The Zero Escape Series by Kotaro Uchikoshi

[kboyrulez12345]

 

 

Finally, I've been meaning to get to this. So...what exactly is this "Zero Escape" series of video games you may ask? First a little background.

 

The Zero Escape series are basically visual novels with puzzle elements. In other words, think Ace Attorney, only instead of going to court in trials, the gameplay section consists of puzzles that you must solve in order to escape the current room you're trapped in. I'll start explaining the story so it can make a bit more sense:

 

 

999 is the first game in the series. A college student named Junpei, while returning back to his dorm, get's knocked out by sleeping gas and get's kidnapped by a person in a mask, who tells him he has been chosen to participate in the "Nonary Game". When he awakens, he finds himself on a ship. To make matters worse, the room he's in suddenly starts to get flooded in water, and he has to find a way to escape before his demise. 

 

This is where the gameplay part of this visual novel comes in. After certain story segments, you must find a way to escape the room your trapped in. There's no time limit to complete these puzzles btw, despite the fact that in the first puzzle the room Junpei is in starts getting flooded. (It's gameplay and story segregation basically. There will never be a time limit.) The puzzles will consist of you doing all sorts of things, but the objective will always stay the same: escape the room your in. The puzzles in this game are pretty difficult, but, what I like most about them, is that they don't feel impossible. If you manage to solve a puzzle(especially ones from the later half of the game) without a guide, you'll feel pretty accomplished. 

 

After Junpei manages to escape the flooded room, he eventually comes across other people who, like him, had to escape from a death defying room and are trapped on the ship like him. All of this people are player's of the "Nonary Game", a game where they must escape the ship in 9 hours before it sinks. They learn all this from the mastermind of the game, "Zero", the person in the mask. 

 

That's basically the synopsis as a whole, explaining anything else would give away the good parts. What this game and it's sequel are remembered the most for is it's story. The story is pretty much praised by critics and fans alike as one of the best in a while, which I agree with. On the surface it sounds a lot like the Saw movies, but trust me, once you start playing the game you'll know that it's not just a copy of those films. (For one these games are 10x better.) I really, REALLY think, those who like good stories in video games should pick these games up. I truly believe there is something there that many people will enjoy with this game.

 

If that hasn't convinced you, there's Operation Bluebird, but before I explain that, let me get into something else.

 

You see, this game, and it's sequel, Virtue's Last Reward, are pretty popular in North America. In Japan...not so much. Apparently it didn't sell well in it's home country, which is why, after Virtue's Last Reward, the series was put on hiatus. This prompted Operation Bluebird, a fan campaign to show support for the final game in the trilogy. Check out there twitter here: https://twitter.com/SaveZeroEscape

 

The reason why I decided to make this topic is because it is strongly hinted Zero Escape 3 is coming via the director's Twitter. Unfortunately he deleted his tweets soon after. Very suspicious...

 

 

Anyway, the first game in the series, 999, is available for the Nintendo DS and Iphone. Note that the Iphone version doesn't include the puzzles, just the story segments.

 

It's sequel, Virtue's Last Reward, is available for the Nintendo 3DS and PS Vita.

 

So...has anyone on SSMB played these games?

[Salamander]

He posted Zero Escape 3 hints?  On April Fool's Day?  How cruel...  But, it also seems that people are suspicious of the following Aksys Games site, the number on which has been decreasing by one each week:

http://4infinity.co/

Actually, because of the date this topic was posted, I genuinely expected it to contain a wholly fake ZE3 tease, but no, it's real (a real tease, though possibly a real fake one).

 

In terms more of game trivia, I remember reading somewhat the Uchikoshi was requested, owing to the reaction of Japanese fans to gore in the original game, to give VLR less of a "horror atmosphere" than 999... so he set it in a grey concrete warehouse?  I like VLR a lot, but my biggest complaint about it is that you spend most of your time in really ugly environments.

[kboyrulez12345]

Ah yeah, I remember that. Perhaps since he's changing to a new company(I think...or am I remembering that wrong?) he can put the horror elements back for the final game. I really hope he does, because as much as I love VLR, the horror elements were awesome.

[kboyrulez12345]

Time to bump this topic:

 

So, from what Operation Bluebird has gathered on Twitter, apparently this countdown: http://4infinity.co/

 

Is actually counting down by months and weeks. So if that's correct, the countdown will reach zero in 2 months, 4 weeks, which would be either June 26 or July 3.

 

But that's not all. If it's July 3, it's the same day as the Anime Expo, and Akys, the company in charge of Zero Escape, always announce something there.

 

If anyone's going to Anime Expo, could you pretty please look out for something on Zero Escape 3?

[kboyrulez12345]

Another update. The infinity website image with 204 and the word ring has just been updated with a new word that scrolls across the screen: coin.

 

http://4infinity.co/

 

Admittedly it's been a while since I played the last two games, but I don't remember anything in the series about a ring and a coin...hmmm. Anyone got any ideas?

[Salamander]

Long shot, but what if it's the start of the word "coincidence"?

[kboyrulez12345]

Long shot, but what if it's the start of the word "coincidence"?

 

That would make sense considering the whole

jumping through time through the morphogenetic fields and the respondent not knowing that he did so, knowing things he subconsciously shouldn't know

[kboyrulez12345]

MAJOR BUUUMP!

 

Bumping this topic to let ya'll know that there's nine days left until the countdown on infinity's site reaches zero. Since I last posted this topic, the site has been updated various other words and numbers that people people on Twitter have been trying to decipher.

 

Well anyway, yeah, there's nine days left. Cross your fingers that it really IS ZE3. I'll leave the countdown here:

 

http://4infinity.co/

[Salamander]

Apparently, the figures on the site point to the location, date, and time of Aksys's panel at Anime Expo on July 3rd.

[kboyrulez12345]

This is great. Man, now I need to replay 999 and Virtue's Last Reward again soon. With the director's hint's on Twitter, it HAS to be ZE3.

[kboyrulez12345]

The numbers on the countdown are actually moving now. Let's see where this takes us!

 

http://4infinity.co/

[kboyrulez12345]

http://4infinity.co/

 

Only one day left until whatever infinity has to show! Anyone else replaying 999 and VLR in preparation? 

[kboyrulez12345]

Just discovered there's a stream that Akys is gonna do in 5 hours, the same as the countdown on 4infinity. I'll link it here:

 

http://www.twitch.tv/aksys_nation

[kboyrulez12345]

It's starting SOOOOON!:

 

http://www.twitch.tv/aksys_nation

[Marcello]

It has already started. It was delayed twenty minutes and the stream is broken. Also, apparently they couldn't get a trailer to play.

 

Their technical finesse bodes well for ZE3

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

And it's been announced! Coming next summer!

 

https://twitter.com/RPGSite/status/617072451512573952

[Mando-Whirl-Wind]

I'm guessing it is most likely on 3DS right?

[Marcello]

No platforms were announced. All we know is that it's being made and is coming next Summer. Pretty bare-bones announcement, to be honest.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Coming to 3DS and Vita, Fully voiced cinematics in English and Japanese

 

 Many government organizations have dismissed our urgent warnings regarding the upcoming game event called Zero Time Dilemma. Recent intelligence has escalated our plans and we have come to the decision to contact gamers about the dangers directly. Our ultimate goal has always been to protect the public from the horrific consequences we have foreseen, but it appears our mission to prevent it from occurring may have failed. It is imperative that you make every effort to prepare yourselves for the oncoming deadly game, so that you may survive the coming apocalypse.

 

 

An antidote for the game is predicted to be created, but much further down this timeline, and as such there is no defense from its effects. It will be most easily identifiable on Nintendo 3DS™ and PlayStation®Vita handheld entertainment system, though it is transmittable through the air so the spread may increase even more rapidly through the PlayStation®Store and Nintendo eShop.

 

Do not be tempted by familiar faces, fully voiced cinematics, multiple endings, or voices in both Japanese and English, as those are signs that the apocalypse is nigh. We suggest that you put extensive effort into improving your puzzle solving skills, as they will be vital to your survival.

 

We at Crash Keys beg for your assistance in notifying everyone you can so that no one is left in the dark about this dangerous game. The world will end up in a tumultuous uproar, and ultimate consequences will be unavoidable unless word gets out. Use all the time available to you before the summer of next year to contact your loved ones and prepare; our intelligence hasn’t been able to focus in on an exact date at this time. Do not fear – we are here to protect you and prepare you to our utmost ability so that you may survive. You will survive. We will use all channels available to contact you with updates as soon as we uncover them. You must be ready.

http://gonintendo.com/stories/237735-aksys-pr-the-secret-is-out-zero-escape-volume-3-confirmed-c

 

Sounds like it'll be retail and digital, too! Title might be "Zero Time Dilemma"?

[PSI Wind]

Zero Time Dilemma makes sense considering what happened in VLR.

[kboyrulez12345]

A little late, but I'm glad it's confirmed! And yeah, Zero Time Dilemma is a pretty appropriate name.

[Marcello]

It kind of sounds like a Big Bang Theory episode to me

[Salamander]

At last.  The wait may not be over, but the uncertainty, at least, is.  Well, the uncertainty about the game's existence, anyway; the game itself will presumably be a great deal about uncertainty, as usual.  And how very pleasing that kind of uncertainty is.

[kboyrulez12345]

At last.  The wait may not be over, but the uncertainty, at least, is.  Well, the uncertainty about the game's existence, anyway; the game itself will presumably be a great deal about uncertainty, as usual.  And how very pleasing that kind of uncertainty is.

 

I'm already ready for the mindfuck that is sure to ensue.

[Salamander]

One more thing to be pleased about that I've remembered: I was honestly expecting a Kickstarter.  Not definitely, but there had been so many lately that it didn't seem that improbable.  But no, we are actually getting the game, in development now, no ambiguities (again excluding the narrative ones).

[kboyrulez12345]

 

Moral elements "will be the main theme" of Zero Escape Volume 3. "Your way of thinking, values, virtues will be intensely [shaken] during this game," Uchikoshi said. "This game is even more philosophical than the past volumes. Of course it'll be entertaining too!"

 

The Top 25 Nintendo 3DS Games (Spring 2015)

07:14

 

Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward ended on a cliffhanger, but Uchikoshi assures that remaining questions from Virtue's Last Reward will be resolved. Also, "as a story [Zero Escape] will definitely end at Volume 3."

"I intend to answer every mystery left during VLR and the mysteries in ZE3 would be solved as well. This game will not end in a cliffhanger. However please take it as one break...if there are still fans requesting, I can not deny that there will not be new incidents arriving either," Uchikoshi said.

Uchikoshi said that fan responses are a major reason that 999 became a trilogy.

 

 

"I wasn't thinking of doing a continuation during 999. However thanks to fans world wide giving the game a high praise it grew into a series," Uchikoshi said. "I am very thankful for this. Especially for Volume 2 and 3, my intentions were them being paired as a set so I really wanted to make Volume 3 happen."

Zero Escape Volume 3 will be available for 3DS and PlayStation Vita in summer 2016.

[Salamander]

Or conceivably, a fresh series in a similar vein.

 

Actually, I think a lot of the early news about the game's content never got reposted here, so I'll go dig it up.  Courtesy of Siliconera and NintendoEverything, and spoiler-tagged for anyone who wants to go in completely blind:

 

• "A group of people will find themselves in the Mars test facility–a facility that will be testing the logistics of a colony living on Mars, and also the psychology of what might ensue between this group of people and their interactions while living on this enclosed colony space."
• The tone of the game is said to be more like 999 than VLR (i.e. with more of a horror element, which was toned down for VLR).
• There will be a dog in the game.
• The subtitle of the game hasn't yet been decided (so it won't necessarily be "Zero Time Dilemma").
• Not in either of these articles, but the game has a new artist and the style will be slightly more realistic (see image below).
• The scenario writer for Danganronpa, Kazutaka Kodaka, knows how ZE3 ends and says it's "out of this world."  Also he's pals with Uchikoshi and hopes they'll make a game together one day (and can I just say that Danganronpa x Zero Escape would be amazing).