Bright Memory Reviews
Bright Memory for Xbox Series X|S is an extremely unoptimized and poorly polished launch title. However, the future looks bright for the game. The foundation for something truly special is there.
FTQD Studio's first outing is a playful shooter/slasher hybrid that's far too finite to feel worth its retail price.
While Bright Memory isn’t going to win any awards, it’s still a pretty commendable effort from FYQD. The trailer for the remake looks promising, as it seems to already address some of the issues in the original game. Looks can be deceiving, but we’ll still keep an eye on Infinite to see if it can change our minds. As for this entry, it’s not a terrible experience for $8, but it’s not exactly one we recommend.
It's hard to actually review Bright Memory, as it's not a game you can easily recommend, even for its relatively small price. But what we can definitely rate is a passion the developer has put into this project, while trying to give a new life to a slowly withering genre. We can only wish luck to the FYQD studio with their next game, which we will judge accordingly.
Review in Russian | Read full review
Bright Memory is definitely an ambitious endeavor by a sole developer who wants to deliver high-octane action in an FPS-type Tomb Raider adventure that combines shooting and melee. The end result is unfortunately disappointing, with an exaggeration characterizing it throughout its range.
Review in Greek | Read full review
So there’s any awful lot going on in Bright Memory in a very short period. I can say that I had fun and I am looking forward to the complete game, but with some caution: I do hope and anticipate that FYQD will do a lot more to tighten up the experience on console as the cursor-driven menus are no fun, and this feels like a rushed port from its original platform (PC). Gameplay has got get more focused as well; I’m all for such an unusual mixture of enemies and cross-genre gameplay blends and inspirations, but it’s got to tie together somehow to make some sense and matter to the player. I don’t need a grand story, but I am hoping that the full game makes a lot more sense than this current offering which seems like someone brainstorming out loud, so to speak. All that to say, for $8, and with very limited new game+ options, you could do worse — but it might be just as well to wait until Bright Memory: Infinite launches in full next year.
However short, Bright Memory lets you glimpse its capabilities but does not have time to apply itself thoroughly given its brevity. Many clever ideas, weapons at a distance and melee, environmental puzzles, quasi-platform phases and huge bosses to face give hope for the future of this "one-man saga". It brings home sufficiency, which wants to be not only an encouragement but also a recognition of a promising future and a product that, despite being quite short, is playable and fun.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Those who decide to spend some time with the title will not be disappointed as long as they know what to expect. Otherwise, those who are really thirsty for titles to enjoy the new generation, can definitely check this one out.
Review in Greek | Read full review
Bright Memory shouldn’t be played; it’s just not ready. The one-person developed action is a decent concept, but it should have been released as a demo in anticipation for Bright Memory: Infinite. The Xbox Series X version adds nothing to the experience, but if you’re eager to spend an hour mindlessly shooting enemies and rolling your eyes, then, by all means, pick this up.
"It's not very good overall, but it's fun"
On its own merits, Bright Memory is short, rough around the edges and has a somewhat forgettable storyline. But as proof of concept and a playable teaser for the forthcoming Bright Memory Infinite, it’s a tantalising look at what’s to come and I personally cannot wait. For the price of a large Big Mac meal, it’s a no-brainer.
Bright Memory is a short, janky blast of fun that almost makes up for in ambition what it lacks in execution.
Bright Memory is a very, very short game. I played through it twice, each time the total game time was between 30-40 minutes in length. There isn’t a lot of reason to replay the short campaign either, save for earning Achievements – they even included an Achievement for finishing the game three times. You can dress Shelia up in four different costumes, including the ever-popular school girl outfit, but you really only see them during cutscenes. The game hits a lot of high notes visually, but some design choices, like the bizarre water drop issue and the screen tearing issues, detract from the overall presentation.
Bright Memory can be completed in just over 30 minutes the first time through, but suffers from technical and control issues. It was designed as the first episode of many but came across as an unfinished product or proof of concept, with pieces that seem ripped from other game series. There are even bonfires that don't seemingly serve any purpose, complete with a "bonfire lit" message when activated. The narrative lacks substance and any reasoning about why the events have transpired, unless you read through the game's description page, which features all the information you'd expect to find in-game.
Plagued with a plethora of issues, but still occasionally fun, Bright Memory is one of the most confusing games I've played in some time.
Bright Memory has so much potential and I am eagerly awaiting Infinite’s release in 2021. Gameplay looks and feels familiar as far as first-person shooters but when it comes to graphics, the Xbox Series S makes it look so good. If you’re looking to kick back after a long day and just want to shoot things up in style, Bright Memory is definitely that game. Granted this is only a taste of what’s to come, its replayability just might hold you over, especially if you’re an achievement hunter looking to boost your Xbox Gamerscore.
Good initial sensations that don't hide their technical and control problems that we hope will be solved in the complete work.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
The prologue to Bright Memory: Infinite arrives on Xbox Series X to represent one of the few exclusive experiences available at launch. We are aware that we cannot evaluate this experiment in the same way as a triple A production but we have noticed too many critical issues to be able to go beyond a stretched sufficiency.
Review in Italian | Read full review
So overall, for a launch title, Bright Memory even while super short and basically being a tech demo, for how pretty things can look and sound, is still an amazing fast paced experience. At twenty-five to thirty minutes per playthrough, and a total of three to get everything, I would say pick it up and enjoy it as it’s really hard to go wrong especially at its current price tag.
Despite some minor issues, Bright Memory is a taste of what’s to come next year from Bright Memory: Infinite and I couldn’t be more excited