MEMEX by Cake&Code

[raw]
made by Cake&Code for LD25 (JAM)
"A belief may be larger than a fact"

MEMEX is an ambient mystery puzzle game where you steal
bits and pieces of someone's memory. You play as the thief,
pushing your way through someone's mind in an attempt to
take away pieces of treasured memories.

But why are you doing this? Who are "you" supposed to be?

Cake&Code welcomes you to try your hand at being the villain
for once, and watch our little story unfold.
Keep in mind, you don't have to collect all the pieces to move on,
but it won't be without consequence.

WASD, Arrows: Move
R, Backspace: Restart Level
Esc: Home

Matias Giachino (Zeik): Code Monkey, Sound Magician
Christina Pham (Cake): Art Guru, UI Design Ninja

Ratings

Coolness 100% 1
Overall(Jam) 3.89 14
Audio(Jam) 3.90 18
Fun(Jam) 3.38 57
Graphics(Jam) 4.47 14
Humor(Jam) 2.03 247
Innovation(Jam) 3.17 101
Mood(Jam) 4.03 7
Theme(Jam) 2.63 264

Feedback

shaneshanekavanagh
18. Dec 2012 · 02:19 UTC
Nice one!
7Soul
18. Dec 2012 · 02:35 UTC
Pretty good. I like how the story was told, and the art is lovely. The puzzle is interesting, and maybe too easy, which is not a bad thing I think. There was only one bug I found, that sometimes I moved 2 squares when I pressed a direction
Jacic
18. Dec 2012 · 03:02 UTC
Very nice! The music and art are amazing!
Falkreon
18. Dec 2012 · 04:09 UTC
The graphics are gorgeous. I love the extremely linear, iconic feel, and how it's carried through all the assets. Still not crazy about the music, and didn't feel like I was really the villain. Hardness just about right where you want for LD (which is to say, casual/easy.) Really dug the story though.
vrav
18. Dec 2012 · 07:42 UTC
Great polish, love the inclusion of story into a little puzzle game like this.
Volpes
18. Dec 2012 · 07:54 UTC
The graphics style is amazing!
nickworks
18. Dec 2012 · 08:36 UTC
Very enjoyable!
Christina Antoinette Neofotistou
18. Dec 2012 · 12:35 UTC
Everything was lovely! The design, the story, the puzzles so so cool! I wanted more. The second music track gave me chills. Kudos you guys!
23
18. Dec 2012 · 13:06 UTC
Best game I've played yet! The graphics for this are exquisite, and the little details in the way your character moves and the interface responds take up another notch.

There are two things I noticed that seemed a little off:

On the second stage, the first time memories collapse, you can get stuck on your first move. It might be better to position it so that you notice that blocks collapse but you can't get stuck right away.

On the last few (two?) levels, the character started moving a lot more quickly, and it made the game feel harder but not in a fair way - it was easy to accidentally push a block too far. Not sure if that was just my machine, though.

Thanks for the beautiful game!
GeorgeBroussard
18. Dec 2012 · 13:09 UTC
Could be a solid puzzle game. Got a Braid vibe from the text between levels.
Azlen
18. Dec 2012 · 16:07 UTC
Great graphics!
BlockBrains
18. Dec 2012 · 17:46 UTC
Really unique style! Amazing :)
Frozen Fractal
18. Dec 2012 · 17:46 UTC
This is beautiful. The artwork is fantastic, and the sound works very well together with it. At first I didn't realize that you don't have to push all blocks to their destinations, but I don't think I missed anything because of that. Rather the contrary. Amazing job!
ChainedLupine
18. Dec 2012 · 18:41 UTC
Very nice, enjoyed how it told the story both through words, the iconography, and the atmosphere.

I was worried I'd not be able to beat this one (as I am typically poor at puzzle games) but I found it not at all difficult, actually.
krutech
18. Dec 2012 · 18:44 UTC
Very atmospheric with interesting puzzles. The gfx is nice aswell.
matthias_zarzecki
18. Dec 2012 · 22:51 UTC
Nice puzzler! The first level being laid out in a way that made me instinctively fail 4 times is a bad thing though :P
Shugor
19. Dec 2012 · 01:23 UTC
This game was a fun play. I was a little annoyed when I got to the last level and accidentally went into the exit. Apart from my little screw-up, great game! and quite an interesting story.
zenmumbler
19. Dec 2012 · 01:28 UTC
Very nice, consistent visual and aural style with a good yet disturbing story. Will try again to see what happens if I don't get the full memories. Puzzles are no challenge but I see them more as vehicles to drive the game forward then as obstacles in this game.
PIXEL^3
19. Dec 2012 · 04:44 UTC
Beautiful. Both the art and story. It kinda reminds me a of a creepy pasta, but one of the well written ones. The puzzles were a little too easy though, I flew through all the levels with little challenge.

~AlucardX60
caranha
19. Dec 2012 · 06:02 UTC
As always, your games are gorgeously beautiful! I loved the fonts, the level designs, the sounds.

The puzzle element is also nice. The idea of having to "open up" paths by choosing which block to collapse was quite novel.

As for the story, I must confess that I didn't quite follow what happened by the end of it. So who is the player controlling actually? Is it the "dark eyed girl" wiping out the narrator's memories? Or what? The story was a bit vague, and I was lost in the end.

Thanks for the game!
Dmitrix
19. Dec 2012 · 06:18 UTC
Amazing! Your game is very well polished. The graphics, music and puzzles are fantastic!
Mezzomatto
19. Dec 2012 · 06:38 UTC
Gorgeous!
Udrian
19. Dec 2012 · 08:12 UTC
Classical puzzle game with a interesting take on. Visually very good and with good music. I like the story that slowly unfolds between each level
Monxcleyr Productions
19. Dec 2012 · 09:37 UTC
Very, very well polished. The art and music were great!
The gameplay is maybe too familiar, but the levels are well designed. I found the movement to be a little too sensitive sometimes, as well.
ananasblau
19. Dec 2012 · 09:49 UTC
Well-done puzzler.
Volute
19. Dec 2012 · 12:08 UTC
Nice mood !
tomvert
19. Dec 2012 · 12:24 UTC
Brilliant graphic style. The puzzle mechanics works well, the games feels very polished.
bigbadwofl
19. Dec 2012 · 12:26 UTC
Awesome mood and graphics. Also quite innovative. Well done.
GFM
19. Dec 2012 · 12:47 UTC
I had yo play this game 4 times to try and make my mind about everything... xD
It's really nice being told the history according to how many fragments you gather... but I missed it changing the ending.
Also, as I understood the game (you being the black-eyed girl, since the player's graphics flashes over her graphic, in the end) it doesn't make sense to me the guy dreaming of everything when you steal the memories... shouldn't it be the other way around? >_<
I'm not sure I understood everything... xD
Nonetheless, awesome game!
D3zmodos
19. Dec 2012 · 17:18 UTC
Really well put together game, slightly annoying the way the movement is sort of continuous, it sometimes doesnt stop where I expect/want it to.
loren
19. Dec 2012 · 20:55 UTC
Great storytelling :) Dug the music and art style!
Puzzlem00n
20. Dec 2012 · 00:16 UTC
This. Is. Amazing.

Maybe I just like you guys, but I loved this a looooot.

So, lemme get this straight: The dark-eyed girl was in a fight with the blond girl over the guy. So, the dark-eyed girl killed the blond girl, and then stole the guy's memories and made the whole thing like a dream to him, allowing him to think that the dark-eyed girl was the one he'd loved all along.

How incredibly dark. Beautiful, just beautiful.

Those path clearing puzzles were also very original, I've never seen anything like that. Same with the story being the incentive for a player to fully beat the level.

I'm trying to make it a habit to give my criticisms in these comments, but I can't think of anything. Perhaps it could use an "undo move" key?
🎤 Cake&amp;Code
20. Dec 2012 · 01:43 UTC
Thanks for all the comments everyone! The controls being fiddly was a trade off we made for long-range movement with a single key press, it might not have been the best decision and we'll try and make the controls are more solid for next time! The feedback is always appreciated :D

@23: We tried our best with the level design but yeah that second level isn't the best of teachers, we'll try to keep that in mind for the future. As for the speed up, sorry to hear about that! I hope it didn't interfere too badly. Thanks again!~

@matthias_zarzecki: Sorry about that! We definitely weren't trying to make levels that punish players. Next time we'll try to make the levels more informative rather than simply evil :)

@zenmumbler: Puzzles were definitely just a vehicle to let the narrative unfold. Thanks!

@caranha: We're sorry about the story not being clear enough! Puzzlem00n has an excellent synopsis in his comment that we hope will clear things up :D

@GFM: The memories are in first person because they are his memories and you in his mind when experiencing them, but yes you are right about the player being the dark-haired girl. Sorry it wasn't more clear! It was a very experimental execution for both of us. We'll definitely learn from all of it. Thanks! :)

@Puzzlem00n: D'awww, you're too kind. We're so glad you enjoy it so much and you totally nailed the story! Thank you <3
Kharza
20. Dec 2012 · 01:54 UTC
Lovely!
GreenPixelDev
20. Dec 2012 · 07:08 UTC
Beautiful style and story! It would be great if you added more levels and more challenge when you continue to build on this! The mood and style are solid so just keep those puzzles coming! :D
CoffeeOnimal
20. Dec 2012 · 08:05 UTC
Very nicely crafted puzzler. Graphics are fantastic, and the music is gorgeous.
The story that ties it all together is short and the ending (intentionally?) vague but it was good enough to get me through to the end. Well done.
hypp
20. Dec 2012 · 20:29 UTC
Very nice! Well done!
bradleypollard
20. Dec 2012 · 21:36 UTC
Artistically fantastic. The music was a little irritating unfortunately, and it got really frustrating how often you would move 2 squares instead of one, and fail near the end of a puzzle and have to do it over. This is why these type of games generally have an undo last action button. Sadly I think it was a rather uninspired genre to choose as well as block pushers are pretty dull, and adding a narrative doesn't really change the gameplay.
The only thing that kept me going till the end was the story, which was damn creepy. Not really sure what it all means, or how you were a villain, but yeah.
monobo
20. Dec 2012 · 21:54 UTC
Same here, did not really get the connection to the theme, apart from that its a really well done puzzler.
Martin Vilcans
20. Dec 2012 · 21:59 UTC
Great mood! At first I didn't understand that you get more of the story the better you finish the level, and I thought the level design was just bad as you could finish a level without pushing all the blocks to their targets. I still think that the puzzles should have been a little bit harder to complete. The connection to the theme is weak in my opinion, even though I understand that it can be explained in the story. The story is intriguing by the way, possibly owing to the music and art direction.
nate427
20. Dec 2012 · 23:19 UTC
Really cool game, although the gameplay is lacking, I really love the overall mood created by the music, graphics, and narrative.
BrothersT
21. Dec 2012 · 02:05 UTC
Really well polished and emotive. The puzzles were quite easy.Maybe I just lucked upon the right solutions but there seemed like there were a lot of them. Really fantastic design.
eraldo
21. Dec 2012 · 04:02 UTC
I love how story and puzzles flow in and out of another.
Music is great. The choice of words creates a special mood.
Great work.. for personal taste.. I would have liked the puzzles to be harder towards the end. :)
kddekadenz
21. Dec 2012 · 16:34 UTC
Procedural stories would have been cool.
Nevermind, I really enjoyed it.
Birchmountain
21. Dec 2012 · 17:11 UTC
A real piece of art and story telling. I came for the looks but stayed for the conclusion! I can't see the connection to the theme but i still get the feeling that i should. Amazing work!
jhrrsn
21. Dec 2012 · 17:13 UTC
Amazing work! Wish I could make something half as beautiful and solid in any amount of time!
bentog
21. Dec 2012 · 17:51 UTC
Wow. Just, wow. This game is perfect, seriously. Great mood, art, and the puzzles aren't too challenging, but relaxing. Congratulations!
Cássio Eduardo
21. Dec 2012 · 19:25 UTC
Really good game.
Jiggawatt
21. Dec 2012 · 19:48 UTC
Real artsy, but you also managed to tie some gameplay into it, which has some gimmicks instead of being just a repackaged Sokoban. I love that the way you complete levels affects how you experience the story.
LoneStranger
21. Dec 2012 · 19:56 UTC
Very well done. I love that not only do you have to push pieces around, but the method you use to open up more paths is adds another dimension. I would play more levels, definitely.
nilstastic
21. Dec 2012 · 20:30 UTC
Good: Nice and polished, I got a good feeling when I played it.
Improve: I missed the rough edges of a 72 hour game.
EatenAlive3
21. Dec 2012 · 20:37 UTC
Well done as always, C&C! I love both the story and how it is revealed. Also, interesting way of representing memories! I like the idea of weak memory blocks that you can collapse.
jujule
22. Dec 2012 · 13:29 UTC
I like the puzzles and I admire the amazing level of polish considering the short time. Good work.
ramoncb
22. Dec 2012 · 23:38 UTC
impressive! =O
loved the puzzle, now I want more!
and the graphics and music really gave the mood

sorry my bad english XD
Winterblood
25. Dec 2012 · 23:13 UTC
Beautifully executed - the player's role in the narrative is unclear even at the finale though, unless you're paying very careful attention. Great concept though.
Oreganik
28. Dec 2012 · 00:33 UTC
Well done. The story definitely left me with that empty "WTF?" feeling a few times, good work. Amazingly elegant for such a short time frame.
csanyk
31. Dec 2012 · 23:06 UTC
This is great. Well done!
impulse9
01. Jan 2013 · 15:13 UTC
I really loved the mood. Fascinating concept.
cardboard
03. Jan 2013 · 06:28 UTC
Very nice visuals, unique story, and the music reminded me of Professor Layton :) Very well done.
AdventureIslands
03. Jan 2013 · 20:48 UTC
Oh man this was just beautiful.

Nice graphics, music, story. I also liked how not clearing all the puzzles makes the text during story parts unreadable. brilliant!
TheMelon
07. Jan 2013 · 07:03 UTC
I love the graphical style. To be honest the story driven by puzzle didn't do it for me, I just lost interest. I think mainly because they felt a little too disconnected. If it was grounded just a little more I think it would of tipped the scale of engagement for me. That said, it is a very well executed game overall!
leafo
07. Jan 2013 · 07:33 UTC
Pretty cool idea. Shame it was so short. Interesting how not getting pieces affects the story.
azurenimbus
07. Jan 2013 · 19:47 UTC
Impressive art and sound. Wish my games one day will look like this :)
Ariake81
07. Jan 2013 · 23:41 UTC
immense, best game of the jam, such a fully realised idea in such a short space of time. excellent work.