HHW Gaming Review: ‘Bright Memory: Infinite’ Is Short & Definitely Not Sweet

Source: FYQD-Studio / Bright Memory: Infinite

If you ever wanted to play a video game that feels like a cheesy sci-fi film with great action and some stunning graphics, Bright Memory: Infinite is the game you’re looking for.

Bright Memory: Infinite, developed by FYQD, a small studio, initially sparked our interest a year ago when the first trailer arrived. Being introduced by an up-and-coming developer, the game looked gorgeous and promised to deliver some over-the-top action.

That was a trailer, and does Bright Memory: Infinite live up to what the game’s teaser promised? Not quite, but that doesn’t mean that the game is a total miss. It’s more like a valiant attempt.

The Story In Bright Memory: Infinite Does Not Make Any Sense

Source: FYQD-Studio / Bright Memory: Infinite

We will try our best to break down Bright Memory: Infinite’s story as best as we can. In the game, you take control of Shelia Tan, a bare-bones soldier specializing in investigating supernatural phenomena. A mysterious black hole appears in the sky and is consuming everything and causing cataclysmic weather conditions that Tan must stop.

All of these things are connected with an ancient force that this super evil corporation led by a man the game spends no time introducing us to that has a vested interest in wiping the planet clean using something called the “primordial flood.”

Are you still with us?

Immediately into our playthrough, we learned the game’s plot was just thrown in there by the developer because once you dig into Bright Memory: infinite, you no longer give a damn about what is going on and why things are happening.

During your adventure through the game that is as long as a bad Netflix movie, you will take on a combination of high-tech enemy soldiers and ancient warriors. You will find yourself slaughtering them in various ways without knowing exactly why you are slicing them up and filling foes with bullets.

We can’t even put into words how bad the abrupt ending of this game is. That is something you will just have to see for yourself if you’re still intrigued after reading this review.

The Graphics & Action Is Where This Game Wins

Source: FYQD-Studio / Bright Memory: Infinite

Pointless plot aside, Bright Memory: Infinite is a gorgeous-looking video game. From the splattering of blood when you pop an enemy’s head, the beautiful but always grey world, and gigantic bosses, the game is so good to look at and runs smoothly. We were pretty impressed at how the game utilized the PS5‘s power. There were little to no glitches during play, and framerates were steady as the action picked up.

Source: FYQD-Studio / Bright Memory: Infinite

The developers also did a fantastic job combining the action from games like Devil May Cry and Bulletstorm into one package with Bright Memory: Infinite. It was so satisfying dishing out death using a combination of sword and gunplay that works to perfection.

Whether deflecting bullets with Shelia’s blade, parrying attacks, using her Exo Arm’s telekineses and EMP abilities, or switching over to one of the four firearms in her arsenal, FYQD did a great job nailing this aspect of the game down.

Players can upgrade Shelia’s weapons and abilities by finding green statues called “Reliquaries” or obtaining floating blue orbs after defeating the ancient warriors and heavy high-tech soldiers. Thankfully, this process is not a grind; you will find your character significantly powered up by the end of the game. It will take numerous playthroughs to max out every weapon.

The weapons include a handgun, sniper rifle, shotgun, and assault rifle that feature fantastic secondary firing options that all feel good when used in the game and come in handy during boss battles.

The sword also gets a nifty upgrade allowing you to shoot out energy beams, turning it into a long-range weapon and keeping more formidable enemies at a distance.

Sadly, the action does fizzle out and will get repetitive at many points. FYQD does try to mix things up by throwing in QTE (quick time events), a section of the game that requires stealth, and a rather pointless car driving moment.

Final Verdict

Source: FYQD-Studio / Bright Memory: Infinite

After our brief sitdown with Bright Memory: Infinite, we determined that this isn’t so much a complete video game but a fun tech demo. For $19.99, you’re getting an experience from a rail shooter you would play at Dave & Buster’s.

Whether you want to pay $20 for that is entirely on you. Bright Memory: Infinite isn’t the worst game ever, there are plenty of positives, but the negatives are glaring.

The story is abysmal. The game is too short and leaves you on a cliffhanger that you won’t care about when the credits suddenly roll. There is no reason to return to it unless you care about getting all of the game’s trophies. You must complete the game on more “challenging” difficulties to obtain the highly-coveted platinum trophy.

We did that, and we must say not many changes are noticeable when raising the game’s difficulty. Outside of enemies dishing out more damage, the game still feels like you’re playing on medium difficulty. The only challenge comes from the boss fights, specifically the final boss that will have you screaming at your television.

Bright Memory: Infinite is an interesting project, there were moments we enjoyed, and it looks damn good, but it lacks a story, a crucial component all good video games need, and its runtime is head-scratching. Without those two components, we just don’t see how anyone can walk away from this game, saying, “I want to see how Sheila’s story continues.”

[embedded content]

*Bright Memory: Infinite review code for PS5 was supplied by FYQD*