narrative is too metaphorical. Aesthetics aren’t enough to make up for that.

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4 / 10
Apr 2, 2022

This will probably be held up as anti-intellectual in some way, or part of the crowd who scream every time they see a "walking simulator" (a grossly reductive label), but really, this just isn't good art. Of course that's subjective and sure, maybe you'll be profoundly moved in a way that we didn't experience, but we'd wager it's unlikely. It's a game that seems to coast along and then just... fizzle out with no major revelation or real hook. What's a generous word for that? Meditative. It's meditative. Really meditative. Sort of like... sleeping

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Lee Mehr
Top Critic
4.5 / 10.0
Apr 29, 2022

A Memoir Blue’s aspirations as an interactive poem feel undone by shallow execution.

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Apr 16, 2022

Although this short adventure doesn't have much in terms of gameplay and its story is predictable, A Memoir Blue does a good job of portraying the life of a young athlete in the spotlight while showing how she got there and how she deals with her personal struggles.

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6 / 10.0
Mar 26, 2022

A Memoir Blue is a strange video game. A story closely linked to the aquatic element that wants to tell the memory of a unique relationship as it can be what there is between mother and daughter, deep as the sea and stormy as the stormy ocean.

Review in Italian | Read full review

6.5 / 10.0
Apr 2, 2022

If you love Florance, you'll definitely like A Memoir Blue. It's a pleasant, very personal story that may not pull you out of your shoes, but it will definitely enrich your day.

Review in Polish | Read full review

70 / 100
Aug 22, 2022

In A Memoir Blue, you play a dream and that's what stays: It's a very short experience, telling a good story with a very important topic. But it's over so fast it might not stick in your memory as well as it should.

Review in German | Read full review

7 / 10.0
Mar 23, 2022

A Memoir Blue is a memorable narrative adventure that takes players on a very personal journey through time. Its combination of 3D models, with hand-drawn animations, creates a fascinating world rich with dense atmosphere and touching moments. The lack of gameplay variety is disappointing, but enough interactivity keeps you engaged through its short runtime. Miriam’s relationship with her child-self, and mother is explored beautifully without any need for dialogue or exposition.

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GameSpew
Top Critic
7 / 10.0
Apr 1, 2022

There’s a lot to praise about A Memoir Blue. It looks and sounds beautiful, and feels almost experimental in its design – it’s always a joy to see small developers trying something new. But it does leave a little to be desired; its short narrative fails to deliver any real punch, and when the credits roll you may be left thinking “…is that it?”. But considering its small asking price, we can’t really complain. If you enjoy narrative-led journeys, particularly those that deal in human emotion, A Memoir Blue is worth picking up.

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Mar 28, 2022

Overall, even with these limitations A Memoir Blue excels at its core purpose. Its poetic story choices and at times beautiful combination of visual and sound design elements make it an intoxicating blend for players who want something a little more cerebral. It's not the most taxing game for those after an interactive experience, and its short run time may leave some players a little disappointed that it's over so fast, but it successfully completes the goals that it aims for.

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7 / 10.0
Apr 7, 2022

A Memoir Blue is a short, touching, interactive adventure about a complex mother-daughter relationship. It's a very interesting sensorial experience which translates memory mechanisms into gameplay, even if interaction sometimes feels a bit too driven. Anyway, Miriam story on the memory lane is authentic, mature and compelling.

Review in Italian | Read full review

7 / 10
Mar 28, 2022

A Memoir Blue is over before you know it, so it doesn't quite earn a gold medal. However, for a debut effort, this is a solid outing for Cloisters Interactive, one worth dipping your toes in.

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7.1 / 10.0
Apr 1, 2022

Don't call it a walking simulator: A Memoir Blue is a poetical tale of a mother and her daughter. Through it's not a perfect game, A Memoir Blue is a simple and intense adventure that makes you overcome all its flaws. Although we've seen such its type tale one million times, A Memoir Blue retells it in a sincere and autobiographical manner, which makes the game worth playing.

Review in Italian | Read full review

INVEN
Top Critic
7.5 / 10.0
Apr 21, 2022

An attractive title with the combination of surreal 3D scene and beautiful 2D artwork. The story created by Shelly Chen is somewhat unclear. And this vague story makes it easier for players to resonate their own experience. However, the game can leave much to be desired for those who would like to enjoy a completed story.

Review in Korean | Read full review

7.5 / 10.0
Apr 13, 2022

A Memoir Blue's interactive poetics is sensible in a subtle and demure way through its audiovisual [elements], even if technically limited and incipient in its level design and animation. It's a short title when compared to other videogames, but, just like a short film in cinema or a poem or short story in literature, length isn't an issue. The narrative and progression are modest, but the message is told in a succint, oneiric and expressive form, and it succeeds in doing so. The big issue, however, is that it uses interactivity only a little. A Memoir Blue is recommended for fans of art games stylized as graphic adventures, as those players will certainly enjoy the experience if they have in mind that it's a short journey without big ambitions.

Review in Portuguese | Read full review

75 / 100
Mar 29, 2022

A Memoir Blue has a beautiful, varied visual style, emotionally resonant music, and a sincere — if not terribly deep — narrative. The changing and mysterious relationship of parents and children is relatable. It’s a wonderful story to experience, told via haunting, surreal images. Where A Memoir Blue collapses is in its arbitrary and often unnecessary game mechanics. I get that the main character is trying to make sense of her puzzle-like memories. Pixel hunting and awkward object manipulation don’t make me feel invested or immersed. I’d argue they work against it. A Memoir Blue could and should have been a touching short animated film.

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7.5 / 10.0
Mar 28, 2022

Like most art, A Memoir Blue has its fair share of flaws. However, like art, it has you thinking about its strengths and intentions instead of its mechanics. A Memoir Blue succeeds more than it falters, and everyone needs to give this game their time.

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8 / 10.0
Mar 24, 2022

I’ve been impressed so far this year that story-driven games on the Switch have continued to show up in force, but most of all that we’ve had a few that have been so touching without the need for any dialogue at all...

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8 / 10.0
Apr 3, 2022

A Memoir Blue is quite effective at telling a story without using words. Its experiences really help establish Miriam and her mother.

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4 / 5.0
Apr 8, 2022

A Memoir Blue is like a mother’s love for her daughter — quiet at times, turbulent at others, but all-encompassing and soothing when our hearts are heavy. It is a powerful reminder of how far our mothers will go to keep us whole, to give us more, and to do the best with the cards they’ve been dealt. A Memoir Blue is the best game focusing on mother/daughter relationships ever made, and if you love interactive storybooks and have tissues at the ready, I’m sure you’ll agree. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go call my mom.

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