“Remember Me”

3 out of 5 stars

For Playstation 3, Xbox 360

•Style: Action

•Rating: M for Mature

• Interesting science fiction concept, expansive world.

• Core game mechanics feel hackneyed, and battles aren’t as fun as they could be.

• There’s plenty to like, but the gameplay is uninspiring.

“Remember Me” is an interesting take on the type of thought-provoking science fiction that ultimately expands video games as a genre. Unfortunately, it plays as the type of frustrating title that feels like a step backward.

I love the concept behind “Remember Me.” You play as Nilin, a former memory hunter in a world where your memories are comoditized and regulated by corporations. You almost were killed by the corporation for which you used to work. Now you have to find a way to get your memories back and bring about the downfall of a mysterious entity.

An almost perfect setup for a game: Plenty of action elements, a revenge plot, a strong female protagonist — this game has a lot going for it, especially when the game has Nilin remixing and changing peoples’ memories, something apparently only she can do.

The game falls off the tracks quickly, however. Much of “Remember Me” is far too linear — as Nilin, you can only jump about two feet unless there’s a wall with a grip you’re supposed to jump to. That means much of time in the game is directed toward one area, similar to a sidescroller.

The fighting system is a cool concept, in that Nilin can choose the type of attacks she wants. You can even design combos that will heal you, should you land them.

However, combos are rhythm-based, meaning you can’t just spam a certain button. The enemies are interesting to see at first, but there isn’t enough variety for this kind of beat-’em-up to hold your interest for long.

Unfortunately, the copy I bought froze several times on my PS3. I don’tknow how often that happened to others — as of Wednesday I couldn’t find any forums dedicated to “Remember Me” glitches — but it’s a troubling and frustrating experience to want to play a game as intellectual as “Remember Me” and finding yourself unable to.

“Remember Me” will ultimately be a cult favorite, I’m guessing. There’s plenty of interesting plot mechanics and themes, even if it feels like the game hurries you through the opening sequences. Regardless, “Remember Me” needed better execution for such an intriguing game.