Another Code: Recollection

United States
Canada
Mexico
Europe
Germany
Australia
South Africa
Saudi Arabia
Southeast Asia
Japan
South Korea
Taiwan/Hong Kong

Name

Japanese

アナザーコードリコレクション：２つの記憶 / 記憶の扉 (Anazā Kōdo Rikorekushon: Futatsu no Kioku / Kioku no Tobira)

Korean

어나더 코드 리컬렉션: 2개의 기억/기억의 문

Chinese

Another Code 回憶錄：兩種記憶／記憶之門

Genre

Adventure, Puzzle, Mystery

Developer

Arc System Works

Publisher

Nintendo

Platform

Nintendo Switch

Release

^Global January 19, 2024

Rating

CERO: B
ESRB: Teen
PEGI: 12
USK: 6
ACB: M
GRAC: 12
GSRR: PG 12
ClassInd: 12
SMECCV: B15
FPB: 13 CI V L
IMDA: General
Gmedia: 12
MRO (UAEmedia): 12

Another Code: Recollection is a duology game collection released on the Nintendo Switch on January 19, 2024. It was developed by Arc System Works and published by Nintendo.

The collection includes full remakes of the point-and-click adventure games Another Code: Two Memories and its sequel, Another Code: R - A Journey into Lost Memories, which was produced from the ground up, making it the first time that the sequel released in North America.

It features overhauled visuals, fully explorable environments, all new voice acting, puzzles, and music. It supports multiple languages and play modes, as well as optional puzzle tips and navigation systems for beginners. In addition, some unused scenarios, music, and events have been implemented.^[1]

Recollection features a number of story changes for both games. While the first game is more of a faithful adaptation, the sequel has major narrative shifts. However, the general broad strokes of the plot beats are kept the same.

Story synopsis

The story is set in February 2005 and is focused on a teenager named Ashley Mizuki Robbins whose parents studied memories. Ashley was led to believe she was an orphan, however, one day she receives a parcel for her 14th birthday containing a letter and a strange device called Dual Another System (DAS). The letter reveals her father is alive and is waiting her on Blood Edward Island. Ashley visits the island with her aunt Jessica.

While exploring the island, Ashley meets a ghost named D whose spirit has haunted the island for 57 years ever since he passed away in 1948. D is unable to remember anything about his life, including his true name, and why and how he died. Ashley and D work together to find her father and recover D's lost memories. She even discovers what happened to her mother along the way.

In 2007, Ashley visits Lake Juliet and becomes involved in another journey where she assists a homeless teenage boy named Matthew Crusoe in locating his missing father Michael. Ashley also attempts to uncover more of her mother (Sayoko Robins)'s past after the former gets flashbacks, specifically when her and Sayoko were visiting Lake Juliet.

Differences

Gameplay changes

Ashley exploring the town of Lake Juliet

Cutscenes have been added or remade, where characters are voiced for the first time in the series in both English and Japanese. In Two Memories, some of the characters are animated.
- When having a conversation with other characters, it is presented in a manga style.
The game has entirely new puzzles.
In Two Memories, the original top down perspective was changed to third person and in Journey into Lost Memories, the player can fully explore in 3D instead of 2.5D.
The DAS is no longer used as a menu, a regular menu is used instead.
The flashbacks/memories the characters have are in a new and altered art style.

Story, text changes and localization

See: Another Code: Recollection changes for a list focusing on story changes

The localized North American version is more faithful to the original Japanese script/European versions of Another Code: Two Memories, instead of Trace Memory (see also: Trace Memory localization changes). Because of this, Ashley seems less angsty and moody compared to the original North American script, and she seems less annoyed and angry at Jessica. Ashley receives a hug from her as well.
- Another Code: R has some major changes to its plot however.
The European name for Ashley and her family was chosen in all regions (Robins), instead of being written the same way as the North American version (Robbins).
The Localized name of TAS reverts to RAS, the Japanese name.
The English voice acting was done in Canada as supposed to the United States or United Kingdom, specifically at KOKO Productions, which have a background with Nintendo by working on some commercials.
Several North American and European localizers that did work on the Another Code series also worked on this game, such as Ann Lin, Reiko Ninomiya, Matthew Mawer, and Andrea De Benedetto, the localization leads.

Characters and objects

Dan Maxwell who has an altered appearance in a cel-shaded style

The new design of the (DAS) — The new design of the Dual Another System (DAS)

The in-game models of the characters are cel shaded.
The characters have been redesigned to varying degrees, with the most heavy changes being done in Journey into Lost Memories. Dan Maxwell and Janet Rice have been race-swapped. Since everyone in the original games excluding Ashley and her mother were Caucasian, it's possible that they altered the ethnicity of these characters to have more diversity.
Most of the characters are also wearing different clothes and accessories, such as Ashley, Jessica and Cliff Fox. As an example, they are seen with pants, necklaces and watches instead of shorts, skirts and heels. However, completing the game will allow the player to replay Two Memories with Ashley's original outfit.
- In Two Memories, Ashley's model includes a pouch on the back side of her jeans, which isn't there in the original.
- There is seemingly a nod to Pinkie Rabbit on Ashley's hoodie since The North Wells University logo is shown with rabbit ears. The developers probably included this to reference her fondness of the fictional character in-universe.
The design of the DAS was altered to resemble a Nintendo Switch instead of a DS / DSi, with the color of the device changed to black with white sides and neon blue light stripes.
New collectibles were included, such as the Another keys.

Audio and music

See also: Another Code: Recollection/Music

Both of the game's soundtracks are re-recorded with new arrangements, as well as completely new music tracks. Two Memories' puzzles now use an arranged track of "Everything Comes Together" instead of silence. The sound effects/sound clips seemingly have been reused or re-recorded.

No official soundtrack was released for the game, but it has been ripped by fans.

The credits theme of the game is "To the Place I Call Home" sung by Jolianne Salvado.

Development

Another Code: Recollection was developed by Arc System Works, with some members being former Cing employees.

The remake was announced as part of a Nintendo Direct on September 14, 2023.^[2]

On December 14, 2023, a second trailer was released, alongside a free demo which will let players carry over their save data to the main game.

On January 19, 2024, a release trailer was uploaded.

Reception

Another Code: Recollection received mixed reviews from critics and has a 72 out of 100 on Metacritic. Metro gave it a 5/10 and felt the remake was "strange" due to having the opinion that obscure adventure games "do not deserve the attention" of having remakes.[1]

However, Metacritic's user score is much more positive at around a 8.5/10 by players.[2]

The game received praise for bringing Ashley's story to a new generation, similar to a fresh coat of paint, and also for serving to introduce players into Another Code. However, it also received some criticism for its various story rewriting and changes, especially the handling of the Wii game, making some fans believe the writing has become weaker with worse characterizations in some areas. A number of veteran fans do not view Recollection as complete replacements of the originals, and instead recommend players to play or watch playthroughs of the originals.

Some players have criticized the facial changes done to Ashley, especially in the sequel, as her more realistic look has been shifted to a more anime-influenced one, which has been argued to be unfitting of her age, as well as players feeling she looks like a generic anime character.

Trivia

The game's box art is made by Another Code's former Art Director Taisuke Kanasaki, and it uses a drawing he made in February 2022 as a base.^[3]
The subtitle, Recollection, can be seen as a play on words as both a reference to remembering, a major theme of the games, and also "collection", as the remake contains two games.
Both games also released for the first time in Sweden and South East Asia. Additionally, Journey into Lost Memories released for the first time in Australia, amongst other countries.
Instead of adding in the player's birthdate, Another Code: Two Memories has Ashley's canonical birthdate be the same as the Wii version of Another Code: R.
There is no game select menu. Instead, the player will play Two Memories first, then Journey into Lost Memories after the first game has been completed. Previous areas at multiple points of the game will also be locked as the story progresses, thus making the player miss out on some items or collectibles if they're not cautious enough.