11-11: Memories Retold

11- 11 Memories Retold is a good story about the First World War, but fails to engage the players until the start of the final part.

If the worst part of war is the waiting, 11-11's writing is often strongest when it's lingering on the mirth, grief and boredom of soldiers before and after the bloodshed. [Jan 2019, p.116]

As Valiant Hearts or This War of Mine, this game wants to show the most painful side of the war. Harry and Kurt are two characters with good stories and drawn like a Monet canvas. But some clumsy puzzles and predictable situations do not let them reach higher.

11-11: Memories Retold is an immersive, beautiful, and emotionally charged game. It’s at its best when it functions as a playable film, with you making the major decisions. Where it falls down is in its clunky gameplay and story beats that are locked behind secret item collection. However, the strong celebrity performances and engaging story more than make up for this and create a really unique experience that is both thought provoking and enjoyable. As the subtlest World War game ever made, there’s nothing more appropriate to play to commemorate the signing of the Armistice.

11-11 tells a war story like we hardly ever see in games. There is a great eye for detail and for beautiful things that can arise from horror. The gameplay elements are not as amazing as the story, but they are not bad either, so you can still thoroughly enjoy the story.

When it comes together, whether in moments of high drama and urgent choices or in the quiet interludes that follow, 11-11 draws you deep into the lives of these men. When it misses the mark, whether through an implausible coincidence, a throwaway puzzle or tedious collectible, it can push you away and cause the surrounding narrative beats to fall flat.

There’s so much that I like about 11–11 Memories Retold; the wonderful story, exceptional vocal performances and, for the most part, a beautiful and refreshingly unique art style. These elements all delight, yet they are let down by some poor minigames and underdeveloped gameplay mechanics. Despite these issues though, I was compelled to see this story to its conclusion, thanks to some smart plotting and a narrative that zips along like the very best page-turning novel.

11-11 Memories Retold tells the intersecting stories of Allied War Photographer Harry and German soldier Kurt as they are thrust together by circumstance. A rushed final act and factual information about WWI hidden in collectibles do, unfortunately, undermine much of the excellent early work.

The whole game is just a postcard to commemorate the end of the Great War. It is touching and frustrating at the same time.

The story engages only at the end.