‘Bright Memory: Infinite’ Review: Titanfall Meets Crysis In Thrilling Single-Player Campaign

As I shoot and slice my way through hordes of sci-fi soldiers and mythical demons, I'm in awe of Bright Memory: Infinite. This slick, ambitious title takes all the positives of its predecessor, Bright Memory, and adds a more refined feel to its two-hour campaign. While that may sound short to some, I can assure you that it’s all but infinitely replayable.

Watch our gameplay video of Bright Memory: Infinite here

You play as Shelia, an agent of the Supernatural Science Research Organization (SRO). Shelia (that’s not a typo), is tasked with investigating an apocalyptic phenomenon, and to do this she’ll need to eliminate waves of enemies. This is where you come in, wielding bullets and blades like the perfect killing machine. 

Story aside, Bright Memory: Infinite is all about the arcade-like gameplay. The violent harmony as you swap between weapons in order to spectacularly put down your opponents is so epic that it almost feels like you’ve entered first-person perspective in a Devil May Cry title. Squeeze off some rounds, dodge an attack, stun a foe with a special ability, unleash your futuristic sword, and before you know it, you’ll be surrounded by an array of corpses from different eras.

You see, you’ll fight a welcome array of enemies in Bright Memory: Infinite. Some of them are basic FPS fodder, like the enemy grunts in their unsettling, astronaut-style suits. But then you have giant Chinese demons, capable of flattening you with a single throw of a boulder. The variety of baddies keeps you engaged all the way, even if some of them are ridiculous bullet sponges.

Sadly, it’s not all smooth sailing. During the review phase, Bright Memory: Infinite crashed several times. Each one forced a reboot of the game that wasn’t too bad to live with, but one happened just as I’d beaten a boss and sent me all the way back to the start of the fight. Given just how arduous a scrap it was on my first go, I was understandably annoyed.

However, publisher PLAYISM has confirmed one patch already to deal with the issue, and one would assume more fixes are on the way. Here’s hoping developer FYQD-Studio gets on top of this, because Bright Memory: Infinite really is superb when it’s running properly.

There’s also the issue of quick time events. This staple of ‘00s gaming feels long past its welcome at this point, and its presence in Bright Memory: Infinite is no exception. Add to that the fact all cutscenes are unskippable (including those without QTEs) and you’ll find repeat plays lack the ideal pace. 

Despite these drawbacks, there is an awful lot to like about Bright Memory: Infinite. Fighting crowds of enemies never gets old, especially when it’s broken up by superb boss fights, a thrilling car chase and some visually spectacular set pieces. More of it would be nice, but this instalment in the Bright Memory franchise is enough for now.

Pros: Frenetic gameplay, variety of weapons, memorable enemies

Cons: Crashed multiple times, some players may prefer a longer runtime

For fans of: Bright Memory, Crysis series, Titanfall series

7/10: Very Good