In Memoriam (video game)

In Memoriam (UK) - Missing: Since January (US)
Developer(s)	Lexis Numérique
Publisher(s)	Ubisoft (UK/EU), The Adventure Company (US)
Platform(s)	Microsoft Windows, Macintosh
Release date(s)	October 17, 2003 (UK, DE) [June 29 2004 (US)
Genre(s)	Adventure, Puzzle
Mode(s)	Single Player
Rating(s)	PEGI: 16+, ESRB: Mature (M)
Media/distribution	CD-ROM/DVD
System requirements Windows: 333 MHz Intel Pentium II or AMD Equivalent CPU 128 MB RAM 16x CD/DVD-ROM drive 700 MB hard disk space DirectX compatible graphics card DirectX compatible sound card Windows

In Memoriam (known as Missing: Since January in the US) is an adventure video game for Windows and Macintosh. It uses alternate reality-style gameplay, in which the player receives e-mails from other in-game characters, including the game's main antagonist. The player needs to find information and clues to the games' puzzles on the Internet, both from real websites, and from specially-created websites that have been mixed in with other "real-world" domains.

Plot

The game centers around the disappearance of journalist Jack Lorski, and his young female companion, Karen Volker, in Europe while investigating a series of bizarre murders. Some weeks later, the agency they work for receives a package containing a CD-ROM. On this CD-ROM is a mixture of disturbing footage and reports made by Jack, but also some other data including puzzles and messages, created by someone referring to themselves only as "The Phoenix."

The agency then decides to release the CD-ROM to the public in the hope of finding out what happened to Jack and Karen. This is where the player comes in.

In 1971, a beach goer accidentally witnesses the murder of Dr. Volker, Karen's father. Years later, Jack Lorski randomly purchases the video camera with the film still inside. Tracking down Karen, the two decide to track down the killers. It turns out a group called Manus Domini, a solar cult, murdered Dr. Volker to prevent him from releasing the "cursed codex" of the Nag Hammadi. The Phoenix in turn, is murdering the members of Manus Domini, in order to fulfill the initiation ritual of Giordano Bruno, whom he claims to be the reincarnation of. After realizing he is being tracked by Karen and Jack, he kidnaps them both in order to bring attention to the murders, and reveal the existence of Manus Domini.

Upon completing the primary games, the player is given the opportunity to play a game with the Phoenix for Karen's and Jack's life. Regardless of the outcome, a member of SKL, the paper investigating Jack's disappearance, hacks the Phoenix's site and locate Jack and Karen, who are found and rescued.

Sequel

An expansion, titled The 13th Victim, was produced and released in late 2005. A sequel, entitled In Memoriam 2: The Last Ritual was produced, and was released in France in September 2006. On July 14, 2006, The Adventure Company announced it was to bring the sequel to the US under the name Evidence: The Last Ritual. The game was released on October 17, 2006.

External links

• Official website for In Memoriam
• Missing: Since January at MobyGames
• ARGN Review
• Trailer for In Memoriam 2 (in French)