New Trailer Proves that 'Remember Me' is Stylish but will it be Remembered?

Remember Me, Capcom's latest new IP, seems promising thanks to a universe that appears to be equal parts Minority Report, Aeon Flux, and the Matrix. The world is vibrant and the rules that define the fiction are the stuff that iconic science fiction is made of. With that said, our hands-on time with the game has been... questionable. My recent hands-on with the game at PAX was clunky to control and oddly enough, completely absent of the mechanic that sets the game apart from the competition. Luckily Capcom has swooped in and dropped this detailed trailer to explain how memories play a role in the universe and in the gameplay.

Not unlike a lot of modern science fiction, Remember Me establishes a universe in which humans have let science and ambition alter the world in some rather unsavory ways. In this instance, the ability to commercialize and interact with memories has birthed a new kind of law enforcement and ultimately created a dystopian future that is full of immoral characters and unstoppable power struggles. Players will be able to drain NPC's of key memories and use them to solve puzzles, expand their combat knowledge, and influence the behavior of others.

In the company of such a stylish and beautiful world, i am sure these mechanics will have their merit but I can't shake the feeling that the structure of the game will prevent it from being fully realized. Nothing about this game appears to be open and with such a tighly controlled progression, I am worried that there will never be more than one solution to any given problem. Being able to play around and investigate the memories of other people sounds fun but I don't want it to be in the interest of finding a single possible outcome. Give me branching narratives. Give me multiple ways to affect or alter a memory. Give me more than one way to solve a puzzle or deal with a tough combat scenario. Give me anything except for a shallow and linear adventure game because everything else about the presentation says it is otherwise.

If I am right about this lack of choice, Capcom is going to need to bank hard on a compelling narrative to remain relevant or at least bulld a niche following. Games like Singularity have managed to carry themselves and even make up for some shallow sci-fi mechanics thanks to their thought provoking plot. Of course, I shouldn't complain considering how many risks Capcom has been taking lately. The company is far less predictable than it used to be and I hope they stay that way.

How do you think Remember Me will fair in 2013? Do you plan on playing the game when it launches on June 4, 2013?