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Netflix Desta: The Memories Between review - "Pass the ball and conquer your dreams"

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Netflix Desta: The Memories Between review - "Pass the ball and conquer your dreams"

Netflix has been working harder to make a name for itself in the gaming market and is currently focused on mobile games. Though it has released a few original titles, one of the more interesting offerings is Desta: The Memories Between. With all the mechanics at play and the amount of effort put into each area of the game, it could prove to be among their most noteworthy titles. Still, people will need to actually find their way to it as the marketing has been somewhat quiet. This could be because the devs at Netflix are hoping for the game to be able to speak for itself.

What is Desta up to?

Stories about dreams can be some of the most fantastical, nonsensical, and deeply personal narratives out there. With Desta: The Memories Between, the dreams appear a bit more grounded than usual. You play as Desta, a young non-binary person who has returned home after a long absence. They distanced themself from everyone close to them as a result of their father unexpectedly passing away. Now that they've returned, they're reminded of all the people they shut out and begin having dreams revolving around this guilt. Using their father's resolution techniques, they must confront these people and try to restore their relationship with them. A dream-like scenario about achieving personal growth is worth exploring.

Having a ball with Desta

Dreams can present you with a variety of weapons and sometimes normal objects are the most surprising. Desta: The Memories Between does this, which causes certain aspects of it to stand out. The biggest is the ball mechanic. Though you'll have multiple units that can make strategic moves, your primary means of defence are balls. Scattered around the field, both enemy and ally units can pick up and throw them. They'll do damage on contact with an opposing unit while in motion. This opens up a lot in the realms of strategy: placement, angles, hitting multiple units, spreading out, ganging up, and more. Just this one mechanic adds so much to the experience and challenge.

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Adding on to the sheer number of options in terms of attacking, there's a lot to choose from when it comes to planning. You'll only be able to take three units (one of them being Desta) into battle, but you'll unlock a big roster to mix and match between. Each unit has different stats and abilities, but it's not too much you can't keep track. Desta also has a wide range of Insights which act as abilities to use in battle and Memoria which add passive effects to certain actions. Each one has its uses as you go through the chapters and you'll get breaks in between chapters to practice.

Desta drops the ball

Handling the ball sounds easy enough, but even the most talented athlete can drop it occasionally. Desta: The Memories Between has a tight hold but fumbles on a big issue. This is mainly through the strict nature of the game. While it does offer you the chance to reverse moves before ending your turn, that's where the lenience ends. Each dream only gives you one chance to succeed, and if you lose all your units, you wake up. This means you lose all your Insights and Memoria you've gained, which forces you to start with nothing. Since dreams get much harder as time goes on, this can really set you back. You also can't restart dreams which may be too powerful to include, but limited uses would be nice to have.

Dreaming of Desta

Desta: The Memories Between is a turn-based mobile game about using balls to take out human manifestations in dreams. It has creative attack and strategy mechanics while giving you lots of options in terms of making your best team. The harsh punishment for losing just once can be a bit off-putting though, so caution is necessary. Should you have the patience to come up with a plan, you'll be able to help Desta look for the memories between.

Netflix Desta: The Memories Between review - "Pass the ball and conquer your dreams"

Desta: The Memories Between is a dodgeball-like turn-based strategy game set in personal dreams where you really need to plan each move.
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Will Quick
Will Quick
Will Quick is a travelling writer currently dedicating his time to writing about the games he spends his free time playing. He's always on the lookout for the smaller and stranger of the bunch so he can shine a light on them.