GameCentral looks back at Remember Me, the first major game from the creators of Life Is Strange and one of gaming’s most poignant Black heroes.
DontNod, creators of Life Is Strange, released their first game, Remember Me in 2013. Published by Capcom, the game centres around Nillin Cartier-Wells, a Black woman with the ability to access and remix memories of other people.
Within a few minutes of meeting her in-game, one thing becomes clear. Nillin knows who she is and no one, not even Memorize – the evil, capitalist corporation running the entire city – can take that from her.
Looking back, Remember Me was the first game I played where the main character was a Black woman. The first time I played Nilin I was struck by how she moved. Confident in her own body and skills, she did not crumble under the attacks on her mind. Nillin fought against enemies who were intent on erasing her very core. She believed so fully in her mission that she did not stop while having moments through the game where her vulnerability shined.
So often Black Women in the media are portrayed as strong, angry, and stone-faced – especially within fantasy and sci-fi spaces. But Nillin, despite kicking ass and making tough decisions, was given the freedom to be tender and concerned many times throughout the game. It resonated with me, to see Nillin be powerful and also embrace her emotions and complicated feelings.