The prime directive in gaming is to stay alive and beat all odds to reach the stated goals of the action. Foregoing this credo, Shadow of Memories kills you off immediately, without any discretion on your part, and subsequently gives you a chance to rescue yourself from impending doom. 
   Taking place in a melancholy European city, Eike Kusch still walks the earth (time travel is good like that) and seeks clues and interaction to stop his own destruction. Eike rides the wave through four time periods, from the present to the 1500s when alchemy was fair sport for medieval chemists. Along the way, problems must be solved, friends saved, and museums completed. Successfully navigating all obstacles leads to a happily ever after endgame. 
   The story in Shadow is told through emphatic cinemas and 3-D action. Quality voice acting and aural support lend much to the atmosphere of the game. A bonus for USA fans is the option of full English language support, a trend that started in Bouncer and continued in Onimusha. 
   Another treat lies in the preview of Silent Hill 2, included on the DVD, which looks spectacular. Movies and games were once disparate entities but SH2 blurs the line with it's incredibly lifelike "actors", motion, and yes, cinematography.