Review
Played on: Xbox Series XReleased: 2022
Originally released: 2020 (titled Bright Memory)
With modern development tools I've sometimes wondered if it’s possible for one, talented, person to make a game all alone and come close to modern, large budget, visuals. Chinese developer, Zeng "FYQD" Xiancheng, did just this. He utilised the Unreal Engine 4 development kit and made his own first-person shooter. Granted, he had some help of visual artists for character models but most of the work was done in his spare time.
Released in 2020 alongside the launch of Xbox Series X/S, Bright Memory jumped on the platform as one of the few current gen-only titles. It would later be polished and extended with more content, then released as Bright Memory Infinite in 2022. The latter is the version I picked up.
Let's take a quick look!
With modern development tools I've sometimes wondered if it’s possible for one, talented, person to make a game all alone and come close to modern, large budget, visuals. Chinese developer, Zeng "FYQD" Xiancheng, did just this. He utilised the Unreal Engine 4 development kit and made his own first-person shooter. Granted, he had some help of visual artists for character models but most of the work was done in his spare time.
Released in 2020 alongside the launch of Xbox Series X/S, Bright Memory jumped on the platform as one of the few current gen-only titles. It would later be polished and extended with more content, then released as Bright Memory Infinite in 2022. The latter is the version I picked up.
Let's take a quick look!
In the intro movie, which feels a little b-tier, we're introduced to the main protagonist, Shelia. She's assigned to stop a military organisation from getting their hands on an ancient power that reawakens the dead. The game takes place on a floating world hovering above the Antarctic, called Land of Sky, home to ancient creatures. As you've probably gathered, enemies range from stereotype mercenaries to mythical creatures!
It’s a visually impressive job for a single person to design. Sure, we have shooters with vastly larger worlds with finesse in smaller details and especially the quality of character design, but this shines considering its development.
Impressively playable in 60fps, even with ray tracing, or a smooth 120fps mode, my personal favourite. Resolution goes all the way to 4K in 60fps mode, while 120fps is a respectable 1440p. The result is responsive controls for the satisfying and fast gunplay mechanics. There's even a third person toggle for character movement, further showcasing what the Unreal Engine can be capable of.
We’ve seen larger studios, especially from Japan, badly optimise the UE4 engine. Yet somehow, this guy manages to do excellently with a stable framerate and high resolution.
You’d think the single developer would settle for a standard shooter approach, but he throws in competent melee combat too. An impressive feature as first-person melee, combined with speedy gameplay, can be quite tricky to pull off successfully.
Shelia can pull off attacks with her katana sword for close combat combined elemental powers, such as an energy blast to take down the enemies or send them afloat in the air while you slash away with the sword.
Along the way there's even a driving and stealth segment, and it all ends in a massive boss fight for the ending! Furthermore, there’s even a small skill tree to level up your abilities. In other words, there's a lot of ideas and meat on the bone for such a short experience!
Visually, it has a clear oriental design to its environments with Chinese inspired temples between rainy grass and stone covered roads. The late evening look has a pleasant atmosphere, with the moon light shining on various surfaces for added visual flair. While it’s rather one-sided in its environmental design, it's visually satisfying to roam about.
The major downside is its lifespan. Clocking in at around the two hour mark, it’s a noticeably short experience. Once your done there's not that much to keep you playing it. This is reflected in its low price tag at least, plus it’s an intense ride while it lasts.
I'd say there’s a impressively solid foundation to build a sequel on. I’d recommend trying it, even just for the sake of playing a shooter that holds its head up well alongside massive, triple A, shooters visually.
Visually, it has a clear oriental design to its environments with Chinese inspired temples between rainy grass and stone covered roads. The late evening look has a pleasant atmosphere, with the moon light shining on various surfaces for added visual flair. While it’s rather one-sided in its environmental design, it's visually satisfying to roam about.
The major downside is its lifespan. Clocking in at around the two hour mark, it’s a noticeably short experience. Once your done there's not that much to keep you playing it. This is reflected in its low price tag at least, plus it’s an intense ride while it lasts.
I'd say there’s a impressively solid foundation to build a sequel on. I’d recommend trying it, even just for the sake of playing a shooter that holds its head up well alongside massive, triple A, shooters visually.
