Neural Nexus is a 2.5D Metroidvania-inspired platformer game that uses memory retention as a game mechanic. You play as John, a cybernetically augmented person that suffers from anterograde amnesia; an impairment that hinders John’s ability to recall recent memories. To remedy the symptoms of amnesia, he receives implants that allow him to record memories as video footage. John awakens from hibernation in the company’s clinic where the implants are tested and has trouble remembering where he is and how he ended up that way. The player’s main objective is to collect his memory cards scattered around his vicinity and “figure out who you are”. Along the way, John discovers dark secrets about himself, the company who provided him with the implants, and his relationship with his wife, Jane.
Neural Nexus takes inspiration from Mega Man, Remember Me, and Detroit: Become Human, more particularly the memory-based game mechanics that exist in them. The game intends to create a memory-based mechanic that serves a purpose not just through story, but also mechanically, where the programmed systems make up for the experience and at the same time encourage progression. John’s memories contain clues to help players progress, as well as reveal more about himself. Through this project, Neural Nexus aims to explore how memory-based systems can create new and interesting experiences in video games.