Trace Memory

TITLE: Trace Memory
PLATFORM(S): Nintendo DS
GENRE: Mystery
PERSONAL RATING: 7.5 (Note: ratings out of ten)

Trace Memory is a very involving mystery-adventure game. The basic story is that you play a girl named Ashley who is thirteen and it is a day before her fourteenth birthday (the game takes the month and date of your birthday from your DS and makes it Ashley's). Ashley is an orphan who's parents supposedly died when she was three years old. One day-not long before her birthday-she receives a package. In the package is a birthday card from her father and a small machine that is called a DTS (oddly enough, it looks just like an original DS). The message in the card from her supposed-to-be-dead father says for her to meet him at a place called Blood Edward Island. Ashely decides to accept the invite and goes to figure out/remember what happened on that faithful night nearly eleven years ago.
You need to use the stylus pretty much the entire time. As you go through Edward Mansion, you find clues and strange messages on DTS cards. I liked this game a lot because of how involved you are with the game and the fact that this game has many puzzles that all require you to use all of your brain power to figure out. It really makes you think! And at the end of each chapter, it makes you "review" what you have learned from that chapter. It revolves strictly around memory.
However, sometimes all the thinking can be a problem. Often at times you have to retrace your steps back to past rooms and objects, so it can get pretty repetitive.
Not only that, but there will be times that you feel like yelling "GET TO THE POINT!!"
Also, you can get stuck easily trying to figure out certain puzzles and it will take you a LONG TIME to complete-especially for those who are not as experienced at video games. (Although, if you are pretty well experienced, then it could probably take you less than a day). This game will require your patience and time if you wish to complete it. The more determined you are to finish it, the faster you'll be able to get it done.
The story is gripping from the word go and is very intense. There may seem to be some holes in it at times, but that shouldn't bother you if you really like the game and intend on finishing it. The characters are well written, the enviornments are very interactive (you can explore nearly everything), and the gameplay may be frusturating at times, but is still fun. It will challenge you greatly!
HINTS:
I have read online that there is an "alternate ending" of some sort if you complete the game twice on the same game data slot. It should be easy after the first time now that you know what to do and what not to bother with.