While I know that 2064: Read Only Memories was generally regarded highly by both critics and many gamers out there, I’ll admit that in the end it wasn’t my cup of tea. This sequel absolutely shares some of those same general vibes, but is at least working with a more updated and attractive look, plenty of pretty solid voice work, and what just feels like an overall lighter experience. Whether or not that’s what you’re looking for out of it may be a different matter though.

In terms of the game’s genre, it can likely be considered some sort of classic adventure, though here the focus is far more on the storytelling and character interactions than puzzle-solving. You’ll play as ES88, an Esper who is still learning the extent and effective use of her innate psychic abilities. Of course, the game’s events aren’t going to wait on you getting everything under control, so you’ll be doing some learning on the go, using your funky squid-like companion, your Neurodiver, to explore people’s memories.

While that premise, and the game’s colorful characters (along with some decidedly queer ones that you can choose to count as a positive or negative depending on your inclination), could sound like a good time, I’d say there’s a caveat that’s important to note. While its predecessor was a pretty traditional point-and-click affair, there’s something much more streamlined at play here… and arguably too much so. Granted, the dialogue is generally on point and engaging, and there’s plenty of fun to be had, but more often than not there’s a very “on rails” feel to things where you’re not expected to solve puzzles so much as eventually stumble onto the way forward. 

It could be that I’m over-complicating things, but depending on the experience you’re looking for, this could be an important distinction. Yes, there’s plenty of somewhat weird and silly elements, sufficient flirty talk in places, and in terms of the sights and sounds it’s easy to get sucked into the experience. That said, if you’re less interested in an experience that can feel like it’s bordering on a visual novel in some ways, and were hoping for a more mentally-engaging traditional adventure, it could be a poor match. This is one of those cases where it may really come down to taking in the gameplay, and seeing if it’s an experience you’re able to vibe with. I can absolutely see that there’s a crowd that should love it, but I’d imagine anyone else would likely pass.