When this collection was announced in the September 2023 Nintendo Direct, it was the first time I really learned of this duology of games which had passed by me without notice. However, that introduction was enough for my adventure game enjoying brain to take notice, and I made sure to reserve an NSO voucher so I can work through these games when they came out.

First off, the first game in this duology, Another Code: Two Memories, I found to be an absolute wonder and well-deserving of the hidden gem status. The two narratives of Ashley's and D's pasts weave around each other in a delightful dance to create an engaging experience. The puzzles felt great, and the small little environment of the Edward mansion was enjoyable to explore, almost a little like the Spencer mansion from Resident Evil at times. It's a short, sweet experience, and my highlight from this collection.

The second game, Another Code R - A Journey Into Lost Memories, didn't really hold up as well in my opinions. There were a fair few times during the process of playing this which ended up throwing off my immersion, some of them puzzles, some of them core plot points. That doesn't throw off the whole experience though, Matthew's story involving his past definitely touches some of the same heartstrings that the first game did, even if his arc felt rushed wrapping up.

Ashley as a protagonist, is wonderful, and it was a pleasure to follow her along through the game (aside from a couple times where I was yelling at the screen against her judgement). Her dynamics with numerous characters within the two games end up being great to follow, and a lot of that cast are themselves nice characters to have along in the adventure. They create some great little scenes within the two games that can't help but leave a smile on your face (or leave you feeling sad).

As a remake, it's impressive how well they adapted the first game from the ds to this version, making it feel like it was almost originally designed with this gameplay style in mind. While the artstyle of the remake looks nice, it can certainly end up looking unimpressive at times, especially in the open areas of the second game. Something that really bothered me is that there are puzzles which force the use of motion controls, without any option to turn them off and use more traditional controls. It makes some puzzles feel tedious to complete.

Overall, I think there's a fair bit of worth in this collection. For those more into adventure games, I'd say it's worth checking out. However, if you're more casual about them and only check them out every now and again, I'd say wait for a sale, or if you have a spare NSO voucher you don't have much else to use it on.