Bright Memory: Infinite is a first-person shooter/hack and slash hybrid developed by FYQD Studio and published by PLAYISM. Bright Memory: Infinite and its predecessor, Bright Memory, have had quite an interesting story. Developed by a single developer, Bright Memory (the original) was released as an Early Access game that highlighted some of the work FYQD Studio (again, a single person) put into the project. Ever since the Early Access version released, fans and those interested have been waiting to see what else lie in store for this ambitious title. Bright Memory: Infinite, the full release, rises to this challenge. Will its high-octane gameplay and visual spectacle rise to the moment? Well, despite the title of the game, we don’t have all day to find out.
A Visual Spectacle and Delight
Bright Memory: Infinite can be described in a lot of ways. Breathtakingly beautiful is one of those ways. I’ve reviewed and played games that had great graphics in a lot of different ways. Lovingly handcrafted character models, contrast between the grittiness and softness of cell-shaded environments, and even just interesting looking designs and environments. Bright Memory: Infinite is beautiful simply because it looks stunning, like a triple A title developed using the most cutting-edge graphics engines, lighting systems, and visual effects. Bright Memory: Infinite seeks to impress by wowing its players with visual spectacle. The soundtrack is also great as well, combining traditional Chinese sounds and notes with modern electronic tracks.
More like Infinite Adrenaline, Right?
Bright Memory: Infinite’s gameplay is top notch, taking the very best of first-person shooter and first-person hack and slash games and combining them into a fluid combat system that feels both smooth and satisfying to use. Cutting down bad guys with your Light Blade, using your abilities to lift enemies, and blasting a boss with a shotgun all feel equally satisfying and rewarding. The instant you start firing a weapon or drawing your sword, you know. This guy gets first person shooters. Reload animations have been a recent trend in the FPS community and Bright Memory: Infinite’s reload animations, although maybe not as pitch perfect as AAA games, serve as great visual and audio feedback, a way for the player to go “who’s next”, with the tug of a charging handle or a quick slap of a bolt release.
Fighting enemies itself is also satisfying. Rank and file grunts serve as fodder for your bullets, special ammo like fire shells and tracking bullets, abilities, and blade. Tougher foes like shotgunners and snipers serve as occasional dangers, ensuring that the player doesn’t fall into a lull of shoot and kill. The challenge of Bright Memory: Infinite though comes in the more elite enemies you encounter. Big, armored guys with electrostaffs, ancient warriors with swords and shields, and boss fights sprinkled throughout all force the player to engage them in different ways. The various movement options, such as slides, dodges, jumps, and wall runs, sword blocks and counters, and mixing up attacks will all be necessary to deal with these fearsome foes.
Mostly Bright Spots
Obviously, Bright Memory: Infinite isn’t a perfect game. Despite the rave review I’ve been giving it so far, there are some blemishes on an otherwise bright game (haha pun). Enemies, particularly, the more difficult ones I mentioned earlier, can sometimes feel like bullet sponges, their attacks hitting you like a freight train and your assault rifle shooting wet noodles. On harder difficulties, there is heavy reliance on perfect counters and blocks, making mistakes uber punishing. The story is also pretty alright. It’s definitely not bad. There have been worse FPS plotlines written by larger development studios, but Bright Memory: Infinite’s story just doesn’t jump out to me as much as the rest of the game does.
One Man Army
Bright Memory: Infinite is, at its core, one man’s passionate love letter to fast paced shooters. The speed, fluidity, satisfaction, and instant gratification of shooting down enemies or cutting them down with your blade are visceral and addicting. I was already hooked on the gameplay the instant I double jumped over a bad guy, slashed him with my blade, dodged past his buddy and sprayed them both down with my assault rifle, all within the game’s first few moments. The speed, the freedom to choose how to approach situations, and the tools at your disposal all make Bright Memory: Infinite one of the best mechanically feeling FPS games I have ever played, up there with the likes of Doom or Titanfall. The fact that this game was developed by a single person is even more impressive. What flaws Bright Memory: Infinite has would be overlooked in other games, seen as minor balance issues and honestly, given that it’s only developed by a single person, only demonstrates how impressive of a package Bright Memory: Infinite is when it has so few flaws. This is an indie developer and game worth supporting. The sheer quality and passion that is in this project deserves that completely.
9.5/10
Check Out the Bright Memory: Infinite Gameplay Trailer:
Bright Memory: Infinite will be available for Steam for PC and will support English and Japanese voice and text, and Simplified Chinese, Latin American Spanish, German, French, Russian, and Brazilian Portuguese language text.
For more information, please visit the PLAYISM website.
Steam Review
My name is Matt Tran and I have been playing video games since I could remember holding a controller. I've always been a hardcore gamer growing up, from the hectic MW2 and Halo 3 lobbies, my many journeys through several Halo clans and my current exploits with my Destiny 2 clan. I love shooters and RPGs and overanalyzing every component of every game I've played, from weapon stats to ideal perks. When I have time to play other games, I currently play Genshin Impact and Star Wars Squadrons.
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