Recently though, this changed again as I was sent a digital PDF copy of the Jordan Mechner Visual Novel/memoir, REPLAY, to read and it has reignited my love for two things, 1. Visual Novels 2. Jordan Mechner and his attitude to making video games. Obviously as it was a PDF copy it was almost reigniting my instinct to read a physical book even though I was using my tablet to read the book.
Replay: Memoir of an Uprooted Family by Jordan Mechner is a poignant and vibrant graphic novel that attempts and succeeds in weaving together the stories of three generations of the Mechner family.
Whilst the memoir touches on video games and Jordan's development career that is not the main story beat in this book, so don't expect a complete history of Jordan's games from this wonderful book.
The intriguing narrative spans from World War I to the present day and does a great job of capturing the upheavals and migrations that shaped the Mechner family’s journey. It begins with Mechner’s grandfather, a teenager whose life in a Jewish enclave of the Austro-Hungarian Empire is disrupted by the war. The story then shifts to Mechner’s father, a young boy fleeing the Nazi regime in 1938, and finally to Mechner himself, reflecting on his family’s past as he contemplates moving his own family to France in 2015.
Mechner’s storytelling is both heartfelt, emotional and visually compelling. The graphic novel format allows for a rich, immersive experience, with beautifully drawn scenes and made up of gentle colour tints (almost sepia at times) that truly enhance the emotional depth of the narrative. The memoir is divided into eight chapters, each filled with fast-paced, vivid scenes that bring the family’s history to life.
One of the most striking aspects of Replay is its exploration of the themes of luck and survival. Mechner poignantly illustrates how his family’s existence hinged on a series of fortunate events, underscoring the fragility and unpredictability of life during times of conflict. This theme resonates throughout the memoir, making it a powerful testament to the enduring strength of family bonds in the face of adversity.
The intriguing narrative spans from World War I to the present day and does a great job of capturing the upheavals and migrations that shaped the Mechner family’s journey. It begins with Mechner’s grandfather, a teenager whose life in a Jewish enclave of the Austro-Hungarian Empire is disrupted by the war. The story then shifts to Mechner’s father, a young boy fleeing the Nazi regime in 1938, and finally to Mechner himself, reflecting on his family’s past as he contemplates moving his own family to France in 2015.
Mechner’s storytelling is both heartfelt, emotional and visually compelling. The graphic novel format allows for a rich, immersive experience, with beautifully drawn scenes and made up of gentle colour tints (almost sepia at times) that truly enhance the emotional depth of the narrative. The memoir is divided into eight chapters, each filled with fast-paced, vivid scenes that bring the family’s history to life.
One of the most striking aspects of Replay is its exploration of the themes of luck and survival. Mechner poignantly illustrates how his family’s existence hinged on a series of fortunate events, underscoring the fragility and unpredictability of life during times of conflict. This theme resonates throughout the memoir, making it a powerful testament to the enduring strength of family bonds in the face of adversity.
This type of narrative in the world we live in in 2024 makes it even more striking and at times had me close to tears as I truly was able to empathise with the terror that Mechner's generational family had to deal with during such fragile times. The scenes involving Mechner's dad as a child were both mesmerising and terrifying as I really felt fear for him as the situations unfolded.
SUMMARY
For me, Replay is a beautifully crafted memoir that offers a unique and moving perspective on history, family, and the passage of time. It’s a must-read for fans of graphic novels, Jordan Mechner and anyone interested in personal stories of resilience and survival.
SUMMARY
For me, Replay is a beautifully crafted memoir that offers a unique and moving perspective on history, family, and the passage of time. It’s a must-read for fans of graphic novels, Jordan Mechner and anyone interested in personal stories of resilience and survival.
Don't expect this to be a video game book though as it's more video games adjacent. I would actually love to read a follow up visual novel focussing solely on Jordan's game dev career as some of the topics and episodes that do touch on the game dev side of his life in this memoir could make some super interesting reading for video game geeks like myself.
PURCHASE LINK:
Once You Have Read The Visual Novel Then Visit This Link Here:
This is where Jordan goes behind the scenes to give background and talk about the history covered in the book.
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